KALITTA MOTORSPORTS
2008 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series
Event 6 of 24
Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals
Atlanta Dragway
Commerce, Ga.
April 24-27, 2008
Media Contact: Todd Myers
tmyers@kalittaracing.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
KALITTA MOTORSPORTS
2008 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series
Event 6 of 24
Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals
Atlanta Dragway
Commerce, Ga.
April 24-27, 2008
Media Contact: Todd Myers
tmyers@kalittaracing.com
Dave Grubnic to fly DHL colors for Top Fuel eliminations in Atlanta
COMMERCE, Ga., (April 27, 2008) – NHRA Top Fuel dragster ace and native
Australian Dave Grubnic will once again sport the bright yellow and red branding
of DHL today during final eliminations of the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA
Southern Nationals at Atlanta Dragway in Commerce, Ga., a few miles northeast of
the Atlanta city limits.
Grubnic, who drives for legendary team owner and crew chief Connie Kalitta and
Kalitta Motorsports, sported the DHL colors on his 8,000-horsepower dragster at
the previous event in Las Vegas during qualifying and eliminations.
“We still had the DHL body with us so we decided to run it today for our great
partners at DHL,” Grubnic, a 45-year old resident of Ennis, Mont., said.
“Unfortunately, our teammate Scott Kalitta (driver of the DHL Toyota Solara
Funny Car) was unable to qualify for a fiercely competitive Funny Car field here
in Atlanta, but now we have the opportunity to pick up the DHL banner and carry
it for them today.
“One of the great things about our Kalitta Motorsports team and Connie is that
we have always tried to give our sponsors the maximum exposure we can for them,
and fortunately for us, we have that chance today to do that for DHL.”
Grubnic enters today’s eliminations in Atlanta in 8th place in 2008 POWERade Top
Fuel championship points. Grubnic’s team remains in search of a primary
sponsorship partner for the remainder of the 2008 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing
Series and beyond.
In early 2004, Grubnic was hired to drive for legendary team owner Connie “the
Bounty Hunter” Kalitta and Kalitta Motorsports. In the fall of ‘04, Grubnic won
the lucrative and coveted Budweiser Shootout in Las Vegas, becoming only the
fourth driver in the special event's history to win its $100,000 prize in his
first attempt. Grubnic picked up an emotional first NHRA national event win in
May, 2005 in Topeka, Kans., to become the first non-native North American to win
a Top Fuel trophy. He has one other event victory to date, the 2006 running of
the famed Gatornationals in Gainesville, Fla.
The Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals is the 6th of 24 national
events in the 2008 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series.
About Kalitta Motorsports
Based in Ypsilanti, Michigan, Kalitta Motorsports is a Top Fuel and Funny Car
drag racing team in the NHRA (National Hot Rod Association) POWERade Drag Racing
Series. The racing operation was started in 1959 by now legendary drag racer and
team owner Connie "the Bounty Hunter" Kalitta. His son, Scott Kalitta, drives
the DHL Toyota Solara Funny Car. Scott's cousin, Connie's nephew, Doug Kalitta
drives the flagship Top Fuel dragster for Mac Tools. Native Australian Dave
Grubnic drives the Kalitta Motorsports Top Fuel dragster, while Hillary Will
drives the Ken Black-owned and Kalitta Motorsports-managed Top Fuel dragster.
Connie serves as head tuner for all Team Kalitta entries. He is assisted by crew
chiefs Jim Oberhofer (KB Racing, LLC dragster), Jon Oberhofer (Mac Tools
dragster co-crew chief), and Richard Hogan (Mac Tools dragster co-crew chief).
Connie serves as crew chief on the DHL Toyota Solara Funny Car with assistance
from co-crew chief Glenn Mikres and as the crew chief on the Kalitta Motorsports
dragster with assistance from co-crew chief James Riola.
Associate sponsors on all Kalitta Motorsports' race cars include Red Line Oil,
Summit Racing Equipment, Technicoat Companies, K2M, and Toyota.