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Another Countdown Runner-Up Has Doug Kalitta In Championship Battle
For the second time in the 2019 Countdown Doug Kalitta powered the Mac Tools Top Fuel dragster to the final round. In the first three Countdown races he has two finals and a semifinal finish which is tops in the category. That kind of consistency and success has the veteran driver determined to stay at the top of his game heading into the last three races of the Countdown.
Kalitta took out the No. 7 qualifier, the No. 3 qualifier and the No. 2 qualifier on the way to his 100th final round today. In the final against No. 1 qualifier Steve Torrence, Kalitta overpowered the track and opened the door for Torrence to drive around him.
Against Antron Brown in the first round Kalitta used is driving skills to pedal his dragster to the win. The Mac Tools dragster was just the second race car down the track and Kalitta knew he would need to be at the top of his game. The next two rounds of eliminations were dominant performances by the Mac Tools dragster posting winning elapsed times of 3.745 and 3.762 seconds to defeat the No. 3 and No. 2 qualifiers.
In the final round against Torrence, Kalitta knew he was racing for a chance to reclaim his points lead. Both dragsters launched hard but Torrence was able to keep his dragster hitting on all eight for the full pull. Kalitta’s Goodyears lost traction at half-track and he was unable to catch up for the win. He will leave zMAX Dragway just 30 points out of the points lead with three races to go in the Countdown.
“That was a big final round,” said Kalitta. “We knew we had to be aggressive and we just overshot it a little. I am very happy with how this Mac Tools dragster ran today and has been running the last four races. Three final rounds and a semifinal over four races is pretty good. We will be ready to go for Dallas.”
Quotable:
Doug Kalitta on points chase heading into Dallas: “There are three races left and we are only back 30 points. That would be one round in Pomona with double points. We are going to be back on the race track in four days and will start trying to get some of those bonus points on Friday and Saturday.”
Statistics:
Qualified: No. 10 (3.773 sec., 323.35 mph)
Bonus points: +2 (2nd quickest of Q1)
Race Details:
First Round
Driver Qual R/T ET MPH
Doug Kalitta 10 .058 3.905 326.95 (W)
Antron Brown 7 .051 6.032 114.16
Second Round
Driver Qual R/T ET MPH
Doug Kalitta 10 .061 3.745 329.50 (W)
Leah Pritchett 2 .063 7.343 87.24
Semifinal Round
Driver Qual R/T ET MPH
Doug Kalitta 10 .067 3.762 326.24 (W)
Brittany Force 3 .068 3.901 262.95
Final Round
Driver Qual R/T ET MPH
Doug Kalitta 10 .068 4.090 274.27
Steve Torrence 1 .031 3.772 323.19 (W)
Richie Crampton Loses Close Race To Wrap up Carolina Nationals
Crampton and his DHL dragster had lane choice and a strong tune up against rookie Austin Prock. The first round race was one of the most competitive of race day but Crampton came up on the wrong side of a close race. Both dragsters launched hard and crossed the finish line practically welded together with Crampton’s 3.735 second pass at 327. 11 mph just behind Prock’s 3.723 second, 329.02 mph run.
“That was a close, close race. You look at the incremental times and we were right there with him,” said Crampton. “They stepped up in the first round and so did we. That was a just a great drag race that didn’t go our way. The biggest plus for this DHL team is we are running really well and we have three races left to go after this championship.”
Quotable:
Richie Crampton on heading to Dallas: “We made a lot of quick runs in Charlotte and I think we can keep that up at the Texas Motorplex. The weather should be good and Connie has a great handle on this tune-up. I am excited to get back to the track and start moving up the points.”
Statistics:
Qualified: No. 4 (3.732 sec., 329.50 mph)
Bonus points: +2 (2nd quickest of Q2)
Race Details:
First Round
Driver Qual R/T ET MPH
Richie Crampton 4 .072 3.735 327.11
Austin Prock 13 .056 3.723 329.02 (W)
Shawn Langdon’s Bid For Back-To-Back Wins Comes Up Short
Shawn Langdon and the Global Electronic Technology Toyota Camry have three more races to chase down their first NHRA Mello Yello Funny Car championship. Langdon came up short in his bid to become the first Funny Car racer to sweep both zMAX Dragway events in a calendar year. Earlier this season he picked up his first Funny Car win at the Four-Wide Nationals.
He was also looking to start a Countdown win streak on the heels of his win two weeks ago in St. Louis. The bid fell short today during the rain delayed Carolina Nationals as he was eliminated in the first round by No. 7 qualifier Tim Wilkerson.
The team battled through some issues during qualifying but entered race day as the No. 10 qualified Funny Car with confidence that there was more improvement on race day. Unfortunately, weather rolled in on Sunday and persistent rain showers forced the teams to stay over an extra day and contest the final eliminations on Monday.
In the first round Langdon took a strong starting line advantage with a .045 second reaction time but just as his Global Electronic Technology Funny Car was accelerating to half-track it overpowered the race track allowing Wilkerson to shoot past him with a winning elapsed time of 3.898 seconds.
“It is tough to stay over and race on Monday but everyone has to do it when we get rained out,” said Langdon. “I just hate that we had a pretty good race car and I think we just overpowered it on that run. There were guys making killer runs but we just couldn’t stay hooked up. We have a tough road in front of us for these last three races but we will give it our all.”
Quotable:
Langdon on heading to Dallas: “I am glad we are going right back to another race. This was tough weekend in Charlotte and we are going to put it behind us and try and win these last three races.”
Statistics:
Qualified: No. 10 (3.970 sec., 326.00 mph)
Bonus points: 0
Race Details:
First Round
Driver Qual R/T ET MPH
Shawn Langdon 10 .045 5.386 137.25
Tim Wilkerson 7 .085 3.898 325.77 (W)
After Tough Carolina Nationals Todd and DHL Team Ready for Dallas
The DHL Toyota Camry team and driver J.R. Todd knew they would have their hands full facing off against the winningest driver in NHRA history in the first round today of the Carolina Nationals. Todd had a lot of confidence considering two weeks ago he dispatched John Force on the way to the St. Louis final round. His path was tougher today as the No. 12 qualifier.
Todd and his DHL team made some consistent runs in qualifying but they knew they had to have a strong run in the first session. Both Funny Cars launched together but as Todd was powering down the track his DHL Camry’s Goodyears broke loose from the track surface and smoked the tires. Force pulled away for the win and Todd was force to look ahead at the next three races as his final chance to pick up his second consecutive Funny Car championship.
“That first round loss was tough,” said Todd. “It is hard to wait around at the track all day yesterday and not get to race. We had good weather today and these DHL guys were ready to get after it. I am going to put this race behind me and focus on Dallas in a couple days.”
Quotable:
J.R. Todd on heading to Dallas: “We went to the final there last year and cane up a little short. We will need to close the deal there next weekend. We have three more races to catch up to some of these guys in front of us. It will be tough but I am not giving up.”
Statistics:
Qualified: No. 12 (3.972 sec., 308.43 mph)
Bonus points: 0
Race Details:
First Round
Driver Qual R/T ET MPH
J.R. Todd 12 .053 5.536 127.26
John Force 5 .043 3.933 331.77 (W)