Team Kalitta to Race with Heavy Hearts in Epping

EPPING, N.H. (June 20, 2013) – Team Kalitta will be competing this weekend in Epping, N.H. at the Inaugural NHRA New England Nationals at New England Dragway with much more on their minds than the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series.

This week the team led by Conrad “Connie” Kalitta lost a dear family member, Tammy “O” Oberhofer. Tammy succumbed to cancer June 18, 2013 after fiercely battling the disease for over a year.

Tammy, husband Jim “O”, and daughter Ashley have been an integral part of the Kalitta Motorsports family for 30 years. Tammy, first serving as the team’s public relations representative and most recently as the team’s office manager, will be dearly missed but her remarkable spirit will remain with us forever.

Doug Kalitta – “My sincere condolences go out to Jim-O, Ashley and their families for their loss.  Tammy, hands down, has been the driving force of making things happen behind the scenes at Kalitta Motorsports. Her passion towards her family and work was second to none, and I believe we had to hire at least three people to cover the work load she did over the years by herself.  I personally will miss her smiling face and that can-do-make-it-happen attitude she displayed in everything she did.”

David Grubnic –“This weekend Kalitta Motorsports we will be racing with heavy hearts as we have lost one of our greatest supporters in Tammy Oberhofer. Tammy recently lost her battle with cancer and she will be dearly missed. Tammy was without question one of the kindest people that I’ve had the pleasure of knowing and was always supportive towards our team’s goals. My sincere condolences go out to Jim-O, Ashley and their families for their loss.”

Del Worsham –“I’ve known Tammy for 20 years and have never heard a negative thing about her. I am so sad for her family and the entire Kalitta Motorsports family. She was as big or bigger part of this race team than anyone over the last 20 years, and we are all going to miss her very much. I just want to do the best we can and know she will still be watching after all of us.”

Event Schedule:

The NHRA New England Nationals begin Friday for Team Kalitta and all the Nitro-powered pros with two qualifying sessions at 5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. (ET). Two more qualifying sessions follow on Saturday at 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. The top 16 qualified cars in each Nitro class will race Sunday in final eliminations beginning at 11:00 a.m.

Tammy Oberhofer Obituary:

OBERHOFER, Tammy S., age 53, of Ypsilanti, June 18, 2013. Beloved wife of Jim-O. Loving mother of Ashley-O. Dearest daughter of Keith and Virginia Ferrell. Dear sister of Tim (Therese) and Teri (Bubba). She was the proud owner of Tex the cat and her late dog, Chocolate. Tammy was in DRAW, Drag Racing Association of Women, and her favorite football team was the Cincinnati Bengals. She will be taken by Horse-Drawn Carriage to Michigan Memorial Park for Entombment.

Tammy Oberhofer Services:

Visitation and services for Tammy Oberhofer will take place on Wednesday, June 26 at:
 
Michigan Memorial Funeral Home
30895 West Huron River Drive
Flat Rock, MI 48134
734-783-2646
 
Private visitation will be from 9:00AM – 10:00AM
 
Public visitation will be from 10:00AM – 1:00PM
 
Services will follow at 1:00PM and Tammy will be taken to her final resting place via horse drawn carriage.

In lieu of flowers, the family has requested donations be made to the following charities that were dear to Tammy:

B.R.A.K.E.S.,DRAW (Drag Racing Association of Women), Racers for Christ, and Pandas International