Kalitta Going to the Big Go in Indianapolis Looking to Lock Up Lifelong Wish with NHRA U.S. Nationals Win

 

Kalitta Going to the Big Go in Indianapolis Looking to Lock Up Lifelong Wish with NHRA U.S. Nationals Win

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind., (Aug. 27, 2013) – For Doug Kalitta, driver of the 10,000-horsepower “Big Red” Mac Tools Top Fuel dragster for Kalitta Motorsports, there are two things he desperately wants to add to his already legendary career – Winning a championship and winning a “Wally” trophy at the most prestigious drag racing event in the world, the NHRA U.S. Nationals. He and his Mac Tools team will have a golden opportunity to fulfill one of those goals this weekend as the 59th annual “Super Bowl” of drag racing takes place at the Raceway at Indianapolis.

Kalitta is having one of the best years of his career at the controls of the Mac Tools hot rod, but has as of yet been able to take home an event win this season. He thinks this year may be the year that he gets an Indy win and joins his iconic uncle and team owner, Connie “the Bounty Hunter” Kalitta, as a U.S. Nationals Top Fuel, the world’s quickest and fastest class of racing, winner. Connie took home the coveted hardware in 1994.

“It would certainly be one of the highlights of my career,” Kalitta, a 49-year old resident of Ann Arbor, Mich., said. “We’ve had such an awesome dragster all season. We made the quickest run of the year in Phoenix (3.733), and we’ve qualified at the top several times. I think we’re definitely due to get a win and what better place than in Indy. I’m excited and my whole Mac Tools team is excited to get back to Indy this year. We all have great confidence that we have a race car to win it all.”

So far in the 2013 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, Kalitta has raced to three semi-final finishes and one runner-up (Norwalk, Ohio). He has been No. 1 qualifier entering eliminations on five occasions this season. Kalitta is currently in fourth place in Mello Yello Top Fuel championship points.

Kalitta has amassed 32 NHRA Top Fuel title trophies in 66 final-round appearances. He has finished in the top ten in Mello Yello championship points in every season of his 16-year straight-line career. He was also the 1994 USAC National Sprint Car champion. Kalitta is the owner and president of Kalitta Charters and Kalitta Charters II, airlines specializing in passenger charter flights and freight transportation respectively.

Follow Doug Kalitta:

Twitter: www.twitter.com/Air_Doug, www.twitter.com/TeamKalitta

Event Schedule:

The NHRA U.S. Nationals begin Friday for Team Kalitta and all the Nitro-powered pros with one qualifying session at 7:00 p.m. (ET). Two more qualifying sessions follow on Saturday at 4:15 p.m. and 7:10 p.m., and then two more chances to qualify take place Sunday at 12:45 p.m. and 3:40 p.m. The top 16 qualified cars in each Nitro class will race Labor Day Monday in final eliminations beginning at 11:00 a.m. 

               

Times and dates subject to change.

ESPN2 TV Schedule:

 

9/1 – Qualifying

   1:00 PM-6:00 PM (ET)

9/2 – Finals

   12:00 PM-6:00 PM (ET)

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 Tequila Patrón Toyota Camry Funny Car. David Grubnic 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 Tequila Patrón Toyota Camry Funny Car,  and by Jim Oberhofer on the Mac Tools Top Fuel dragster. Connie serves as crew chief on the Optima Batteries Top Fuel dragster.

Associate sponsors on Kalitta Motorsports’ race cars include Candlewood Suites, Red Line Oil, Technicoat and JEGS.

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.