Team Kalitta Qualifying Recap – NHRA Kansas Nationals – Topeka

TOPEKA, Kan. (May 21, 2016) – Kalitta Motorsports, the nitro-fueled, four-car NHRA drag racing team based in Ypsilanti, Mich., has completed qualifying for the NHRA Kansas Nationals at Heartland Park Topeka in Topeka, Kansas. Results and quotes follow.

Doug Kalitta – Driver of the Mac Tools Top Fuel Dragster: Q1: 3.713 sec., 328.70 mph (Two bonus points for the second quickest run of the session.) Q2: 3.701 sec., 330.88 mph (Two bonus points for the second quickest run of the session.) Q3: 3.742 sec., 331.85 mph Q4: 3.702 sec., 327.98 mph (Three bonus points for the quickest run of the session.)

No. 2 Qualifier

NOTE: Kalitta’s 3.701 second pass reset his career best and ranks as the ninth best elapsed time in NHRA Top Fuel history. The 331.85 MPH now ranks as Heartland Park Topeka’s track record, is Kalitta’s career-best MPH and is the eighth quickest speed in NHRA history. This is the sixth time in eight events that Kalitta has qualified in the top two.

J.R. Todd – Driver of the SealMaster Top Fuel Dragster: Q1: 3.797 sec., 324.20 mph Q2: 3.762 sec., 323.81 mph Q3: No run; mechanical failure Q4: 3.758 sec., 320.89 mph

No. 9 Qualifier

Alexis DeJoria – Driver of the Tequila Patrón Toyota Camry Funny Car: Q1: 3.928 sec., 324.05 mph Q2: 3.875 sec., 332.18 mph Q3: 5.023 sec., 148.61 mph Q4: 3.878 sec., 328.70 mph (Three bonus points for the quickest run of the session.)

No. 5 Qualifier

NOTE: DeJoria reset her career-best elapsed time (3.875) and MPH (332.18) on Friday evening. Those passes rank as the fifth best elapsed time and eighth best MPH in NHRA Funny Car history.

Del Worsham – Driver of the DHL Toyota Camry Funny Car: Q1: 3.918 sec., 325.61 mph Q2: 3.880 sec., 332.67 mph Q3: 3.915 sec., 326.71 mph Q4: 5.519 sec., 128.01 mph

No. 6 Qualifier

NOTE: Worsham reset his career-best elapsed time (3.880) and (332.67) on Friday evening. Those passes rank as the eighth best elapsed time and fourth best MPH in NHRA Funny Car history.

First Round Competition:

• 2) Doug Kalitta v. 15) Rob Passey
• 9) J.R. Todd v. 8) Antron Brown
• 5) Alexis DeJoria v. 12) Chad Head
• 6) Del Worsham v. 11) John Force

Quotables:

Doug Kalitta, driver of the Mac Tools Top Fuel Dragster: “I continue to be so impressed with my entire Mac Tools team. They are on their game and the performance has been their all weekend. I am really looking forward to tomorrow.”

J.R. Todd, driver of the SealMaster Top Fuel Dragster: “Strong way to end qualifying here at the Kansas Nationals. I was excited to be able to come back to Topeka with all of the history that Kalitta Motorsports has here, and I would like nothing more than to add my name as part of that history tomorrow with this SealMaster team.”

Del Worsham, driver of the DHL Toyota Camry Funny Car: “The DHL team definitely is prepared and it showed this weekend in these incredible track conditions. We are going to see conditions tomorrow that we have not seen yet this weekend, but I am confident in what we have prepared and what our plan is for tomorrow.

FOX Sports TV Schedule:

5/21 Qualifying – 11:00 p.m. – 1:00 a.m. EST (FS1)

5/22 Eliminations – 2:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. EST (FS1) Times and dates subject to change. Event Schedule: Sunday’s eliminations begin at 11:00 p.m. CST. 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 six world championships and over 100 national event titles in five different professional drag racing sanctioning bodies since it was established by Connie in 1959.

Team Kalitta is the home of the 2015 NHRA Mello Yello Funny Car World Champions, Del Worsham. He drives the DHL Toyota Camry Funny Car. Alexis DeJoria pilots the Tequila Patrón Toyota Camry Funny Car. J.R. Todd drives the SealMaster 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, Tommy DeLago and Glen Huszar on the Tequila Patrón Toyota Camry Funny Car, Rob Flynn on the SealMaster Top Fuel dragster and Jim Oberhofer on the Mac Tools Top Fuel dragster.

Associate sponsors on Kalitta Motorsports’ race cars include ARP, AutoDesk CAM, Champion, Cogistics, Darton Sleeves, DHL, Justice Brothers, Kalitta Air, Mac Tools, Optima Batteries, Phoenix Fuel Converter, Racing Electronics, Red Line Oil, SealMaster, Summit Racing Equipment, Technicoat Companies, Tequila Patrón, 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 Facebook: www.facebook.com/TeamKalitta Twitter: www.twitter.com/TeamKalitta YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/TeamKalitta Instagram: www.instagram.com/TeamKalitta