NHRA Nitro Funny Car Driver Scott Kalitta and BIR Celebrate 25 Years of Nitro Racing in Brainerd
BRAINERD, Minn. -- Brainerd This weekend, Aug. 10-13, the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series returns to Brainerd, Minn., for the silver anniversary of the annual Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals at Brainerd Int'l Raceway. This year also marks the 25th year of nitro drag racing competition for Scott Kalitta, driver of the carbon fiber-shelled, 7,000 horsepower Kalitta Air Funny Car.
Kalitta began his legendary drag racing career as a Top Fuel dragster crewmember for his father, drag racing legend, team owner and crew chief Connie "the Bounty Hunter" Kalitta. Scott graduated from crew guy to driver at the 1981 Winternationals where he piloted an A/Fuel dragster, which he drove until mid-way into the 1982 season when he switched to Top Fuel.
"It's hard for me to believe that it has been a quarter of a century since I first drove a nitro car," Scott said. "I took a couple of years off there for a bit (1998, 2000-2001), but one thing's for sure, it has never been boring. I still love getting strapped in and going racing. I probably enjoy it more these days since the cars are quicker and faster now.
"It's cool that the annual NHRA event at BIR and I have 25 years in common. It's always fun going up to Minnesota and racing. The fans, especially the campers in "the Zoo", are always great to us. It should be a blast."
Scott, a 43-year old resident of Palmetto, Fla., made the switch from Top Fuel to Funny Car this season. Scott has one NHRA national event win in his career in nitro Funny Car and that was at the Houston event in 1989 while driving with a broken left foot. In Top Fuel, Scott scored two POWERade world championships (1994-1995) and 17 NHRA national event wins.
The Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals begins Friday, Aug. 11, for the Funny Car 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.
