Kalitta Motorsports News

Worsham had a very busy weekend in Brainerd with the opportunity to earn two wins and a special milestone.

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Del Worsham
21
Aug

Del Worsham

Del Worsham, driver of the DHL Toyota Camry Funny Car

Q1: 3.856 sec. at 326.71 MPH
Q2: 3.872 sec. at 329.34 MPH
Q3: 6.010 sec. at 133.54 MPH
Q4: 7.362 sec. at 91.76 MPH

Bonus Points: 5 pts. (Best in the first session, second-best in the second session)
Starting Position: 2nd
First Round Matchup: Bob Bode
Quotable: “Bummer to lose the top spot, but we know where the line is tomorrow. I look forward to competing in my 500th career start tomorrow, and hopefully earning these DHL Toyota guys a race win.”
Notes: Tomorrow will be Worsham’s 500th career raceday start.

Doug Kalitta

Doug Kalitta, driver of the Mac Tools Top Fuel Dragster

Q1: 3.782 sec. at 324.20 MPH
Q2: 4.381 sec. at 182.43 MPH
Q3: 3.704 sec. at 331.20 MPH
Q4: 3.738 sec. at 327.11 MPH

Bonus Points: 2 pts. (Second-best of the third session)
Starting Position: 6th
First Round Matchup: Morgan Lucas
Quotable: “Some solid passes this weekend in qualifying for the Mac Tools Red Line Oil Toyota team. Conditions are prime for some good runs tomorrow, and I look forward to eliminations.”

JR Todd

J.R. Todd, driver of the SealMaster Top Fuel Dragster

Q1: 3.781 sec. at 322.65 MPH
Q2: 7.785 sec. at 93.59 MPH
Q3: 3.734 sec. at 326.24 MPH
Q4: 3.748 sec. at 325.06 MPH

Bonus Points: 1 pts. (Third best of the first session)
Starting Position: 10th
First Round Matchup: Richie Crampton
Worsham earns first Brainerd win

Race Recap:

Worsham had a very busy weekend in Brainerd with the opportunity to earn two wins and a special milestone.

The special milestone, his 500th career race-day start, was clinched with a stellar 3.856 second pass in the first session of qualifying. That was part of Worsham’s Friday that included earning five of six bonus points possible.

The rematch of the Seattle final did not go Worsham’s way as the DHL Camry lost traction early, but the team did not get down and looked for another shot on Sunday.

Worsham’s outstanding first day pass allowed him to start in the second position and a Bob Bode first round matchup. Bode, who got the Wally at this race five seasons ago, struck the tires at the hit, giving the easy win to Worsham. A second round pairing against Tim Wilkerson was also done at the tree as Wilkerson turned on the red light.

With live TV, the DHL Yella Fellas were faced with a tight turnaround, but they got it done and made it to the line against Courtney Force. Force took a shot at the tree, but was up in smoke soon after and the DHL Toyota Camry Funny Car was true straight down the track. That round win gave Worsham his first career Brainerd Nationals final round appearance and back-to-back finals for the first time since last season.

His opponent was Matt Hagan, who started from the no.1 qualifying spot on Sunday. Hagan and Worsham left together, but that was the last time they were side-by-side. Hagan lit the tires, and Worsham was right down the strip to score his first win of the season and first win in Brainerd. It is his 31st career Funny Car win and 39th overall in his career on his 500th career raceday start.

Statistics:
Qualified: No. 2 (3.856 sec., 326.71 mph)

  • E1: Worsham defeated Bode – 3.890 sec., 329.26 mph to 9.320 sec., 103.13 mph
  • E2: Worsham defeated Wilkerson – 3.904 sec., 328.06 mph to foul
  • E3: Worsham defeated C. Force – 3.926 sec., 324.20 mph to 7.129 sec., 84.36 mph
  • Final: Worsham defeated Hagan – 3.908 sec., 327.27 mph to 8.095 sec., 71.33 mph

Quotable: “What an incredible day. Being able to come back to win today is awesome. I am so proud of this DHL, Toyota, Red Line Oil team. They worked incredibly hard this weekend. Brainerd is one of my favorite races, and to be able to finally get a win here is perfect. We are getting a good handle on this DHL Toyota Camry and I am really excited for the Countdown.”

Point Standings: Third (-221); trails with second-place Courtney Force by 6 points, leads fourth-place Jack Beckman by 46 points

Kalitta takes a Brainerd round win

Race Recap: Kalitta came to Brainerd looking for redemption. After two first round losses on the Western Swing, Kalitta was looking for some round wins in Minnesota.

Kalitta’s second day of qualifying was his best as he recorded an 3.704 second pass in the third round of qualifying and solidified Kalitta’s spot in the top half of the field; something he has done at every race this season.

In the first round, it was an intramural battle between Team Kalitta and Morgan Lucas Racing. Kalitta was the second pair, and had the team owner, Morgan Lucas. Kalitta was stellar on the tree, and beat Lucas to ever increment to earn the first round win.

However, Kalitta’s day ended much to early. In the second round, he was away first on Brittany Force, but the Mac Tools ride encountered issues downtick yielding the round win to Force, who later picked up the Brainerd Nationals win.

Statistics:
Qualified: No. 6 (3.704 sec., 331.20 mph)

  • E1: Kalitta defeated Lucas – 3.726 sec., 322.73 mph to 5.879 sec., 119.32 mph
  • E2: Kalitta defeated by B. Force – 3.939 sec., 265.01 mph to 3.711 sec., 325.53 mph

Quotable: “Was looking for more than a round win this weekend, but we are confident in what we have learned. I am excited to get to the U.S. Nationals and see what we have for the field.”

Point Standings: Second (-167); trails first-place Antron Brown by 167 points, leads third-place Steve Torrence by 41 points

Todd earns sixth straight first round win

Race Recap: After an incredibly solid run on the Western Swing by leading the Top Fuel class in round wins, Todd and the SealMaster team made their way to Brainerd, Minnesota for the historic Brainerd Nationals.

The qualifying effort started the right way with Todd and his SealMaster team earning bonus points in the first session. However, due to tire smoke in the prime conditions on Friday evening, Todd slipped back to the 10th starting position and a tough round one draw with Richie Crampton, whom Todd has faced three of the last four weeks.

Todd and Crampton were the last pair in round one. Todd was prepared at the tree, recording the low reaction time of round one, and drove straight to the finish line, earning his sixth consecutive first round win.

His streak of five straight semi-finals or better did end, however, after Shawn Langdon was able to drive around Todd when the SealMaster dragster encountered problems in the second round.

Statistics:
Qualified: No. 10 (3.734 sec., 326.24 mph)

  • E1: Todd defeated Crampton – 3.736 sec., 329.10 mph to 4.165 sec., 255.87 mph
  • E2: Todd defeated by Langdon – 4.885 sec., 156.68 mph to 3.729 sec., 330.96 mph

Quotable: “Tough finish to the weekend for the SealMaster Toyota team. Never like to hurt parts and lose. We are excited to head to the Indy test and hopefully learn some things that we can transfer to the U.S. Nationals and the Countdown.

Point Standings: Sixth (-426); trails fifth-place Tony Schumacher by 119 points, leads seventh-place Shawn Langdon by 30 points Quotable: “The SealMaster Toyota guys were looking for more than that on the last pass, but it was not meant to be. We have a tough first round draw, but we will go to the line and do our best for hopefully four rounds of racing in Brainerd tomorrow.”

#NHRAonFOX Telecast information:
8/20 Qualifying (FS1) – 10:00pm – 12:00am
8/21 Race (FS1) – 2:00pm – 5:00pm – LIVE

All times are EST.

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. Kalitta Motorsports also manages the McLeod Racing Toyota Camry Funny Car driven by Paul Lee. 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, Todd Smith on the McLeod Racing 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, Red Line Oil, SealMaster, Summit Racing Equipment, Technicoat Companies, Tequila Patrón, TMS Titanium, Toyota and Ziebart.