After being emancipated as a minor, Scarallo started his car racing career in the open-wheel ranks in the US Formula Ford 2000 Championship Series in 1996.

The first race was at the newly built Walt Disney World Speedway in a family owned 1995 Van Diemen.

In February of that year, Scarallo was invited to drive for K&N Air Filters in a company development car, in the 24 Hours of Daytona.

The Trans-Am Championship went on hiatus after 2006 and Scarallo moved over to run in the SCCA World Challenge in the GT class with a Pontiac GTO.

Many lower budget NASCAR teams do this as a full-time revenue source, deriving the term "Start and Park".