FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

KALITTA MOTORSPORTS
2008 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series
Event 5 of 24
SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals
The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Las Vegas, Nev.
April 10-13, 2008

Media Contact: Todd Myers
tmyers@kalittaracing.com



Dave Grubnic flies the colors for DHL at NHRA drag racing event in Las Vegas

LAS VEGAS, (April 21, 2008) – Native Australian Dave Grubnic, the only non-native North American to win an NHRA Top Fuel trophy (May, 2005 in Topeka, Kans.), proudly piloted the vividly decorated, bright yellow and red DHL Top Fuel dragster during the SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, one of the world’s premier auto racing facilities carved into the Nevada desert just north of the Las Vegas city limits, April 10-13.

NHRA’s Top Fuel class is the quickest and fastest class of professional drag racing in the world. The Nitromethane-powered racing machines produce 8,000 horsepower and accelerate from a standing start to more than 100 mph in less than one second. They routinely cross the finish line in less than 4.5 seconds at speeds over 330 mph. The 24-event NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series extends throughout the United States from February to November.

Grubnic, the No. 14 qualifier (4.871 seconds, 305.98 mph) for the event, had the unenviable task of racing his Team Kalitta teammate Hillary Will in the opening round of Sunday’s 16-car final eliminations. The teammates gave the capacity crowd of quarter-mile racing fans at The Strip the most exciting race of the first stanza with a thrilling side-by side run from the starting line to the finish line, 4.718 sec., 309.56 mph to 4.716 sec., 308.21 mph. The margin of victory at 1,320 feet was a scant .0105 seconds, approximately five ft., but it was the DHL dragster that came across the line second.

“What an honor it was for me and our team to represent such a great company and a great partner of Kalitta Motorsports in Las Vegas,” Grubnic, a native of Brisbane, Australia, and known to NHRA fans “Aussie Dave”, said. “DHL’s commitment to our team and to the sport of NHRA drag racing is evolving and strengthening. It’s very gratifying for us to be able to share in that dedication and excitement both on the race track and away from it.”

In early 2004, Grubnic, a 45-year old resident of Ennis, Mont., was hired to drive for legendary team owner and drag racing icon Connie “the Bounty Hunter” Kalitta and Kalitta Motorsports. Kalitta’s partnership with DHL extends far beyond Grubnic’s brightly branded Top Fueler and the 8,000-horsepower DHL Toyota Solara Funny Car, driven by Connie’s son, Scott Kalitta. Connie is also the founder and owner of Kalitta Air, a worldwide air cargo company based in Ypsilanti, Mich. DHL and Kalitta Air maintain a dynamic relationship that, among other ventures, helps get mail from families in the United States to their loved ones serving in the U.S. military in foreign lands.

“The Las Vegas race gave us an opportunity to expand our DHL sponsorship beyond our full-season commitment on the Scott Kalitta DHL Toyota Solara Funny Car,” Reg Kenney, Executive Vice President, Head of DHL Global Customer Solutions, The Americas, said. “The DHL colors on Dave Grubnic's dragster gave us some great exposure at one of the marquee events on the NHRA POWERade calendar. We place a high value on the partnership we have globally with Kalitta Air, who play an important role supporting key routes in our DHL global air network. Our sponsorship program is just one example of the great work our companies are doing together in many parts of the world!”

In the fall of ‘04, Grubnic, a 14-year NHRA Top Fuel veteran, won the lucrative and coveted Top Fuel 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. Besides his victory in Kansas, Grubnic has one other event victory to date, the 2006 running of the famed Gatornationals in Gainesville, Fla.

The SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals was the 5th 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.