Kalitta wins the Summit Racing Equipment Nationals – Team Kalitta Post-Race Report – Norwalk

NORWALK, Ohio (July 5, 2015) – Doug Kalitta, driver of the Mac Tools Top Fuel dragster, picked up his second win of the season this afternoon at the Summit Racing Equipment Motorsports Park for the Summit Racing Equipment Nationals.

It was a wire-to-wire job for the Mac Tools team. Kalitta reset the track record in qualifying with a 3.731 second pass. That earned him his first number one qualifying spot of the season and the second of his legendary career at Norwalk.

However, he had never picked up a victory at the track that is closest to Kalitta Motorsports headquarters. That was not on the top of the mind of Jim Oberhofer. The Mac Tools Top Fuel Dragster was consistent throughout the day running 3.774 seconds in the first round to defeat Chris Karamesines and 3.846 seconds to knock out Steve Torrence in the second round.

The semi-final draw put him against the hungry Clay Millican. Millican had a solid number, but could not compete with Kalitta’s class-best reaction time and 3.849 second run.

Antron Brown would be the final person in the way of Team Kalitta, but he again proved no match for the Mac Tools team. Jim Oberhofer tuned the Mac Tools Top Fuel Dragster all the way up to a 3.823 second pass to easily defeat Brown.

“I am honored to drive this Mac Tools dragster,” said Kalitta. “What a great way to celebrate, so close to our home and the home base for so many of our sponsors, Mac Tools, SealMaster and Summit Racing. They gave me the tune-up to win all day and I am so excited to be able to celebrate with my family and friends.” Kalitta moves from sixth to third in the series point standings with the victory.

Del Worsham, driver of the DHL Toyota Camry Funny Car, proved again that he would not be a car you would want to see on Sunday. Worsham was stout throughout qualifying earning two bonus points and just missing the top spot on day one, before ultimately qualifying in fourth.

Worsham drew Jeff Diehl in the first session. Diehl was unable to get the car started and the DHL “Yella Fellas” were on it. A 4.115 second pass was not good enough to earn lane choice over his teammate Alexis DeJoria, but that did not prove to be an issue. Another solid 4.145 second run moved Worsham past DeJoria to a pairing with Courtney Force.

Force, trying to battle her way into a top ten position, proved to be the DHL Toyota Camry Funny Car’s kryptonite. Worsham was ahead early, but Force drove around when the DHL Camry stumbled.

“We just really want to win,” said Worsham. “These guys deserve it and are doing great. I am excited to head to Chicago. With the DHL Toyota team’s track record there we should be stout.

Worsham remains in the fourth position in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series point standings.

Alexis DeJoria, driver of the Patrón XO Café Incendio Toyota Camry Funny Car, struggled throughout qualifying. She made it down the track just one time, and qualified 12th. Top ten driver Tommy Johnson would be her first matchup.

Tommy DeLago was not fazed by the qualifying difficultly. He tuned DeJoria right past Johnson with her best pass of the weekend. A 4.090 second run earned her lane choice over her teammate Del Worsham in round two, but instant tire smoke did not give her a shot against the solid pass of the DHL group.

Even with the round win, DeJoria slipped a couple spot to tenth in the standings.

J.R. Todd, driver of the SealMaster Top Fuel dragster, moved to Norwalk on a high. He was coming off his second semi-final finish of the season and was debuting a fast new look in Norwalk with the hometown SealMaster colors moving from the associate to the primary level.

Todd started the weekend right. The SealMaster team earned the second best run in the first qualifying session picking up another two bonus points, and allowing Connie Kalitta to go for the big number in the evening session. That did not stick but Todd did lower his number in the third session to a 3.790 to qualify ninth and draw Texan Steve Torrence in the first round.

A great reaction time was not enough as Todd led, but drew some smoke at the top end to allow Torrence to sneak around.

“I really wanted to get a win today for all the great people from SealMaster,” said Todd. “Some day this luck is bound to change and hopefully it is next weekend in Chicago.”

Todd retains his ninth position in the point standings.

After 12 races, Team Kalitta nitro race cars have won two events, advanced to six final rounds and earned three no.1 qualifying positions. Next week,Team Kalitta makes the short drive to Chicago for the Route 66 Nationals.

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

• No. 1 Qualifier (3.731 sec., 327.82 mph) **TRACK RECORD**
• E1: Kalitta defeated Karamesines – 3.774 sec., 326.40 mph to 3.967 sec., 307.02 mph;
• E2: Kalitta defeated Torrence – 3.846 sec., 321.12 mph to 4.930 sec., 153.46 mph
• E3: Kalitta defeated Millican – 3.849 sec., 322.19 mph to 3.859 sec., 315.64 mph
• E4: Kalitta defeated Brown – 3.823 sec., 322.24 mph to 3.918 sec., 307.79 mph

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

• No. 4 Qualifier (4.005 sec., 321.42 mph)
• E1: Worsham defeated Diehl – 4.115 sec., 308.35 mph to broke
• E2: Worsham defeated Worsham – 4.145 sec., 306.67 mph to 9.558 sec., 306.67 mph
• E3: Worsham defeated by C.Force – 4.336 sec., 226.51 mph to 4.143 sec., 314.46 mph

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

• No. 12 Qualifier (4.097 sec., 309.70 mph)
• E1: DeJoria defeated T. Johnson Jr. – 4.090 sec., 312.57 mph to 5.146 sec., 157.14 mph
• E2: DeJoria defeated by Worsham – 9.558 sec., 81.34 mph to 4.145 sec., 306.67 mph
• J.R. Todd – Driver of the Kalitta Air Top Fuel Dragster:
• No. 9 Qualifier (3.790 sec., 321.96 mph)
• E1: Todd defeated by Torrence – 3.956 sec., 244.65 mph to 3.783 sec., 323.97 mph

Mello Yello Championship Points:

Top Fuel (Unofficial)

1. Antron Brown (925)
2. Tony Schumacher (905)
3. Doug Kalitta (791)
4. Richie Crampton (764)
5. Larry Dixon (754)
6. Spencer Massey (730)
7. Shawn Langdon (674)
8. Brittany Force (641)
9. J.R. Todd (597)
10. Clay Millican (583)

Funny Car (Unofficial)

1. Matt Hagan (932)
2. Ron Capps (812)
3. Jack Beckman (782)
4. Del Worsham (781)
5. John Force (748)
6. Tommy Johnson Jr. (680)
7. Cruz Pedregon (657)
8. Tim Wilkerson (642)
9. Robert Hight (633)
10. Alexis DeJoria (626)

Konnekt with Kalitta Motorsports:

For more info about Kalitta Motorsports including exclusive content such as videos, photos and more, please visit #KalittaStrong online –

Website: www.teamkalitta.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/TeamKalitta
Twitter: www.twitter.com/TeamKalitta
YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/TeamKalitta
Instagram: www.instagram.com/TeamKalitta

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) Mello Yello 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 XO Café Incendio Toyota Camry Funny Car. J.R. Todd drives the SealMaster 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 XO Café Incendio Toyota Camry Funny Car,  and by Jim Oberhofer on the Mac Tools Top Fuel dragster. Connie serves as crew chief on the SealMaster Top Fuel dragster.

Associate sponsors on Kalitta Motorsports’ race cars include Justice Brothers, Kalitta Air,Patrón XO Café Incendio, Phoenix Fuel Converter, Red Line Oil, SealMaster, Summit Racing Equipment, Technicoat Companies, TMS Titanium, Toyota and Ziebart.