JOLIET, Ill., (July 7, 2011) – Native Canadian Jeff Arend, driver of the 8,000-horsepower, nitro-fueled DHL Funny Car, is nearly as giddy as a schoolboy in anticipation of this weekend’s, July 8-10, night qualifying sessions at famed-for-fast Route 66 Raceway at the annual running of the Route 66 NHRA Nationals in Joliet, Ill., just a few miles southwest of the Windy City Chicago.
For the first time this year in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, all four qualifying sessions for the professional nitro classes (Funny Car and Top Fuel) will be “night” sessions with laps scheduled to be run at 5:00 p.m. (CT) and 8:00 p.m. Friday and again at the same times on Saturday.
“If the weather cooperates, we could see some of the best runs of the season in qualifying in Joliet,” Arend, a 48-year old resident of San Dimas, Calif., said. “Route 66 Raceway is really quick anyway but conditions are always better for us the later in the day we get to run so we could see some records set Friday or Saturday.
“Our DHL Funny Car is certainly capable of putting up big numbers so we hope we are right up there at the top of the qualifying sheet and then put ourselves in a position to win the whole thing on Sunday.”
Arend is currently in eighth place in Full Throttle Funny Car championship points, 362 points away from the lead. He and the DHL team have one win this season in Houston in last month.
Arend took over the controls of the DHL Funny Car in late 2008 after the tragic death of Scott Kalitta in a racing accident in June of that year in New Jersey.
Event Schedule
The Route 66 NHRA Nationals begin Friday for the nitro-fueled classes with two qualifying sessions at 5:00 p.m. (CT) and 8:00 p.m. Two more qualifying attempts will take place on Saturday at 5:00 p.m. and 8:00 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
7/9/2011 – Qualifying 9:30 PM-11:30 PM (ET) ESPN2
7/10/2011 – Eliminations 9:00 PM-12:00 AM (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