BRAINERD, Minn., (Aug. 21, 2011) – During Sunday’s final eliminations of the annual running of the NHRA Nationals at Brainerd International Raceway in Brainerd, Minn., Doug Kalitta, driver of the 300+mph Kalitta Air Top Fuel dragster, raced his nitro-fueled hot rod to the quarterfinals.
Celebrating his 47th birthday this weekend in Brainerd, Kalitta, driver of the Kalitta Air Top Fuel dragster, qualified in the No. 13 position (3.895 sec., 307.44 mph) for eliminations. He raced against No. 4 qualifier Spencer Massey (3.833 seconds, 323.04 mph) in round one.
Kalitta was the underdog on paper, but when the race started it Kalitta’s red and black “K” rail was certainly no “dog” as he posted the quickest lap of the weekend for the Kalitta Air team vanquishing a tire-smoking Massey, 3.855 sec., 320.74 mph to 6.736 sec., 88.54 mph.
In the quarterfinals, Kalitta matched up with Antron Brown in a rematch of a quarter-final dual between the two veteran drivers at the previous event in Seattle two weeks ago. Unfortunately, like in Seattle, Brown was able to get the win this time as the big, 500-cubic inch engine powerplant on the Kalitta Air machine uncharacteristically dropped a cylinder at the hit of the throttle draining the hot rod of precious power, 4.000 sec., 300.46 mph to 3.850 sec., 317.64 mph.
By qualifying for the event in Brainerd, Kalitta secured a spot in the NHRA Full Throttle Countdown to 1, the six-race playoff for the world championship that begins with the 17th event of the 2011 Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, the O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Nationals in Charlotte Sept. 15-18.
The 2011 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series Countdown to the Championship breaks the 22-event season into two distinct sections: the 16-event Countdown to 10 and the six-event Countdown to 1. After the first 16 events, only the top 10 drivers advance into the final segment of the playoffs, and their points are reset to within 10 of one another with the exception of the points leader, who will have a 30-point advantage over second place. The 10 drivers will then compete for Full Throttle world championships at the season’s final six events.
Kalitta’s teammate and native Australian David Grubnic, driver of Kalitta Motorsports’ second Kalitta Air Top Fuel dragster, qualified in the No. 9 position (3.870 sec., 312.50 mph) for eliminations. He raced against No. 8 qualifier Brandon Bernstein (3.863 sec., 316.67 mph) in round one.
Grubnic and Bernstein gave the Brainerd faithful at BIR a great drag race as the opening pair of final eliminations, but it was Bernstein edging out a very close win, 3.890 sec., 309.63 mph to 3.876 sec., 316.90 mph. The margin of victory at the 1,000-ft. finish line was a mere .0415 seconds.
The fight for the 10th and final spot in the Countdown to 1 will now go to the last event of the Countdown to 10, the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis, Aug. 31-Sept. 5. Grubnic is currently in 10th place in Full Throttle Top Fuel points, with a 19-point lead over 11th place and a 40-point lead over 12th. Each round of eliminations is worth 20 points.
Native Canadian Jeff Arend, driver of Team Kalitta’s DHL Funny Car, qualified in the No. 12 position (4.218 sec., 295.98 mph) for eliminations. He raced against No. 5 qualifier Johnny Gray (4.166 sec., 301.07 mph) in round one.
Arend and Gray also put on a great side-by-side drag race for the fans in Minnesota. Gray got the win light over a Arend, 4.270 sec.., 297.02 mph to 4.212 sec., 298.60 mph.
Arend exits Brainerd in ninth place in Full Throttle Funny Car points, only six points away from eighth place and 16 points ahead of 10th. Gray is in 11th place in points, 78 away from Arend.
TV Schedule
8/21 Eliminations – 10:00 p.m.-12:30 a.m. (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