KALITTA MOTORSPORTS
2008 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series
Media Contact: Todd Myers
tmyers@kalittaracing.com
Doug Kalitta wins NHRA Stars in Short Track Cars charity race at LVMS Bullring
LAS VEGAS, (April 13, 2008) – Doug Kalitta, driver of the 8,000-horsepower “Big Red” Mac Tools Top Fuel dragster, returned to his round-racing roots last night at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway Bullring and raced to an easy victory on the paved oval track at the special event held in conjunction with this weekend’s running of the SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals taking place on the quarter-mile drag strip at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
Kalitta competed with other NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series stars including Gary Scelzi and Jeg Coughlin, Jr. in Thunder Roadsters in a 15-lap charity race. Kalitta’s racing career began on oval tracks. He was ARCA/WWAR Midget Rookie of the Year in 1990 and USAC National Midget Rookie of the Year in 1991. In 1994, he was crowned the USAC National Sprint Car Champion. He followed his title with runner-up points finishes in 1995 and 1996. Last night at the LVMS Bullring, Kalitta raced to the front of the pack in the opening laps and never relinquished the lead.
“It was a lot of fun turning left again,” Kalitta, a 43-year old resident of Ann Arbor, Mich., said. “I had a really good car, and I want to thank all the folks at Al Budd Racing for letting me drive their race car. It was a great event, and I’m glad I was able to take part in it.
“Hopefully this is a sign of great things to come for me and my Mac Tools dragster team today at The Strip.”
Three videos of Kalitta in action and taking the checkered flag last night at the LVMS Bullring are now posted to the Home Page of the Team Kalitta Web site, www.teamkalitta.com.
Kalitta will return to his straight-racing job of piloting his 330-plus mph Mac Tools Top Fueler today for the final eliminations of the SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals. He will begin his quest for the title trophy from the lofty No. 2 qualifying position (4.541 seconds, 324.98 mph). It is his best qualifying effort of the 2008 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series. Kalitta will race against No. 15 qualifier Larry Dixon in the opening round of eliminations which begin at 11:00 a.m. (PT)
Since winning the NHRA’s equivalent of Rookie of the Year, the Automobile Club of Southern California’s Road to the Future Award after the 1998 drag racing season, Kalitta has driven his dragster to 30 Top Fuel national event titles, which places him in sixth in career wins for the sport’s quickest and fastest class. In the past five NHRA seasons, Kalitta has solidified his place among the best Top Fuel pilots of all-time. In 2006, he won a career-high five national events in 2006 and led the POWERade points for almost the entire second half of the season. After finishing just 14 points shy of his first NHRA championship, Kalitta garnered his third career runner-up points finish in 2006. He was also points runner-up in 2003 and 2004. In 2007, he won one event – the event held in Richmond, Va.
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, K2M, and Toyota.