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, DHL Toyota Solara Funny Car – No. 9 qualifier, advanced to round one

Scott Kalitta and the DHL team denied delivery of a win in Gainesville

GAINESVILLE, Fla., (March 16, 2008) – Sunday at the annual running of the ACDelco NHRA Gatornationals at historic Gainesville Raceway in Gainesville, Fla., Scott Kalitta, driver of the bright yellow and red DHL Toyota Solara Funny Car, seemed poised to get their first win of the 2008 POWERade Drag Racing Series during final eliminations.

Kalitta and the DHL team qualified their nitro-fueled flopper in the No. 9 position (4.892 seconds, 325.37 mph) in the 16-car field for final eliminations. Kalitta faced off against No. 8 qualifier Ashley Force in the opening stanza of quarter-mile racing in the Sunshine State. Under clear skies Sunday morning, the wily veteran, Kalitta, and the upstart, Force, rolled to the starting line to race against each for the first time ever. Kalitta’s DHL mount suffered traction problems almost instantly after the venerable driver hit the throttle and that allowed Force to get an unchallenged win light, 13.385 sec., 74.88 mph to 4.984 sec., 290.38 mph.

“We’re not exactly sure why the DHL car did that,” Kalitta, a 46-year old resident of Palmetto, Fla., said. “We’ve looked at all of the data and some things just don’t add up, but we’re going to stay here tomorrow and test and get it figured out.”

Kalitta leaves Gainesville in 10th place in POWERade Funny Car championship points.

Kalitta is the son of team owner and drag racing legend Conrad “Connie” Kalitta. He 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 was 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, K2M, and Toyota.