4-Warned is 4-Armed at 4-Wide for Zizzo, PEAK Team |
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Topics: Dollar General 4-Wide Nationals
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Brandon Mudd
High Side Media
Zizzo Racing
April 16, 2013
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
CONTACT:
Brandon W. Mudd
PR@HighSideMedia.com
LINCOLNSHIRE, Ill. – This weekend’s Dollar General 4-Wide NHRA Nationals may be the fourth 4-Wide event at zMAX Dragway in Concord, N.C., but it represents the first time Chicago native TJ Zizzo and his PEAK Motor Oil team will race four abreast at one of the top tracks in the NHRA Mello Yello Series.
But Zizzo has done everything he can to prepare for this weekend, including studying tape and talking to his fellow racers. He knows nothing can make up for actual on-track experience, but the second-generation drag racer is always up for a new challenge.
“I’m going to treat it like any other race,” he said, “except in this one, there will be two more PEAK blue staging lights. My goal is not to get too jacked up over the idea of racing three cars, but just get the car down the track on all eight cylinders. We’ll worry about the competition after that.”
The 2013 season has been forgettable for the veteran team to this point, having barely missed the field in both previous attempts at the Winternationals and the Gatornationals. Zizzo knows all that’s behind him and nothing can be done about those DNQs. Now it’s all about making it to Sunday’s eliminations and clicking off some round wins.
“Let’s face it we are in our biggest slump in our ten year top fuel career,” Zizzo said. “Going back to last year at the NHRA World Finals in Pomona, we have not qualified at our last three events. That is new territory for Zizzo Racing. Before that we prided ourselves at qualifying for every event except three since 2005. We need to get back to qualifying and winning again.”
Zizzo is confident looking towards this weekend however. “I feel we are a couple of runs from turning the corner,” he said. “If we can nail our fuel system on the first two runs in Charlotte and keep all eight cylinders lit we should easily run good enough to qualify. Our car is talking to us and we are starting to listen to it. The issue is if you change one ‘thing’ that changes many other ‘things.’”
In addition to entertaining the thousands of fans in the stands at zMAX Dragway this weekend, Zizzo is also hosting sponsors in the PEAK hospitality area. “I am excited to entertain Blue DEF and Final Charge customers all weekend long and put on a great show for them. I love to entertain and that is exactly what we are going to do.”
TJ in the Media: On Day 1 of qualifying for the Gatornationals, the team’s most recent race, longtime crew chief Mike Kern wasn’t at the track. Or even in the same time zone. He was meeting with US President Barack Obama. For that story, click HERE.
Fans of TJ Zizzo and Zizzo Racing can find updates and photos of the PEAK/Herculiner Top Fuel team by checking out ZizzoRacing.com, Instagram.com/ZizzoPEAK, Twitter.com/TJZizzo, and Facebook.com/TJZizzo.
Zizzo Racing and the PEAK Motor Oil Top Fuel dragster is racing at the 4th Annual Dollar General 4-Wide Nationals at the Bellagio of Drag Strips, zMAX Dragway in Concord, NC this weekend. Nitro qualifying begins Friday at 3:15 p.m. local time and resumes Saturday at 1 p.m. Saturday. Eliminations are scheduled to begin at Noon Sunday. For tickets, click HERE.
Zizzo Racing Fast Facts:
Zizzo has piloted the PEAK/Herculiner Top Fuel dragster in the NHRA Full Throttle Series since 2003.
Zizzo’s career-best ET is 3.843 (1000 ft.) achieved in 2012 in Englishtown, NJ. His career-best speed is 319.98 mph (1000 ft.) which came in Houston.
The Dollar General 4-Wide NHRA Nationals is Zizzo’s third event of the 2013 season and his first time racing in this event.