Kalitta Motorsports News

Team Kalitta Seattle – At A Glance; Western Swing Winds Down in Washington

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Doug Kalitta
31
Jul

KENT, Wash., (July 31, 2014) – Kalitta Motorsports, the nitro-fueled, four-car NHRA drag racing team based in Ypsilanti, Mich., finalizes the traditional NHRA Western Swing this weekend, Aug. 1-3, in Kent, Wash., just a few miles southeast of Seattle, at Pacific Raceways at the 27th annual NHRA Northwest Nationals. The NHRA Western Swing, consisting of three consecutive event weekends, began two weeks ago in Denver and hit the mid-way point in Sonoma, Calif. last weekend.

Doug Kalitta, driver of the Mac Tools Top Fuel dragster, leads the Mello Yello Top Fuel championship points by 46 over second place. Kalitta and the Mac Tools team clinched a berth in the 2014 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series “Playoffs”, the Countdown to the Championship in Denver. The Countdown to the Championship consists of the final six events of the season and begins in Charlotte, Sept. 12-14. Only the top ten in Mello Yello championship points at the conclusion of the event in Indianapolis, Aug. 27 – Sept. 1, are eligible to compete in the Countdown to the Championship and to have a chance to be crowned a 2014 Mello Yello World Champion.

Team Kalitta race cars have four event wins and have appeared in 15 championship rounds so far in the 24-event 2014 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series events this year.

Doug Kalitta

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

HOMETOWN: Ann Arbor, Mich.
CREW CHIEF: Jim Oberhofer
CAREER WINS: 34
CAREER FINAL ROUNDS: 75
CAREER BEST E.T.: 3.713 seconds
CAREER BEST SPEED: 331.45 mph

  • Kalitta was the runner-up finisher in Seattle in 2003, 2000 and 1999
  • Kalitta was the No. 1 qualifier in Seattle in 2010
  • Kalitta was the No. 12 qualifier in Seattle last year (first round)
  • Kalitta won the 500th Top Fuel elimination round of his career in Epping in June, a feat accomplished by only 16 professional drivers in NHRA history
  • Kalitta has garnered one event wins so far this season (Gainesville)
  • Kalitta has raced to six runner-up finishes so far this season (Pomona, Las Vegas, Atlanta, Englishtown, Bristol, and Epping)
  • Kalitta was the No. 1 qualifier for Top Fuel eliminations in Pomona, Phoenix, Atlanta, Englishtown and Chicago

JR Todd

J.R. Todd – Driver of the Optima Batteries/Advance Auto Parts Top Fuel Dragster:

HOMETOWN: Lawrenceburg, Ind.
CREW CHIEF: Connie Kalitta
CAREER WINS: 7
CAREER FINAL ROUNDS: 10
CAREER BEST E.T.: 3.747 seconds
CAREER BEST SPEED: 325.30 mph

  • Todd garnered his first win of 2014 and his first with Kalitta Motorsports two weeks ago in Denver; First win since 2008 in Dallas
  • The Optima Batteries/Advance Auto Parts team raced to a runner-up finish in Seattle last year
  • Todd did not compete in Seattle last year 
  • Todd has raced to three semi-final finishes so far this season (Charlotte, Topeka, and Chicago)
  • Todd set a career-best elapsed time mark in June in Topeka (3.747 sec.)
  • Todd joined Team Kalitta in March as the full-time driver of the Optima Batteries/Advance Auto Parts Top Fueler

Alexis DeJoria

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

HOMETOWN: Austin, Texas
CREW CHIEF: Tommy DeLago
CAREER WINS: 4 (FC: 2 TAFC: 1 SPORTS: 1)
CAREER FINAL ROUNDS: 8 (FC: 4 TAFC: 3 SPORTS: 1)
CAREER BEST E.T.: 3.997 seconds
CAREER BEST SPEED: 319.07 mph

  • DeJoria was the No. 9 qualifier in Seattle 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)

Del Worsham

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: 52 (TF: 11 FC: 41)
CAREER BEST E.T.: 3.992 seconds
CAREER BEST SPEED: 321.88 mph

  • Worsham won the event in Seattle in 2011 (Top Fuel) and 1999
  • Worsham was the No. 3 qualifier in Seattle last year (first round)
  • Worsham recorded his career best elapsed time, 3.992 sec., in Bristol in June
  • Worsham has raced to one runner-up finish (Englishtown) and two semi-final finishes so far this season (Pomona and Houston)

Mello Yello Points

Top Fuel

  1. Doug Kalitta (1223)
  2. Antron Brown (1177)
  3. Shawn Langdon (1065)
  4. Tony Schumacher (911)
  5. Steve Torrence (867)
  6. Spencer Massey (862)
  7. Brittany Force (824)
  8. Khalid alBalooshi (801)
  9. Richie Crampton (752)
  10. J.R. Todd (741)
  11. Bob Vandergriff Jr. (620)

Funny Car

  1. Robert Hight (1216)
  2. John Force (1097)
  3. Ron Capps (957)
  4. Courtney Force (941)
  5. Tommy Johnson Jr. (938)
  6. Alexis DeJoria (883)
  7. Matt Hagan (868)
  8. Cruz Pedregon (840)
  9. Del Worsham (816)
  10. Tim Wilkerson (762)

Event Schedule

FRIDAY, Aug. 1

  • Nitro Qualifying Session (FC-TF) 3:00 PM PT
  • Nitro Qualifying Session (FC-TF) 6:00 PM PT

SATURDAY, Aug. 2

  • Nitro Qualifying Session (TF-FC) 1:00 PM PT
  • Nitro Qualifying Session (TF-FC) 4:00 PM PT

SUNDAY, Aug. 3

  • Nitro Eliminations – Round 1 – 11:00 AM PT
  • Nitro Eliminations – Round 2 – 1:00 PM PT
  • Nitro Eliminations – Semifinals – 2:30 PM PT
  • Nitro Eliminations – Finals – 3:45 PM PT

Times and dates subject to change.

ESPN TV Schedule

  • 8/2 – Qualifying: 10:00 PM – 12:00 AM ET/7:00 PM – 9:00 PM PT (ESPN2)
  • 8/3 – Eliminations: 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM ET/4:00 PM – 7:00 PM PT (ESPN2)

Times and dates subject to change.

About Kalitta Motorsports:

Based in Ypsilanti, Michigan, Kalitta Motorsports is a Top Fuel and Funny Car nitro drag racing team in the NHRA (National Hot Rod Association) Mello Yello Drag Racing Series. The team was founded by drag racing pioneer and auto racing legend Connie “the Bounty Hunter” Kalitta. For more than half of a century, Kalitta has been involved in the world’s quickest and fastest motor sport as a driver, tuner, and as 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 Kalitta in 1959.

Connie’s nephew, Doug Kalitta, pilots the Mac Tools Top Fuel dragster for Team Kalitta. Former Top Fuel world champion Del Worsham drives the DHL Toyota Camry Funny Car. Alexis DeJoria, the world’s quickest female Funny Car racer, drives the Patrón XO Café Toyota Camry Funny Car, and J.R. Todd, the first African-American to win an NHRA Top Fuel event, drives the OPTIMA Batteries/Advance Auto Parts Top Fuel dragster. 

Jim Oberhofer, crew chief, and Troy Fasching, assistant crew chief, guide the Mac Tools Top Fuel dragster team. Crew chief Nick Boninfante and co-crew chief Jon Oberhofer tune the DHL Toyota Camry Funny Car. Tommy DeLago, crew chief, and Glen Huszar, co-crew chief, make the calls on the Patrón XO Café Toyota Camry Funny Car, and Connie Kalitta serves as crew chief on the OPTIMA Batteries/Advance Auto Parts Top Fuel dragster with help from assistant crew chief James Riola.

Valued partners of Kalitta Motorsports include Mac Tools, DHL, Optima Batteries, Patrón XO Café, Red Line Oil, Summit Racing Equipment, Technicoat, and SealMaster.

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