Bristol At A Glance; Top Fuel Points Leader Kalitta Looks to Get Another Win in Tennessee

Team Kalitta – Bristol At A Glance; Top Fuel Points Leader Kalitta Looks to Get Another Win in Tennessee

BRISTOL, Tenn., (June 12, 2014) – This weekend, June 13-15, Kalitta Motorsports, the four-car, nitro-fueled racing assault from Ypsilanti, Michigan, will be competing at the 10th event of the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, the NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals at Bristol Dragway in Bristol, Tenn.

Here’s what to watch for from Team Kalitta at the Thunder Valley Nationals –

Doug Kalitta – Driver of the Mac Tools Top Fuel Dragster
HOMETOWN: Ann Arbor, Mich.
CREW CHIEF: Jim Oberhofer
CAREER WINS: 34
CAREER FINAL ROUNDS: 72
CAREER BEST E.T.: 3.713 seconds
CAREER BEST SPEED: 331.45 mph

– Kalitta has won the event in Bristol three times (2006, 2005, and 2001)
– Kalitta was the runner-up finisher in Bristol in 2012 and 2009
– Kalitta was a quarter-finalist in Bristol last season
– Kalitta is now only four elimination round wins from 500 in his career
– Kalitta has garnered one event wins so far this season (Gainesville, Fla.)
– Kalitta has raced to four runner-up finishes so far this season (Pomona, Calif., Las Vegas, Atlanta, and Englishtown)
– Kalitta was the No. 1 qualifier for Top Fuel eliminations in Pomona, Phoenix, Atlanta and Englishtown

J.R. Todd – Driver of the Optima Batteries/Advance Auto Parts Top Fuel Dragster
HOMETOWN: Lawrenceburg, Ind.
CREW CHIEF: Connie Kalitta
CAREER WINS: 6
CAREER FINAL ROUNDS: 8
CAREER BEST E.T.: 3.747 seconds
CAREER BEST SPEED: 325.30 mph

– Todd set a career-best elapsed time mark last month in Topeka, Kan., (3.747 sec.)
– Todd joined Team Kalitta in March as the full-time driver of the Optima Batteries/Advance Auto Parts Top Fueler

Del Worsham – Driver of the DHL Toyota Camry Funny Car
HOMETOWN: Villa Park, Calif.
CREW CHIEFS: Nick Boninfante and Jon Oberhofer
CAREER WINS: 33 (TF: 8 FC: 25)
CAREER FINAL ROUNDS: 51 (TF: 11 FC: 40)
CAREER BEST E.T.: 3.994 seconds
CAREER BEST SPEED: 321.42 mph

– Worsham reached his first final round (runner-up) of 2014 at the previous event in Englishtown
– Worsham was a semifinalist at the Bristol event last year
– Worsham recorded his career best elapsed time, 3.994 sec., at the previous event in Englishtown
– Worsham has raced to two semi-final finishes so far this season (Pomona, Calif. and Houston)

Alexis DeJoria – Driver of the Patrón XO Café Toyota Camry Funny Car
HOMETOWN: Austin, Texas
CREW CHIEF: Tommy Delago
CAREER WINS: 4 (FC: 2 TAFC: 1 SPORTS: 1)
CAREER FINAL ROUNDS: 7 (FC: 3 TAFC: 3 SPORTS: 1)
CAREER BEST E.T.: 3.997 seconds
CAREER BEST SPEED: 319.07 mph

– DeJoria was a quarterfinalist in the 2013 event in Bristol
– DeJoria earned her first No. 1 qualifying position of her career in Atlanta in May
– DeJoria has garnered two event wins so far this season (Phoenix and Las Vegas)

Mello Yello Championship Points:

Top Fuel

1 – Doug Kalitta (809)
2 – Antron Brown (706)
3 – Shawn Langdon (638)
4 – Spencer Massey (598)
5 – Steve Torrence (580)
6 – Khalid alBalooshi (503)
7 – Tony Schumacher (495)
8 – Brittany Force (462)
9 – Richie Crampton (433)
10 – JR Todd (392)
11 – Bob Vandegriff Jr (332)

Funny Car

1 – Robert Hight (847)
2 – John Force (601)
3 – Alexis Dejoria (564)
4 – Del Worsham (535)
5 – Ron Capps (534)
6 – Courtney Force (527)
7 – Tommy Johnson Jr. (508)
8 – Cruz Pedregon (506)
9 – Jack Beckman (480)
10 – Matt Hagan (454)

Event Schedule:

FRIDAY, June 13

Nitro Qualifying Session (FC-TF) 5:30 PM ET
Nitro Qualifying Session (FC-TF) 8:00 PM ET

SATURDAY, June 14

Nitro Qualifying Session (TF-FC) 1:00 PM ET
Nitro Qualifying Session (TF-FC) 3:30 PM ET

SUNDAY, June 15

Nitro Eliminations – Round 1 NOON ET
Nitro Eliminations – Round 2 2:00 PM ET
Nitro Eliminations – Semi-Finals 3:30 PM ET
Nitro Eliminations – Finals 4:45 PM ET

Times and dates subject to change.

ESPN2 TV Schedule:

6/14 Qualifying – 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM ET/3:00 PM – 5:00 PM PT
6/15 Eliminations – 11:00 PM – 1:00 AM ET/8:00 PM – 10:00 PM PT

Times and dates subject to change.

About Kalitta Motorsports:

Based in Ypsilanti, Mich., Kalitta Motorsports is a Top Fuel and Funny Car drag racing team in the NHRA (National Hot Rod Association) Full Throttle Drag Racing Series. The team was founded and is owned by drag racing icon Connie “the Bounty Hunter” Kalitta. For more than 50 years, Connie has been involved in the sport as a driver, tuner, and an owner. Kalitta Motorsports is one of the most successful teams in the history of auto racing with five world championships and over 50 national event titles in five different professional drag racing sanctioning bodies since it was established by Connie in 1959.

Del Worsham drives the DHL Toyota Camry Funny Car for Team Kalitta. Alexis DeJoria pilots the Patrón XO Café Toyota Camry Funny Car. J.R. Todd drives the OPTIMA Batteries/Advance Auto Parts Top Fuel dragster while Connie’s nephew, Doug Kalitta, pilots the Mac Tools Top Fuel dragster. Connie serves as head tuner for all Team Kalitta entries. He is assisted by co-crew chiefs Jon Oberhofer and Nick Boninfante on the DHL Toyota Camry Funny Car, by Tommy DeLago and Glen Huszar on the Patrón XO Café Toyota Camry Funny Car,  and by Jim Oberhofer on the Mac Tools Top Fuel dragster. Connie serves as crew chief on the OPTIMA Batteries/Advance Auto Parts Top Fuel dragster.

Associate sponsors on Kalitta Motorsports’ race cars include Summit Racing Equipment, Mac Tools, Patrón XO Café, Red Line Oil, SealMaster, and Technicoat.

For more info about Kalitta Motorsports including exclusive content such as videos, photos and more, please visit www.teamkalitta.com. Follow Us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/TeamKalitta. Like Us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/KalittaMotorsports. Check out videos about Team Kalitta on our YouTube Channel: www.youtube.com/user/TeamKalitta. Follow us on Instagram: www.instagram.com/TeamKalitta.