Scelzi Wins Intense Battle With Rico Abreu
Giovanni Scelzi delivered a clutch performance Friday night, winning the opening race of Interstate Batteries High Limit Racing’s championship weekend at the Texas Motor Speedway Dirt Track. Driving the No. 77 Chevrolet for Spire Motorsports, Scelzi passed championship rival Rico Abreu in the closing laps and held on to secure a major victory.
The win came at a critical moment in the championship battle, with Scelzi entering the weekend trailing Abreu by 45 points. With two nights of racing scheduled at Texas, Friday’s result gave Scelzi valuable momentum heading into the season’s decisive finale.
Late Race Battle Delivers the Drama
Tanner Holmes and Daison Pursley started on the front row for the 25 lap main event, with Holmes grabbing the early lead. Abreu quickly moved into second and began putting pressure on the leader.
Holmes continued holding off Abreu until a mistake with 13 laps remaining opened the door. Abreu capitalized, sliding past Holmes to take control of the race.
Scelzi soon joined the fight, moving into second place with 10 laps remaining. Two laps later, he made his move against Abreu, sliding into the lead in Turn 1.
The closing laps turned into an intense duel through traffic. Scelzi and Abreu traded slide jobs as they battled for the top spot, but Scelzi ultimately regained control and held on to take the checkered flag.
Tyler Courtney passed Abreu for second place with two laps remaining, while Abreu finished third. Holmes and Pursley completed the top five.
Championship Battle Heats Up
Scelzi’s victory gives him an important boost as he continues pursuing his first High Limit Racing championship. Abreu remains the driver to catch, but Friday’s result adds pressure heading into Saturday’s finale.
Aaron Reutzel also remains part of the championship fight, making the final night especially important for all three contenders.
For Scelzi and Spire Motorsports, the opening night victory was exactly the result they needed. Now, Scelzi will look to carry that momentum into Saturday’s race and make one final push for the 2026 championship.