COMMERCE, Ga., (May 12, 2011) –Doug Kalitta, driver of the 8,000-horsepower, 300+mph Kalitta Air Top Fuel dragster, is very optimistic about his trip to Atlanta Dragway this weekend, May 13 – 15, for the annual running of the NHRA Southern Nationals.
“We’re really excited about returning to Atlanta this year,” Doug Kalitta, a 46 year-old resident of Ann Arbor, Mich., said. “We qualified our Kalitta Air dragster in the No. 2 slot last year and made it to the semifinals, so Jim (Oberhofer, crew chief) and the guys know what it will take to get us down the drag strip consistently again on a race track that can be pretty tricky. I think we’ve got a great chance of winning in Atlanta this year.”
Kalitta, a 14-year drag racing veteran in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, has amassed 31 NHRA Top Fuel title trophies in 62 final-round appearances. He has finished in the top ten in Full Throttle championship points in every year of his straight-line career. He was the 1994 USAC National Sprint Car champion.
Kalitta won back-to-back Top fuel title trophies in Atlanta in 2005 and 2006. He set the Atlanta Dragway speed record at last season’s event, 318.09 mph.
Event Schedule
The NHRA Southern Nationals begin Friday for the nitro-fueled classes with two qualifying sessions at 4:30 p.m. (ET) and 7:00 p.m. Two more qualifying attempts will take place on Saturday at 11:45 a.m. and 2:15 p.m. The top 16 qualified cars in each pro class will race Sunday in final eliminations beginning at 11:00 a.m.
Times and dates subject to change.
TV Schedule
5/14/2011 Qualifying – 7:00 PM-9:30 PM (ET) ESPN2
5/15/2011 Eliminations – 7:00 PM-10:00 PM (ET) ESPN2
Times and dates subject to change.
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) Full Throttle 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 five world championships and over 50 national event titles in five different professional drag racing sanctioning bodies since it was established by Connie in 1959.
Jeff Arend drives the DHL Funny Car for the team. Connie’s nephew, Doug Kalitta, drives the Kalitta Air Top Fuel dragster entry while Dave Grubnic drives the team’s second Top Fueler under the banner of Kalitta Air as well. Connie serves as head tuner for all Team Kalitta entries. He is assisted by crew chief Jim Oberhofer and assistant crew chief Troy Fasching on Doug’s Top Fueler and by co-crew chiefs Jon Oberhofer and Nick Boninfante on the DHL Funny Car. Connie serves as crew chief on the Grubnic-driven racer with help from assistant crew chief James Riola.
Associate sponsors on Kalitta Motorsports’ race cars include Candlewood Suites, ROCKY Boots, Red Line Oil, Technicoat Companies, OPTIMA Batteries, JEGS, and Mac Tools.
For more info about Kalitta Motorsports including exclusive content such as videos, photos and more, please visit www.teamkalitta.com. Follow Us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/TeamKalitta. Like Us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/KalittaMotorsports. Check out videos about Team Kalitta on our YouTube Channel: www.youtube.com/user/TeamKalitta