Post-Race #NHRAFINALS

Doug Kalitta Wraps Up Top Ten Season at Pomona

Racing for his seventh Top Fuel title at Auto Club Raceway Doug Kalitta and the Mac Tools Toyota Top Fuel dragster came into race day at the No. 6 qualifier. Through two days of qualifying Kalitta made his quickest run a strong 3.693 second pass and was looking to close out his season at one of his favorite race tracks. Throughout his career Kalitta has won the Auto Club Finals twice and the season opening Winternationals four times. As the No. 6 qualifier Kalitta took advantage of the 3.693 second qualifying run to secure lane choice over Josh Hart
 
Today Kalitta was matched up with Hart who he had a 2-1 head-to-head record against. As the higher seeded team the Mac Tools Toyota Top Fuel team selected the right lane. Both cars took off and as they approached half track Hart was able to get out in front of Kalitta who lost traction but executed a near perfect pedal effort to keep his Mac Tools dragster accelerating down track. Hart also had his hands full, but he was able to hold off a charging Kalitta to advance to the quarterfinals.
 
“I think a lot of teams were fooled by the track conditions this morning,” said Kalitta. “I was ready for a long day and when I had to give my Mac Tools dragster a pedal, I was just hoping it would hook back up. This Mac Tools team battled all weekend and I am very proud of all my guys.”
 
For the 25^th consecutive year Kalitta will finish in the Top Fuel Top Ten. The Mac Tools team will spend the off-season working on improvements and will be ready for the start of the 2023 NHRA season at the Gatornationals in March.
 
Statistics:
Qualified: No. 6 (3.693 sec, 329.42 mph) 
Bonus points: 0

Race Details:
 
First Round
Qual    Driver                RT        ET        MPH
6          Doug Kalitta  .078     4.113   255.92
11        Josh Hart        .068     3.801   320.28 (W)

Langdon Takes Best Shot at Auto Club Finals

Through two days of qualifying at the 57^th Auto Club Finals Shawn Langdon and the DHL Toyota Top Fuel dragster made four qualifying runs looking for a strong combination to bring into race day. Their quickest effort of 3.751 seconds at 324.83 mph was enough to qualify them No. 12 at the final event of the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season. The 2013 NHRA Top Fuel world champion was looking for his fifth win at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona. In 2015 and 2013 Langdon took the final win light of the season into the off-season and the veteran driver was hoping to add a third trophy today.
 
Langdon was paired with No. 5 qualifier Austin Prock in the opening session. The duo of Top Fuel specialist had never faced each other in eliminations and the match-up would pit two of the best drivers off the starting line against each other. Langdon was first off the starting line with a strong .051 reaction time but his DHL Toyota Top Fuel dragster raced into tire smoke, Langdon tried to regain the lost momentum but Prock was on a smooth pass and made the second quickest pass of the session for the win light.
 
“This season was tough, but we never gave up and I know we will get better over the off-season,” said Langdon. “We hosted a great group of veterans on Friday with our sponsor Clean Harbors. It was great to show off our operation and our DHL team to those men and women. We made some strides this season and this DHL Toyota team will be ready for the 2023 season.”
 
The season will wrap up for Langdon and the DHL Toyota Top Fuel team with another Top Ten finish and the goal of improvement over the off-season and into 2023 season.
 
Statistics:
Qualified: Qual. 12 (3.751 sec, 324.83 mph) 
Bonus points: 0

Race Details:
 
First Round
Qual    Driver                       RT        ET        MPH
12        Shawn Langdon   .051     7.377   87.80
5          Austin Prock          .055     3.711   329.34 (W)

J.R. Todd and DHL Toyota Funny Car Battle in Pomona

J.R. Todd and the DHL Toyota GR Supra Funny Car team were looking for their eleventh career Funny Car national event win and second win at the Auto Club Finals this weekend. In a very quick Funny Car field Todd narrowly missed starting from the top half of the field with best run of 3.895 seconds during the Friday and Saturday sessions. Todd entered race day as the No. 9 qualifier and a race against No. 8 qualifier veteran Tim Wilkerson.
 
Todd got a huge jump off the starting line with a stellar .035 reaction time that pushed his DHL Toyota GR Supra Funny Car out front. As Todd was charging down his lane his Funny Car smoked the tires and Wilkerson was beside him on a smooth and quick run. Wilkerson made his quickest pass, 3.878 seconds of the weekend for the first round win.
 
“I felt good about coming into race day and we got a great jump off the starting line,” said Todd. “We didn’t have the race or season we wanted but no one is going to work harder this off-season than me and this DHL Toyota team. I have to thank (crew chiefs) Todd Smith, Jon Oberhofer and all my Yella Fella guys for their hard work this weekend and this season.”
 
Todd will finish the season with his sixth consecutive Top Ten Funny Car points finish.
 
Statistics:
Qualified: No. 9 (3.895 sec, 333.41 mph)
Bonus points: 0

Race Details:
 
First Round
Qual    Driver                RT        ET        MPH
9          J.R. Todd        .035     4.349   218.27                                     
8          Tim Wilkerson .075     3.878   331.12 (W)