FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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



Scott Kalitta and the DHL team looking for “hometown” win in Gainesville

GAINESVILLE, Fla., (March 12, 2008) – This weekend, March 13-16, Scott Kalitta, driver of the bright yellow and red, 8,000-horsepower DHL Toyota Solara Funny Car, is hoping to maintain the momentum that he and his team have built in the first two events of the 2008 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series at the prestigious ACDelco NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway in Gainesville, Fla.

Kalitta is currently in 6th place in 2008 POWERade Funny Car championship points in large part due to a convincing win over 14-time POWERade champion John Force in the first round of eliminations at the previous event in Phoenix. Until Kalitta bested “the Champ” in the desert, 4.78 seconds to 4.86 sec., he was 0-10 versus Force in his career in elimination rounds.

“I think we may look back on that round against Force as the turning point for our DHL team,” Kalitta, a 46-year old resident of Palmetto, Fla., said. “Unfortunately, we didn’t capitalize on it in round two in Phoenix, but it was a tremendous boost in everyone’s confidence on our team.

“We’re really looking forward to getting back on the track in Gainesville. DHL America is based in Florida, and we’re expecting some DHL corporate staff and guests at the race track. With our new optimism and performance, hopefully we’ll keep them cheering for us all weekend.”

Kalitta is looking to join his father, team owner, and drag racing icon Connie “the Bounty Hunter” Kalitta and his cousin Doug Kalitta, driver of the Mac Tools Top Fuel dragster, as Kalitta family members that have conquered the quarter-mile at Gainesville Raceway. Connie defeated Scott in the only father-son Top Fuel final in NHRA history in Gainesville in 1994. Cousin Doug visited the winner’s circle at the illustrious track in 2005 and 2000.

Kalitta returned to the Funny Car class in 2006 after many successful years at the helm of a Top Fuel dragster. He won the NHRA Top Fuel World Championship in 1994 and 1995 as well as 17 NHRA national event trophies, but got his first professional NHRA national event win under the carbon fiber canopy of a Funny Car in Houston in 1989.

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.