KALITTA MOTORSPORTS
2008 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series
Event 19 of 24
NHRA Carolinas Nationals
zMax Dragway @ Concord
Concord, N.C.
Sept. 11-14, 2008
Media Contact: Todd Myers
tmyers@kalittaracing.com
Doug Kalitta to run special edition Stanley Top Fueler in Charlotte
CONCORD, N.C., (Sept. 9, 2008) – This weekend, Sept. 11-14, the 8,000-horsepower, 300-mph, Nitro-fueled Stanley Top Fuel dragster will take center stage at the inaugural NHRA Carolinas Nationals, marking the grand opening of the all new, state-of-the-art zMax Dragway @ Concord, with 30-time NHRA national event winner Doug Kalitta at the wheel.
Kalitta typically races under the banner of Mac Tools, but will have the black and yellow branding of Stanley on his race car for this weekend’s historic christening in Concord.
Kalitta and his Kalitta Motorsports Top Fuel teammates Hillary Will and Dave Grubnic also begin the Countdown to 1 “playoffs” this weekend as three of the ten drivers in the six-race postseason to determine the 2008 NHRA Top Fuel POWERade champion.
All four professional NHRA categories—Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle—will be in competition this weekend. The race will be televised by ESPN2 and ESPN2HD.
Qualifying for the NHRA Carolinas Nationals begins Friday for the Nitro-fueled classes with two qualifying sessions at 3:30 p.m. (ET) and 6:30 p.m. Two more qualifying sessions take place Saturday at noon and 6:30 p.m. The top 16 qualified cars will race Sunday in final eliminations beginning at noon.
All times and dates subject to change.
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. Connie’s nephew, Doug Kalitta drives the flagship Top Fuel dragster for Mac Tools. Native Australian Dave Grubnic drives the DHL Top Fuel dragster, Jeff Arend drives the DHL Toyota Solara Funny Car, and Hillary Will drives the Ken Black-owned and Kalitta Motorsports-managed KB Racing, LLC 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) and Glenn Mikres (DHL Funny Car). Connie serves as crew chief on the DHL dragster with assistance from co-crew chief James Riola. Jon Oberhofer and Nick Boninfante are co-crew chiefs on the Mac Tools dragster.
Associate sponsors on all Kalitta Motorsports’ race cars include Mac Tools, Red Line Oil, Summit Racing Equipment, Technicoat Companies, K2M, and Toyota.