FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
KALITTA MOTORSPORTS
2008 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series
Event 1 of 24
CARQUEST Auto Parts NHRA Winternationals
Auto Club Raceway at Pomona
Pomona, Calif.
Feb. 7-10, 2008
Media Contact: Todd Myers
tmyers@kalittaracing.com
Dave Grubnic, Kalitta Motorsports Top Fuel dragster – No. 7 qualifier,
advanced to round one
Dave Grubnic and the Kalitta Motorsports team turned away in Pomona
POMONA, Calif., (Feb. 11, 2008) – Yesterday at the season-opening event of
the 2008 POWERade Drag Racing Series, the CARQUEST Auto Parts NHRA
Winternationals at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona (Calif.), Dave Grubnic, driver of
the Kalitta Motorsports Top Fuel dragster, was denied a chance to win the famed
event with a first-round loss.
Grubnic, a native of Australia, qualified his Top Fueler in the top-half of the
16-car final eliminations field in the No. 7 (4.530 seconds, 318.62 mph) slot
for Sunday. In round one, Grubnic took on No. 10 qualifier Rod Fuller. Early in
his lap down the track, Grubnic’s dragster began suffering traction problems and
that allowed Fuller to get the upset win, 5.420 sec., 212.49 mph to 4.494 sec.,
326.24 mph.
In early 2004, Grubnic was hired to drive for legendary team owner Connie “the
Bounty Hunter” Kalitta and Kalitta Motorsports. In the fall of ‘04, Grubnic won
the lucrative and coveted Budweiser Shootout in Las Vegas, becoming only the
fourth driver in the special event's history to win its $100,000 prize in his
first attempt. Grubnic picked up an emotional first NHRA national event win in
May, 2005 in Topeka, Kans., to become the first non-native North American to win
a Top Fuel trophy. He has one other event victory to date, the 2006 running of
the famed Gatornationals in Gainesville, Fla.
The CARQUEST Auto Parts NHRA Winternationals was the 1st 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 Toyota.