NHRA Top Fuel Points Leader Doug Kalitta Looks to Defend in Brainerd Title
BRAINERD, Minn. -- As the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series sails into the Land of 10,000 Lakes this weekend, Aug. 10-13, for the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals at Brainerd Int'l Raceway in Brainerd, Minn., Doug Kalitta, driver of the bright red, 330-mph Mac Tools Top Fuel dragster, is hoping to land another "big one" this year and defend his Top Fuel title from one year ago.
"A win again this year in Brainerd would be just what the doctor ordered," Kalitta said. "Our last [national event] win was in the beginning of June (Chicago), so we're definitely hungry to get back in the winner's circle.
"We brought out a new car right before the race in Denver. All race cars have different personalities, but I think we found what the new car likes in Sonoma (previous event)."
Kalitta also commented on the NHRA Top Fuel POWERade points battle. "There are eight races left this year, so we're a long way from knowing how it will all turn out. Our Mac Tools team fights hard to win every single [elimination] round. We just want to keep concentrating on winning one round at a time, and hopefully that will keep us near the top with a chance to win it all."
Kalitta holds an 82-point lead in POWERade Top Fuel championship points over second place occupier Melanie Troxel going into this weekend's event in the 12th largest state in the U.S.
Kalitta also won the event in Brainerd in 2003. He was the runner-up finisher in 2000, and he was the No.1 qualifier at BIR in 2002 and 2004.
Kalitta won back-to-back events in Bristol, Tenn., and Atlanta and then consecutively won again at events in Topeka, Kans., and Chicago. Kalitta leads Top Fuel, the NHRA's quickest and fastest racing class, with four wins in 2006.
Kalitta, a 41-year old resident of Ann Arbor, Mich., is a two-time Top Fuel championship points runner-up (2003-2004) and the 1998 Auto Club of Southern California Road to the Future Award winner for rookie excellence. He is now in his ninth season in NHRA Top Fuel drag racing and has 28 career Top Fuel victories in 51 final-round appearances. Before joining the quarter-mile set, Kalitta raced in open-wheel competition and won the 1994 USAC National Sprint Car Championship. He is also the owner and president of Kalitta Charters, a charter airline service based at Willow Run Airport in Ypsilanti, Mich., alongside Kalitta Air, an airline freight service owned by his uncle, race team owner, and drag racing legend Connie Kalitta.
The Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals begins Friday, Aug. 11, for the Top Fuel class with two qualifying sessions at 3:30 p.m. and 6:15 p.m. (CT). Two more qualifying sessions follow on Saturday at noon and 3:00 p.m. The top sixteen qualified cars will race Sunday in final eliminations beginning at 11:00 a.m.
All times and dates subject to change.
The Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals is the 16th of 23 national events in the 2006 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series.
About Kalitta Motorsports
Based in Ypsilanti, Michigan, Kalitta Motorsports is a Top Fuel and Funny Car drag racing team in the NHRA (National Hot Rod Association) POWERade Drag Racing Series. The racing operation was started in 1959 by now legendary drag racer and team owner Connie "the Bounty Hunter" Kalitta. His son Scott Kalitta drives the Kalitta Air Funny Car. Scott's cousin, Connie's nephew, Doug Kalitta drives the flagship Top Fuel dragster for Mac Tools. Native Australian Dave Grubnic drives the StriVectin-SD Top Fuel dragster, while Hillary Will drives the Kalitta Motorsports-managed and Ken Black-owned Top Fuel dragster.
Connie serves as head tuner for all Team Kalitta entries. He is assisted by crew chiefs Rahn Tobler (Mac Tools dragster), Jim Oberhofer (Hillary Will-driven dragster), Jon Oberhofer (StriVectin-SD dragster). Connie serves as crew chief on the Kalitta Air Funny Car.
Associate sponsors on all Kalitta Motorsports' race cars include Red Line Oil, Summit Racing Equipment, Technicoat Companies, Zantrex-3 and Fischer Honda.
