KALITTA MOTORSPORTS
2008 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series
Event 3 of 24
ACDelco NHRA Gatornationals
Gainesville Raceway
Gainesville, Fla.
March 13-16, 2008
Media Contact: Todd Myers
tmyers@kalittaracing.com
Dave Grubnic and Technicoat Companies team up to hopefully floor the field at the Gatornationals
GAINESVILLE, Fla., (March 12, 2008) – Longtime Kalitta Motorsports associate sponsor Technicoat Companies, an industry-leading flooring and waterproofing company based in Las Vegas, will assume the role as primary sponsor on the 8,000-horsepower, Dave Grubnic-driven, Connie Kalitta-tuned Top Fuel dragster at this weekend’s, March 13-16, annual running of the famed ACDelco NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway in Gainesville, Fla.
Technicoat Companies, led by Team Kalitta fixtures “the Cowboys”, Bob Coffman, President, and Glen Williams, C.O.O, and their trademark cowboy hats are not only quarter-mile partners with Kalitta Motorsports, but they are also business associates with team owner and drag racing legend Connie Kalitta and his air cargo company, Kalitta Air. Technicoat Companies recently completed an 85,000-sqare-foot flooring project for a new aircraft hangar at Kalitta Air’s maintenance facility in Oscoda, Mich.
“It’s great to have ‘the Cowboys’ be involved with us at this level for the Gators,” Grubnic, a 45-year old resident of Ennis, Mont., said. “They are always a blast to have around, and they’ve done so much for our entire Kalitta Motorsports team over the years. I can’t think of anything better than to repay their devotion to us than to put the Technicoat Companies Top Fuel dragster in the winner’s circle in Gainesville.”
“Bob and Glen are a part of our Kalitta family,” team patriarch Kalitta added. “We have enjoyed a great relationship with them at the race track, in business, and in life. It’s an honor for us to be able to team up with them in this way.”
“Bob and I have been fortunate enough to be associated with Connie, Kalitta Motorsports and the Kalitta family for six years now,” Williams said. “Our relationship with Team Kalitta and the Kalitta family is something we both hold very strongly on both a professional and personal level. We want to say thank you to Connie and the whole team for everything they do for us and for Technicoat.”
Grubnic won the Top Fuel title trophy at the Gatornationals, one of the 24-event NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series’ most prestigious events, in 2006 when he defeated Melanie Troxel in the final round of eliminations. He also holds the track record at the legendary Gainesville Raceway for elapsed time – 4.481 seconds (2005).
Technicoat Companies has also pledged to lend further support to the Kalitta Motorsports four-car operation in 2008 with additional primary sponsorship signage on the team’s nitro-fueled entries at events that have yet to be determined.
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.
The ACDelco NHRA Gatornationals begins Friday for the nitro-fueled classes with two qualifying sessions at 1:00 p.m. (ET) and 3:30 p.m. Two more qualifying opportunities take place Saturday at 1:00 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. The top sixteen qualified cars will race Sunday in final eliminations beginning at 11:00 a.m.
All times and dates subject to change.
The ACDelco NHRA Gatornationals is the 3rd 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 (Hillary Will-driven dragster) and Jon Oberhofer (Mac Tools dragster). 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, and K2M.