Team Kalitta Qualifying Recap – Auto Club Finals – Pomona

POMONA, Calif. (Nov. 14, 2015) – Kalitta Motorsports, the nitro-fueled, four-car NHRA drag racing team based in Ypsilanti, Mich., has completed qualifying for the Auto Club Finals at Auto Club Raceway in Pomona, Calif. Results and quotes follow.

Del Worsham – Driver of the DHL Toyota Camry Funny Car:

Q1: 6.915 sec., 94.20 mph
Q2: 3.974 sec., 324.05 mph
Q3: 3.941 sec., 323.89 mph (Two bonus points for the second best run of the session.)
Q4: 3.896 sec., 326.32 mph (One bonus points for the best run of the session.)

No. 3 Qualifier

Alexis DeJoria – Driver of the Patrón XO Café Incendio Toyota Camry Funny Car:

Q1: 5.107 sec., 146.97 mph
Q2: 3.987 sec., 318.02 mph
Q3: 4.391 sec., 200.95 mph
Q4: 7.761 sec., 89.48 mph

No. 8 Qualifier

J.R. Todd – Driver of the Optima Batteries Top Fuel Dragster:

Q1: 3.946 sec., 270.43 mph
Q2: 3.846 sec., 273.77 mph
Q3: 3.764 sec., 330.80 mph (Two bonus points for the second best run of the session.)
Q4: 3.732 sec., 331.61 mph (One bonus point for the third best run of the session.)

No. 4 Qualifier

Note: Todd’s 331.61 MPH in the final qualifying round reset his career best.

Doug Kalitta – Driver of the Mac Tools Top Fuel Dragster:

Q1: 3.801 sec., 320.20 mph
Q2: 3.771 sec., 319.82 mph
Q3: 3.845 sec., 316.67 mph
Q4: 3.772 sec., 322.34 mph

No. 10 Qualifier

First Round Competition:

3) Del Worsham v. 14) Tony Pedregon

8) Alexis DeJoria v. 9) Courtney Force

4) J.R. Todd v. 13) Troy Buff

10) Doug Kalitta v. 7) Tony Schumacher

Quotables:

Del Worsham, driver of the DHL Toyota Camry Funny Car: “Great qualify effort for the DHL Toyota team. We have the Camry running strong and I am proud of our effort. We will go into tomorrow and lay it all out on the line.”

Alexis DeJoria, driver of the Patrón XO Café Incendio Toyota Camry Funny Car: “It has not been the best qualifying session for us, but remarkably, in q2, shutting it off at 900 feet, we still ran a .98, so that puts in the field at the eighth position which is amazing. We are just going to go out there and do our best. It is the last race of the season, we want to win. We definitely would like to go out with a win, but we have to remember to enjoy ourselves as well, because it is a really tough deal out there right now. I wish the best to our teammates tomorrow. We are going to do our best to win the race tomorrow and be a good blocker for Del.”

Doug Kalitta, driver of the Mac Tools Top Fuel Dragster: “The Mac Tools ride was definitely consistent this weekend and we improved almost every session. A tough draw in round one, but after the Vegas results we are convinced we have a hot rod that will be one to beat tomorrow.”

J.R. Todd, driver of the Optima Batteries Top Fuel Dragster: “Great qualifying effort for the Optima Batteries team. We hurt some parts, but the car ran really well today with some big MPHs. We are ready for tomorrow and are focused on ending the season strong.”

ESPN TV Schedule:

11/15 Qualifications – 2:30 a.m. – 4:30 a.m. EST (ESPN2)

11/15 Qualifications – 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. EST (ESPN2)

11/15 Eliminations – 9:00 p.m. – 12:00 a.m. EST (ESPN2)

Times and dates subject to change.

Event Schedule:

Sunday’s eliminations begin at 11:00 p.m. PST.

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) Mello Yello 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 100 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 Tequila Patrón XO Café Incendio Toyota Camry Funny Car. J.R. Todd drives the Optima Batteries 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 Tequila Patrón XO Café Incendio Toyota Camry Funny Car, and by Jim Oberhofer on the Mac Tools Top Fuel dragster. Connie serves as crew chief on the Optima Batteries Top Fuel dragster.

Associate sponsors on Kalitta Motorsports’ race cars include Justice Brothers, Kalitta Air, Optima Batteries, Patrón XO Café Incendio, Phoenix Fuel Converter, Red Line Oil, SealMaster, Summit Racing Equipment, Technicoat Companies, TMS Titanium, Toyota and Ziebart.

Konnekt with Kalitta Motorsports:

For more info about Kalitta Motorsports including exclusive content such as videos, photos and more, please visit #KalittaStrong online –

Website: www.teamkalitta.com
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