Team Kalitta – Topeka At A Glance; Top Fuel Points Leader Kalitta Leads Team Kalitta To Kansas

TOPEKA, Kan., (May 22, 2014) – This weekend, May 23-25, the nitro-fueled, four-car team of Kalitta Motorsports, helmed by drag racing legend and team owner Connie “the Bounty Hunter” Kalitta, will be competing in the 26th annual NHRA Kansas Nationals at Heartland Park Topeka in Topeka, Kan.

Team Kalitta has had remarkable success racing at Heartland Park Topeka over the years. The team has amassed ten Top Fuel title trophies in Topeka since 1993. The late Scott Kalitta won at HPT six times, which remains the most wins by any Top Fuel driver. Former Team Kalitta drivers David Grubnic (2) and Hillary Will (1) also posted victories in Topeka. Current Team Kalitta driver Doug Kalitta collected the Topeka winner’s trophy in 2006.

Here’s what to watch for from Team Kalitta at this season’s Kansas 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: 72
CAREER BEST E.T.: 3.713 seconds
CAREER BEST SPEED: 331.45 mph

• Kalitta won the Top Fuel title in Topeka in 2006
• Kalitta raced to a runner-up finishes in Topeka in 2004, 2003, and 2000
• Kalitta assumed the Mello Yello Top Fuel championship points lead by way of a runner-up finish at the previous event in Atlanta
• Kalitta has garnered one event wins so far this season (Gainesville, Fla.)
• Kalitta has raced to three runner-up finishes so far this season (Pomona, Calif., Las Vegas and Atlanta)
• Kalitta was the No. 1 qualifier for Top Fuel eliminations in Pomona, Phoenix, and Atlanta

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 in line to become the 100th NHRA event winner for a female racer
• DeJoria claimed her first career Nitro Funny Car No. 1 qualifying position at the previous event in Atlanta
• DeJoria qualified in the No. 13 position for Funny Car eliminations in Topeka last year (first round)
• DeJoria has garnered two event wins so far this season (Phoenix and Las Vegas)

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.: 3.999 seconds
CAREER BEST SPEED: 321.42 mph

• Worsham qualified in the No. 5 position for Funny Car eliminations in Topeka last year, where he raced to a quarter-final finish
• Worsham has raced to two semi-final finishes so far this season (Pomona, Calif. and Houston)

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.: 3.781 seconds
CAREER BEST SPEED: 325.30 mph

• Todd joined Team Kalitta in March as the full-time driver of the Optima Batteries/Advance Auto Parts Top Fuel dragster Mello Yello Championship Points:

Top Fuel

1 – Doug Kalitta (649)
2 – Antron Brown (642)
3 – Steve Torrence (503)
4 – Shawn Langdon (461)
5 – Spencer Massey (454)
6 – Khalid Albalooshi (413)
7 – Tony Schumacher (407)
8 – Brittany Force (336)
9 – J.R. Todd (257)
9 – Richard Crampton (257)
11 – Clay Millican (248)

Funny Car

1 – Robert Hight (730)
2 – John Force (524)
3 – Alexis DeJoria (472)
4 – Ron Capps (430)
5 – Del Worsham (400)
6 – Tommy Johnson Jr (380)
7 – Jack Beckman (369)
7 – Courtney Force (369)
9 – Matt Hagan (368)
10 – Tim Wilkerson (329)

Event Schedule:

FRIDAY, May 23

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

SATURDAY, May 24

Nitro Qualifying Session (TF-FC) 2:00 PM CT
Nitro Qualifying Session (TF-FC) 4:30 PM CT

SUNDAY, May 25

Nitro Eliminations – Round 1 11:00 AM CT
Nitro Eliminations – Round 2 1:00 PM CT
Nitro Eliminations – Semi-Finals 2:30 PM CT
Nitro Eliminations – Finals 3:45 PM CT

Times and dates subject to change.

ESPN2 TV Schedule:

05/24 Qualifying – 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM ET/3:00 PM – 5:00 PM PT
05/25 Eliminations – 10:00 PM – 1:00 AM ET/7:00 PM – 10:00 PM PT

Times and dates subject to change.