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Rust-Oleum Team Finds Groove at Indy

Topics: TJ Zizzo, Chevrolet Performance NHRA US Nationals

Rust-Oleum Team Finds Groove at Indy

Brandon Mudd
High Side Media
Zizzo Racing
September 7, 2015

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

CONTACT:
Brandon W. Mudd
PR@HighSideMedia.net

INDIANAPOLIS—Success is built with small victories and the Chevrolet Performance NHRA US Nationals at Lucas Oil Raceway Monday, TJ Zizzo and the Rust-Oleum NHRA Mello Yello Series Top Fuel team saw the culmination of several small victories.

Zizzo Racing made only its second start of the season, but was still able to put down a solid pass Sunday in order to make the Big Go, an NHRA Labor Day Weekend tradition. And, despite taking a Rd. 1 loss to Billy Torrence after the Rust-Oleum rail lost its supercharger, the incremental numbers of the E1 run show that Zizzo was well on his way to a career lap.

“During the pass, I got to the 330’ cone and looked over and said, ‘Huh, I don’t see Billy Torrence,'" Zizzo said. "We had a pretty stout car and we were working on a career-best run. If we could have kept it together by the finish line, we would have had a career-best run and odds are, a round win.”

The team feels they are still ahead of where they should be based on their limited track time, which they definitely plan to get more of in 2016.

“We haven’t made too many runs this year," Zizzo said. "We’ve only gone to two events, but we’ve qualified for both of them, so that’s a positive. We changed some things last winter. We changed the fuel pump, we changed the wing, we changed a lot of things. And when you do that, it takes some runs to get used to it. We got a lot of that stuff a little more organized now, which is good, so we can go into the offseason prepped for 2016.”

The important thing for the family-owned Zizzo Racing is above all enjoying the experience of drag racing. “It’s been a blast out here, I gotta tell you," he said. "When you’re away from the sport, but come back to the sport, you forget how much you love the sport.”

Morgan Lucas earned the Top Fuel Wally at the US Nationals, beating former Pro Stock event winner Dave Connolly. Lucas laid down a run of 3.864 seconds at 319.90 mph. I

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.