Kalitta Races to Runner-Up Finish in Brainerd; Team Kalitta Eliminations Recap

BRAINERD, Minn., (Aug. 17, 2014) – Doug Kalitta, driver of the Mac Tools Top Fuel dragster, raced to his seventh runner-up finish of the 2014 Mello Yello Drag Racing Series Sunday during final eliminations of the 33rd annual NHRA Nationals at Brainerd International Raceway in Brainerd, Minn.

In the final round, Kalitta and Morgan Lucas both struggled getting their 10,000-horsepower race cars to maintain traction on the Brainerd Int’l Raceway track surface. Lucas was able to get to the finish line first after a wild and uncharacteristic “pedalfest”, 4.987 sec., 256.16 mph to 4.886 sec., 229.55 mph.

The final round in Brainerd was Kalitta and the Mac Tools team’s second consecutive final round. They won the previous event in Seattle two weeks ago.

Kalitta reset the Brainerd Int’l Raceway track record for elapsed time, 3.722 seconds (tied for sixth quickest in all-time NHRA history), in the quarterfinals.

Leaving Minnesota, Kalitta, who has now raced in 10 Top Fuel championship rounds this season and 78 in his career, retains the Mello Yello Top Fuel championship points lead, which is now 92 over second place Antron Brown with only one event remaining in the “regular season” of the 2014 Mello Yello Drag Racing Series.

Kalitta and the Mac Tools Top Fuel team clinched a berth in the 2014 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series “Playoffs”, the Countdown to the Championship in Denver last month. The Countdown to the Championship consists of the final six events of the season and begins in Charlotte, Sept. 12-14. Only the top ten in Mello Yello championship points at the conclusion of the event in Indianapolis, Aug. 27 – Sept. 1, are eligible to compete in the Countdown to the Championship and to have a chance to be crowned a 2014 Mello Yello World Champion.

Kalitta’s teammate Alexis DeJoria, driver of the Patrón XO Café Toyota Camry Funny Car, raced to her third consecutive semi-final round of the season in Brainerd (Sonoma, Calif. and Seattle) and jumped to fifth place in Mello Yello Funny Car championship points.

DeJoria, by way of her semi-final finish today, also clinched a berth in the 2014 Countdown to the Championship for the Funny Car class.

Team Kalitta nitro race cars have five event wins and have appeared in 17 championship rounds so far in the 24-event 2014 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series schedule of events this year.


Eliminations Recap:

Doug Kalitta – Driver of the Mac Tools Top Fuel Dragster:

No. 2 Qualifier (3.812 sec., 322.96 mph)

E1: Kalitta defeated Karamesines – 3.775 sec., 324.51 mph to 9.574 sec., 59.18 mph
E2: Kalitta defeated Massey – 3.722 sec. (track record), 326.16 mph to 3.758 sec., 327.51 mph
E3: Kalitta defeated Schumacher – 3.752 sec., 324.67 mph to 3.743 sec., 327.51 mph
E4: Kalitta defeated by Lucas – 4.987 sec., 256.16 mph to 4.886 sec., 229.55 mph

Alexis DeJoria – Driver of the Patrón XO Café Toyota Camry Funny Car:

No. 6 Qualifier (4.082 sec., 306.12 mph)

E1: DeJoria defeated C. Force – 4.010 sec., 317.64 mph to 8.958 sec., 72.90 mph
E2: DeJoria defeated Hagan – 3.998 sec. (first 3-second run in track history), 315.93 mph to 4.056 sec., 318.77 mph
E3: DeJoria defeated by Capps – 5.096 sec., 169.61 mph to 4.073 sec., 317.87 mph

Del Worsham – Driver of the DHL Toyota Camry Funny Car:

No. 9 Qualifier (4.111 sec., 307.44 mph)

E1: Worsham defeated T. Pedregon – 4.074 sec., 314.17 mph to 4.934 sec., 149.88 mph
E2: Worsham defeated by J. Force – 4.948 sec., 186.02 mph to 4.064 sec., 320.89 mph

J.R. Todd  – Driver of the Optima Batteries/Advance Auto Parts Top Fuel Dragster:

No. 16 Qualifier (3.988 sec., 268.06 mph)

E1: Todd defeated by Brown – 6.750 sec., 98.79 mph to 3.804 sec., 318.69 mph

Mello Yello Championship Points:

Top Fuel

1 – Doug Kalitta (1446)
2 – Antron Brown (1354)
3 – Shawn Langdon (1204)
4 – Tony Schumacher (1075)
5 – Steve Torrence (971)
6 – Spencer Massey (953)
7 – Brittany Force (888)
7 – Khalid alBalooshi (888)
9 – Richie Crampton (841)
10 – JR Todd (805)
11 – Bob Vandergriff Jr (675)

* Clinched Countdown to the Championship berth

Funny Car

1 – John Force (1326 or 1346)
2 – Robert Hight (1308)
3 – Ron Capps (1090 or 1110)
4 – Tommy Johnson Jr. (1052)
5 – Alexis DeJoria (1035)
6 – Courtney Force (1015)
7 – Matt Hagan (1009)
8 – Cruz Pedregon (929)
9 – Del Worsham (900)
10 – Tim Wilkerson (848)
11 – Jack Beckman (832)

* Clinched Countdown to the Championship berth
* Brainerd final round between Force and Capps to be completed at next event in Indianapolis, so points for Force and Capps are pending. Both have clinched berths in the Countdown to the Championship

ESPN TV Schedule:

08/17 Eliminations – 9:00 PM – 12:00 AM ET/6:00 PM – 9:00 PM PT (ESPN2)

Times and dates subject to change.

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