FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

KALITTA MOTORSPORTS
2008 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series
Event 7 of 24
O'Reilly NHRA Midwest Nationals
Gateway Int’l Raceway
Madison, Ill.
May 2-4, 2008

Media Contact: Todd Myers
tmyers@kalittaracing.com

Scott Kalitta, DHL Toyota Solara Funny Car – No. 15 qualifier (4.822 seconds, 324.98 mph) advanced to round one

Scott Kalitta and the DHL team defeated in heartbreaking loss in St. Louis

MADISON, Ill., (May 4, 2008) – Sunday at the O'Reilly NHRA Midwest Nationals at Gateway Int’l Raceway in Madison, Ill., with the iconic Gateway Arch overseeing the quarter-mile action from just across the Mississippi River, Scott Kalitta, driver of the DHL Toyota Solara Funny Car, and his DHL team were thwarted from a round one victory in a highlight reel-esque race that was decided by less than three feet at the finish line.

Kalitta, the No. 15 qualifier (4.822 sec., 324.98 mph), faced off against No. 2 qualifier Mike Ashley (4.768 sec., 327.82 mph) as Funny Car eliminations got underway under beautiful blue skies at GIR. Kalitta got out of the gate first (.087 sec., to .114 sec.) and looked like he was on his way to his second round win of the 2008 POWERade Drag Racing Series when Ashley’s car suffered traction problems early in his lane. Kalitta’s DHL mount then began to lose valuable grip on the race track around half-track. Both drivers struggled to get their 7,000-horspower floppers to recover. Kalitta had a big lead on the track, but a mechanical failure left him coasting toward the finish line. Ashley’s race car recovered and charged after Kalitta to remarkably chase the DHL car down to get the win, 6.622 sec., 138.12 mph to 6.579 sec., 252.90 mph. The margin of victory for Ashley was a scant .0164 seconds.

“We just can’t seem to catch a break,” Kalitta, a 46-year old resident of Palmetto, Fla., said. “It’s disappointing for me and our DHL team, but that’s drag racing for you. Somebody has to lose, and that was us this time. We’ll go to Bristol (Tenn., next event) and try again.”

Kalitta is currently in 18th place in 2008 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 O'Reilly NHRA Midwest Nationals was the 7th 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 (KB Racing, LLC dragster), Jon Oberhofer (Mac Tools dragster co-crew chief), and Richard Hogan (Mac Tools dragster co-crew chief). 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.