FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

KALITTA MOTORSPORTS
2008 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series
Event 23 of 24
ACDelco Las Vegas NHRA Nationals
The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Las Vegas, Nev.
Oct. 30-Nov. 2, 2008

Media Contact: Todd Myers
tmyers@kalittaracing.com



Doug Kalitta, Mac Tools Dragster – No. 11 qualifier (3.894 sec., 309.27 mph), advanced to round one


Mac Tools driver Doug Kalitta taken out by teammate in Las Vegas


LAS VEGAS, (Nov. 2, 2008) –Doug Kalitta, driver of the “Big Red”, Mac Tools Top Fuel dragster, had his hopes of claiming his second title trophy at the ACDelco Las Vegas NHRA Nationals ended by his teammate, Hillary Will, in Sunday’s eliminations at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Kalitta, a 44-year old resident of Ann Arbor, Mich., qualified his 8,000-horsepower, Nitro-fueled Mac Tools machine in the No. 11 (3.894 seconds, 309.27 mph) spot for today’s eliminations. He and Will, the No. 6 qualifier, rolled to the starting line under blue but windy skies Sunday. The two veteran teammates gave the fans a great race to watch, but it was Will who got to the finish line strip first, 3.924 sec., 306.81 mph to 3.877 sec., 311.77 mph.

Kalitta won the fall event in Las Vegas in 2004 and holds the quarter-mile speed record at The Strip, 335.57 mph (April, 2004).

Kalitta is in 9th place in POWERade championship points and in the NHRA Countdown to 1 postseason.

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, Doug 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, he 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, Doug 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.


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.