The Crittenden Automotive Library

Zizzo Happy to Qualify Rust-Oleum Rail 15th at Home

Topics: TJ Zizzo, Route 66 NHRA Nationals

Zizzo Happy to Qualify Rust-Oleum Rail 15th at Home

Brandon Mudd
High Side Media
Zizzo Racing
July 12, 2015

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

CONTACT:
Brandon W. Mudd
PR@HighSideMedia.net

JOLIET, Ill.—After two tire-shaking rounds of qualifying Friday at Route 66 Raceway in his Rust-Oleum Top Fuel dragster, TJ Zizzo and his Chicago-based family-owned NHRA Mello Yello Series team earned their way into Sunday's Lucas Oil Route 66 NHRA Nationals. Zizzo ran a 6.995 in Q3, which became the last round of quals due to rain, an ET good enough to qualify him 15th on the ladder.

Zizzo faces off against eight-time and defending class champion, Tony Schumacher. The two have paired up numerous times, the most memorable being 2012. Zizzo qualified 16th with The Sarge starting the day P1 and the second-generation shocked the world by beating the Army dragster. Zizzo would like to see history repeat itself Sunday.

"We're in the show!" said an ecstatic Zizzo after NHRA gave the word that the remaining round had been canceled. "We get to run our favorite competitor, Tony Schumacher. It's been one heckuva long weekend and I gotta tell you, we're outta shape for all this stuff! We're ready to rock and roll for tomorrow.

"We waited out the rain for several hours today and we got through that and it's nice to be qualified again. We'll take that. We'll work on the Rust-Oleum dragster a little bit tomorrow and see what happens in the first round."

Former Top Fuel champion Antron Brown earned top qualifier honors with a track record ET 3.729 seconds at 323.58 mph.

Zizzo Racing and the Rust-Oleum Top Fuel dragster are racing in the Lucas Oil Route 66 NHRA Nationals this weekend at Route 66 Raceway. Eliminations kick off Sunday at 11 a.m.

Fans of TJ Zizzo and Zizzo Racing can find updates and photos of the Rust-Oleum Top Fuel team by checking out ZizzoRacing.com, Twitter at @ZizzoRacing and Facebook.com/TJZizzo.

-ZR-

About Zizzo Racing:
Zizzo Racing has been involved in drag racing at the top levels for more than 30 years. Based in Lincolnshire, Ill. and owned by Tony Zizzo, the team started racing in 1980 in the Top Alcohol Dragster class, moving to nitro with TJ in 2004 after earning his class license. In 2007, TJ Zizzo finished second in the final IHRA standings and now competes on a part-time basis in the NHRA Mello Yello Series.

About Rust-Oleum:
For nearly a century, Rust-Oleum has been the global leader in manufacturing innovative coatings that empower do-it-yourselfers and professionals alike across categories including small project paints, cleaners, primers, automotive, industrial, high performance coatings and wood care. Its wide breadth of brands and products include such trusted names as Rust-Oleum, Stops Rust®, Painter’s Touch®, Krud Kutter®, Universal®, EpoxyShield®, Varathane®, Zinsser®, MultiSpec®, Testors®, Modern Masters®, and Watco®. Visit www.Rustoleum.com for more information.