Team Kalitta – Englishtown At A Glance

ENGLISHTOWN, N.J., (May 29, 2014) – This weekend, May 30-June 1, Kalitta Motorsports, led by drag racing icon and team owner Connie “the Bounty Hunter” Kalitta, will compete for the third consecutive weekend with its four nitro-fueled racers, this time at the prestigious 45th annual NHRA Toyota SummerNationals at famed Old Bridge Township Raceway Park in Englishtown, N.J.

Here’s what to watch for from Team Kalitta at the Toyota SummerNationals –

Doug Kalitta – Driver of the Mac Tools Top Fuel Dragster
HOMETOWN: Ann Arbor, Mich.
CREW CHIEF: Jim Oberhofer
CAREER WINS: 34
CAREER FINAL ROUNDS: 72
CAREER BEST E.T.: 3.713 seconds
CAREER BEST SPEED: 331.45 mph

– Kalitta won the event in Englishtown in 2003 and 2000
– Kalitta was the runner-up finisher for the Englishtown Top Fuel title in 2001
– Kalitta was the No. 1 qualifier for Top Fuel eliminations in Englishtown in 2003
– Kalitta was the No. 4 qualifier for eliminations last year (first round)
– Kalitta has garnered one event wins so far this season (Gainesville, Fla.)
– Kalitta has raced to three runner-up finishes so far this season (Pomona, Calif., Las Vegas and Atlanta)
– Kalitta was the No. 1 qualifier for Top Fuel eliminations in Pomona, Phoenix, and Atlanta

J.R. Todd – Driver of the Optima Batteries/Advance Auto Parts Top Fuel Dragster
HOMETOWN: Lawrenceburg, Ind.
CREW CHIEF: Connie Kalitta
CAREER WINS: 6
CAREER FINAL ROUNDS: 8
CAREER BEST E.T.: 3.747 seconds
CAREER BEST SPEED: 325.30 mph

– Todd set a career-best elapsed time mark at the previous event in Topeka, Kan, (3.747 sec.)
– Todd joined Team Kalitta in March as the full-time driver of the Optima Batteries/Advance Auto Parts Top Fueler

Del Worsham – Driver of the DHL Toyota Camry Funny Car
HOMETOWN: Chino Hills, Calif.
CREW CHIEFS: Nick Boninfante and Jon Oberhofer
CAREER WINS: 33 (TF: 8 FC: 25)
CAREER FINAL ROUNDS: 51 (TF: 11 FC: 40)
CAREER BEST E.T.: 3.999 seconds
CAREER BEST SPEED: 321.42 mph

– Worsham won the event in Englishtown in 2005 and his rookie season of 1991
– Worsham was the runner-up finisher for the Englishtown Funny Car title in 2010 and 1992, and for Top Fuel in 2011
– Worsham raced to the semifinals last year in Englishtown after qualifying in the No. 2 position
– Worsham has raced to two semi-final finishes so far this season (Pomona, Calif. and Houston)

Alexis DeJoria – Driver of the Patrón XO Café Toyota Camry Funny Car
HOMETOWN: Venice, Calif.
CREW CHIEF: Tommy DeLago
CAREER WINS: 4 (FC: 2 TAFC: 1 SPORTS: 1)
CAREER FINAL ROUNDS: 7 (FC: 3 TAFC: 3 SPORTS: 1)
CAREER BEST E.T.: 3.997 seconds
CAREER BEST SPEED: 319.07 mph

– DeJoria qualified in the No. 13 position for Funny Car eliminations in Englishtown last year (first round)
– DeJoria earned her first No. 1 qualifying position of her career two weeks ago in Atlanta
– DeJoria has garnered two event wins so far this season (Phoenix and Las Vegas)

Mello Yello Championship Points:

Top Fuel

1 – Doug Kalitta (704)
2 – Antron Brown (674)
3 – Spencer Massey (566)
4 – Shawn Langdon (559)
5 – Steve Torrence (543)
6 – Khalid alBalooshi (466)
7 – Tony Schumacher (442)
8 – Brittany Force (407)
9 – JR Todd (340)
10 – Richie Crampton (309)
11 – Bob Vandegriff Jr (280)

Funny Car

1 – Robert Hight (770)
2 – John Force (566)
3 – Alexis Dejoria (509)
4 – Ron Capps (502)
5 – Courtney Force (492)
6 – Tommy Johnson Jr. (452)
7 – Del Worsham (433)
8 – Matt Hagan (403)
9 – Jack Beckman (401)
10 – Tim Wilkerson (384)

Event Schedule:

FRIDAY, May 30

Nitro Qualifying Session (FC-TF) 4:45 PM ET
Nitro Qualifying Session (FC-TF) 7:00 PM ET

SATURDAY, May 31

Nitro Qualifying Session (TF-FC) 1:30 PM ET
Nitro Qualifying Session (TF-FC) 4:00 PM ET

SUNDAY, June 1

Nitro Eliminations – Round 1 11:00 AM ET
Nitro Eliminations – Round 2 1:00 PM ET
Nitro Eliminations – Semi-Finals 2:30 PM ET
Nitro Eliminations – Finals 3:55 PM ET

Times and dates subject to change.

ESPN2 TV Schedule:

05/31 – Qualifying – 4:30 PM – 6:00 PM ET/1:30 PM – 3:00 PM PT
06/1 – Eliminations – 4:00 PM – 7:00 PM ET/1:00 PM – 4:00 PM PT

Times and dates subject to change.

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) Full Throttle 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 Patrón XO Café Toyota Camry Funny Car. J.R. Todd drives the OPTIMA Batteries/Advance Auto Parts 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 Patrón XO Café Toyota Camry Funny Car,  and by Jim Oberhofer on the Mac Tools Top Fuel dragster. Connie serves as crew chief on the OPTIMA Batteries/Advance Auto Parts Top Fuel dragster.

Associate sponsors on Kalitta Motorsports’ race cars include Summit Racing Equipment, Mac Tools, Patrón XO Café, Red Line Oil, SealMaster, and Technicoat.

For more info about Kalitta Motorsports including exclusive content such as videos, photos and more, please visit www.teamkalitta.com. Follow Us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/TeamKalitta. Like Us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/KalittaMotorsports. Check out videos about Team Kalitta on our YouTube Channel: www.youtube.com/user/TeamKalitta. Follow us on Instagram: www.instagram.com/TeamKalitta.