Mac Tools driver Doug Kalitta claims provisional Carolina Nationals no. 1 qualifier

CONCORD, NC (September 15, 2017) – Mac Tools Top Fuel driver Doug Kalitta is the provisional no.1 qualifier at the Carolina Nationals.

In the first session of qualifying, the Jim Oberhofer-tuned Mac Tools machine started strong with a 3.783 second pass which earned Kalitta a valuable two bonus points. 

The second pass was even better. The next-to-last pair of Top Fuelers included Kalitta’s Mac Tools dragster and it blazed down zMax Dragway in 3.723 seconds to bump Kalitta to the top spot. He had to make it through one more pair of qualifying, but it held out and Kalitta became the provisional no.1 qualifier for the second consecutive Carolina Nationals. 

“It is a good day to be no.1 qualifier with this Mac Tools team,” said Kalitta. “This facility speaks for itself, and they did a great job with both lanes. I am just really happy that we were able to pull it off so far. With this being the first race of the last six, I feel like my car is running strong. We haven’t got the Wally yet this season, but hopefully we are saving it for these last six races.”

Kalitta wasn’t the only Team Kalitta machine to run strong on Friday at the Carolina Nationals. J.R. Todd earned a class-best five bonus points and is currently sitting in a career-best Funny Car starting position of second, with teammate Alexis DeJoria in fifth. Richie Crampton and the SealMaster machine currently rank in sixth and Shawn Langdon’s special WIX Filters machine is 13th.

Saturday nitro qualifying starts at 1:30pm tomorrow at zMax Dragway. Final eliminations will begin at noon on Sunday.