Team Kalitta – Epping At A Glance; Top Fuel Points Leader Kalitta Leads Kalitta Motorsports to New England

EPPING, N.H., (June 19, 2014) – This weekend, June 20-22, Kalitta Motorsports, the four-car, nitro-fueled racing team from Ypsilanti, Michigan, will be competing at the 11th event of the 24-event NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, the 2nd annual NHRA New England Nationals at New England Dragway in Epping, N.H.

Here’s what to watch for from Team Kalitta at the New England Nationals –

Doug Kalitta – Driver of the Mac Tools Top Fuel Dragster
HOMETOWN: Ann Arbor, Mich.
CREW CHIEF: Jim Oberhofer
CAREER WINS: 34
CAREER FINAL ROUNDS: 74
CAREER BEST E.T.: 3.713 seconds
CAREER BEST SPEED: 331.45 mph

– Kalitta was a semifinalist at the inaugural event in Epping last season
– Kalitta and the Mac Tools team set the track record for elapsed time, 3.795 seconds, at the inaugural event in Epping last season
– Kalitta and the Mac Tools team qualified No. 1 at the inaugural event in Epping last season
– Kalitta is now only one elimination round win from 500 in his career
– Kalitta has garnered one event wins so far this season (Gainesville, Fla.)
– Kalitta has raced to five runner-up finishes so far this season (Pomona, Calif., Las Vegas, Atlanta, Englishtown, and Bristol)
– Kalitta was the No. 1 qualifier for Top Fuel eliminations in Pomona, Phoenix, Atlanta and Englishtown

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 last month 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
– The Optima Batteries/Advance Auto Parts team qualified in the No. 3 position at the inaugural event in Epping last season (first round)

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.: 3.992 seconds
CAREER BEST SPEED: 321.42 mph

– Worsham was a quarterfinalist at the inaugural Epping event last year (No. 12 qualifier)
– Worsham recorded his career best elapsed time, 3.992 sec., at the previous event in Bristol
– Worsham has raced to one runner-up finish (Englishtown) and two semi-final finishes so far this season (Pomona 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. 14 position at the inaugural Epping event last year (first round)
– DeJoria earned her first No. 1 qualifying position of her career in Atlanta in May
– DeJoria has garnered two event wins so far this season (Phoenix and Las Vegas)

Mello Yello Championship Points:

Top Fuel

1 – Doug Kalitta (902)
2 – Antron Brown (782)
3 – Shawn Langdon (751)
4 – Spencer Massey (652)
5 – Steve Torrence (617)
6 – Tony Schumacher (557)
7 – Khalid alBalooshi (535)
8 – Brittany Force (502)
9 – Richie Crampton (464)
10 – JR Todd (429)
11 – Bob Vandegriff Jr (404)

Funny Car

1 – Robert Hight (905)
2 – John Force (640)
3 – Tommy Johnson Jr. (627)
4 – Alexis Dejoria (619)
5 – Del Worsham (593)
6 – Courtney Force (581)
7 – Ron Capps (571)
8 – Cruz Pedregon (538)
9 – Tim Wilkerson (533)
10 – Matt Hagan (527)

Event Schedule:

FRIDAY, June 20

Nitro Qualifying Session (FC-TF) 5:00 PM ET
Nitro Qualifying Session (FC-TF) 7:30 PM ET

SATURDAY, June 21

Nitro Qualifying Session (TF-FC) 1:00 PM ET
Nitro Qualifying Session (TF-FC) 3:30 PM ET

SUNDAY, June 22

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.

ESPN TV Schedule:

6/21 Qualifying – 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM ET/4:00 PM – 5:00 PM PT (ESPN2)
6/22 Eliminations – 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM ET/10:00 AM – 1:00 PM PT (ESPN)

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.