NHRA Nitro Funny Car pilot Scott Kalitta teaming with Chip Foose at the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind., (Aug. 29, 2006) – This Labor Day weekend’s, Aug. 30-Sept. 4, 52nd annual running of the world’s most prestigious drag racing event, the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals at O’Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis, will be special in more ways than one for NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series veteran Scott Kalitta.

Kalitta’s normally Kalitta Air-decorated 7,000-horsepower, 320-mph Nitro Funny Car will have a special edition paint scheme for the world’s biggest drag racing event. Chip Foose, world-renowned custom auto builder and TV celebrity, and Mac Tools are teaming up with Kalitta Motorsports with a new and exclusive Chip Foose-designed paint scheme on Kalitta’s flopper entry.

“Indy is such a special place,” Kalitta said. “I’ve been racing for over 25 years and the desire to get a win at Indy gets stronger every year. My dad (team owner and drag racing icon Connie “the Bounty Hunter” Kalitta) finally got his Indy Wally (trophy) in 1994, and he was 56 years old when he did. He was as determined to win it then as he was the first time he raced there. Indy is the race that every drag racer dreams of winning. Hopefully, this will be our year with our specially painted Foose/Mac Tools car.”

Kalitta and his team also plan to make the NHRA national event debut of their new 2007 Toyota Solara Funny Car body at the event in Indianapolis .

Foose will be in attendance at the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals and will serve as Grand Marshall of the event.

Kalitta, 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 Mac Tools U.S. Nationals begins Friday, Sept. 1, for the Funny Car class with one qualifying session at 7:30 p.m. (ET). Two more qualifying sessions follow on Saturday at 2:45 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., and then two more qualifying sessions on Sunday at 12:45 p.m. and 4:10 p.m.

The top sixteen qualified cars will race Labor Day Monday in final eliminations beginning at 11:00 a.m.

All times and dates subject to change.

The Mac Tools U.S. Nationals is the 18th of 23 national events in the 2006 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series.