New York’ s Chris Scarlata becomes first Winter Series Lil Gangstas champion

BY NATE VAN WAGNEN

After a third-round exit to the potent Gage Burch at the Snowbird Outlaw Nationals, Chris Scarlata wasn’ t sure it made sense to hit the other two races in the Strange Engineering Lil Gangstas Championship Series presented by Melling Performance in the DI Winter Series. Bradenton, Florida, is a long haul from home in Bergen, New York, just outside Rochester, and as a husband and father of two who runs a repair shop with his father, two more long race weekends away from home would be a challenge. But Scarlata was up for that challenge, and he prevailed to return home with the series championship and the WSOPM win.

Scarlata grew up bracket racing with his dad, who actually owns the’ 70 Nova that Chris drove in the Winter Series. He’ s most recently run 5.50 and 6.50 index races, as well as just one 5.30 index race at his home track, Empire Dragway.

Scarlata got the invite to head south for the Snowbirds, where he estimates he broke out against Burch in the third round( Lil Gangstas competitors can’ t run quicker than 5.30 and

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