Team Kalitta Ready for Hot Drag Racing Eliminations Action in Atlanta

COMMERCE, Ga. (May 5, 2012) – In NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series qualifying action at the annual running of the NHRA Southern Nationals at Atlanta Dragway in Commerce, Ga., a few miles northeast of downtown Atlanta, the nitro-fueled contingent of Kalitta Motorsports placed all four of the team’s 300+mph hot rods into Sunday’s eliminations.

With track temperatures soaring to nearly 140 degrees under the bright Georgia sunshine during the four qualifying attempts Friday and Saturday, the sultry conditions are certainly the most foreboding they have been since the 2012 NHRA season began in February.

Native Australian David Grubnic, driver of the Optima Batteries Top Fuel dragster, will lead the way for Team Kalitta into tomorrow’s raceday. He qualified his red and black hot rod in the No. 7 (3.872 seconds, 318.09 mph) spot for the 16-car field of Top Fuel eliminations. He will race against No. 10 qualifier Bob Vandergriff in the opening round.

Doug Kalitta, driver of the Kalitta Air Top Fueler, qualified his dragster in the No. 12 (3.891 sec., 300.06 mph) slot on the Top Fuel “ladder”. Doug will face No. 5 qualifier Antron Brown in round one.

Rookie of the Year contender Alexis DeJoria, driver of the stunning green and black Tequila Patron Toyota Camry Funny Car, qualified in the No. 10 (4.166 sec., 302.28 mph) spot for the 16-car Funny Car field of eliminations and will race No. 7 qualifier Matt Hagan in the opener.

Native Canadian Arend and the DHL “Yella Fellas” crew qualified their yellow DHL Toyota Camry racer right behind their “flopper” teammates in the No. 11 (4.183 sec., 301.40 mph) position. In the opening round, they will race against No. 6 qualifier Tony Pedregon.

Eliminations for the NHRA Southern Nationals begin tomorrow at 11:00 a.m. (ET). Follow Team Kalitta on Twitter (www.twitter.com/TeamKalitta) for real-time team results during eliminations. The public-address commentary of eliminations will be broadcast live over the Internet at www.nhra.com/multimedia/audiocast.aspx

ESPN2 TV Coverage

5/5 - Qualifying
7:00 PM-9:00 PM (ET)
5/6 - Eliminations
7:00 PM-10:00 PM (ET)

Arend Delivers Semi-Final Showing for DHL in Houston; Grubnic Reaches Quarterfinals as Teammates Kalitta and DeJoria Exit Eliminations Early

BAYTOWN, Texas (April 29, 2012) – In NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series action Sunday during final eliminations of the NHRA Spring Nationals at Royal Purple Raceway in Baytown, Texas, just outside of Houston, Jeff Arend, driver of the DHL Toyota Camry Funny Car, raced his yellow and black-clad racer to his first semifinal of the 2012 season.

Native Canadian Arend and the DHL “Yella Fellas” crew qualified their nitro-fueled race car in a season-best No. 4 (4.138 sec., 307.37 mph) position for “Flopper” eliminations. Arend raced No. 13 qualifier Matt Hagan in round one. Arend and Hagan gave the huge crowd of drag racing fans a great race with Arend picking up the win, 4.141 sec., 308.57 mph to 4.179 sec., 303.57 mph.

In the quarterfinals, Arend rolled to the starting line to “Go the Grand” with his opponent Tim Wilkerson. Wilkerson struggled early as his entry lost valuable grip on the racing surface and that allowed Arend to cruise to the easy win, 4.204 sec., 303.78 mph to 8.836 sec., 90.18 mph.

Arend matched up with Mike Neff in the semifinals in a rematch of last season’s final round in Houston. For the first time all weekend, the DHL car had problems with traction and that was enough to give Neff the victory, 5.772 sec., 130 mph to 4.176 sec., 306.81 mph. The trip to the semis was Arend’s first since reaching the same round at the Phoenix event in the fall of last year.

Arend moves up to 10th (252) place in Full Throttle Funny Car championship points.

Native Australian David Grubnic, driver of the Candlewood Suites Top Fuel dragster, qualified his hot rod in a season-best No. 4 (3.829 sec., 323.35 mph) slot for eliminations. In round one, he raced against No. 13 qualifier Clay Millican. After the “Christmas Tree” went green, Millican led until almost halfway down the 1,000-ft. straight-line course, but Grubnic’s dragster, helmed by crew chief and drag racing icon Connie “the Bounty Hunter” Kalitta, took the lead and charged to the finish line first to get the close win, 3.843 sec., 317.94 mph to 3.898 sec., 311.92 mph.

In round two, Grubnic faced off against Bob Vandergriff. The two wily drag racers had to earn their paychecks as they both had to negotiate a hot and slick race track. Both dragsters lost traction and smoked the tires, but Vandergriff was able to get the pedalfest win, 5.415 sec., 126.57 mph to 4.260 sec., 260.66 mph.

Grubnic moves up from 11th place to 9th (259) place in Full Throttle Top Fuel championship points.

Doug Kalitta, driver of the Technicoat Top Fueler, qualified his colorfully-decorated dragster in the No. 9 (3.855 sec., 320.81 mph) spot for eliminations. He faced Tony Schumacher, the No. 8 qualifier, in the opening round. Schumacher and Kalitta continued their rivalry in fine style with an exciting side-by-side lap, but Schumacher saw the win light come on in his lane, 3.870 sec., 319.82 mph to 3.825 sec., 320.74 mph.

Kalitta is now in 7th (313) place in Full Throttle points.

Alexis DeJoria, driver of the sleek green and black Tequila Patron Toyota Camry Funny Car, qualified her 300+mph machine in the No. 10 (4.183 sec., 303.91 mph) position for eliminations. In the opening round, she raced against fellow Rookie of the Year contender Courtney Force, marking the first time the two ladies have faced one another in eliminations. DeJoria got a slight starting line advantage (.067 sec. to .079 sec.), but Force was able to make up the deficit and get around DeJoria to get a close win, 4.202 sec., 294.31 mph to 4.126 sec., 309.98 mph.

DeJoria is now in 14th (190) place in Full Throttle points.