YPSILANTI, Mich. (Sept. 23, 2025) – In some sports, the key to playoff success is survive and advance, but Doug Kalitta knows that in NHRA, the key to success is take the points lead and keep it. The 2025 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Countdown to the Championship NHRA Playoffs continue with the third of six playoff races Sept. 26-28 at the NAPA Auto Parts NHRA Midwest Nationals in Madison, Ill.
Kalitta leads the Top Fuel point standings by 38 markers over second-place Justin Ashley with four races remaining. After starting the playoffs as the third seed, the 2023 Top Fuel champ took the points lead with a final-round run two weeks ago in Reading, Pa., and followed up with a second runner-up finish last weekend in Charlotte. That said, the Top Fuel battle is still up for grabs. Kalitta’s teammate, Shawn Langdon, is 59 points off the pace in third, and Tony Stewart is 68 points behind Kalitta in fourth.
“That’s what makes this fun,” Kalitta said. “This championship battle is the opportunity we all pray for at the beginning of the year – to be in it at the end. Alan and Mac (Crew Chief Alan Johnson and Assistant Crew Chief Mac Savage) have this Mac Tools group focused on the task at hand – they’re digging hard. It was nice to go some rounds in Charlotte last weekend – we want to keep that going and see what we can do in these last four races.”
Kalitta was the runner-up at the last two races, but both races came with challenges. In Reading, the Mac Tools team was forced to go to its brand-new backup car on race day after a second-round racing incident. The car had never been on the racetrack. In Charlotte, the team battled race day issues again, but in both scenarios, the Mac Tools team persevered showing the intestinal fortitude required to battle adversity and succeed.
“We had some computer issues, and that was about the main thing,” Kalitta said. “We’re all still trying to get this new car sorted out, but we have the best in the business here looking at everything. Alan, Mac and Mark (Crew Chief Alan Johnson, Assistant Crew Chief Mac Savage and Assistant Crew Chief Mark Denner) have it figured out now we’ll drag it to St. Louis and be ready to go.”
The conclusion of this week’s race will mark the end of the first half of the Countdown and consistency is key. Kalitta and his Mac Tools team have been proficient in qualifying this season having qualified in the top four at 13 of 16 races including seven No. 1 qualifiers. This team is hungry for another race win, but going rounds wins championships.
“We’re qualifying well, and we just have to keep going down the track,” the Michigan Motorsports Hall of Famer said. “We just have to keep turning on win lights on Sunday, try to get the win each weekend and see where it leaves us. Being in position to try to get this done is what you dream about out here.”
Race Information:
Napa Auto Parts NHRA Midwest Nationals Worldwide Technology Raceway; Madison, Ill.
TV Schedule (All times eastern):
2024 NHRA Midwest Nationals Recap: Qualified No. 12; lost to Shawn Langdon.
Doug Kalitta Career Stats: 623 events, 57 wins, 65 runners-up, 830 round wins, 65 No. 1 qualifiers.
2025 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series Results to Date (Wins in Italics):
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Kalitta leads the Top Fuel point standings by 38 markers over second-place Justin Ashley with four races remaining. After starting the playoffs as the third seed, the 2023 Top Fuel champ took the points lead with a final-round run two weeks ago in Reading, Pa., and followed up with a second runner-up finish last weekend in Charlotte. That said, the Top Fuel battle is still up for grabs. Kalitta’s teammate, Shawn Langdon, is 59 points off the pace in third, and Tony Stewart is 68 points behind Kalitta in fourth.
“That’s what makes this fun,” Kalitta said. “This championship battle is the opportunity we all pray for at the beginning of the year – to be in it at the end. Alan and Mac (Crew Chief Alan Johnson and Assistant Crew Chief Mac Savage) have this Mac Tools group focused on the task at hand – they’re digging hard. It was nice to go some rounds in Charlotte last weekend – we want to keep that going and see what we can do in these last four races.”
Kalitta was the runner-up at the last two races, but both races came with challenges. In Reading, the Mac Tools team was forced to go to its brand-new backup car on race day after a second-round racing incident. The car had never been on the racetrack. In Charlotte, the team battled race day issues again, but in both scenarios, the Mac Tools team persevered showing the intestinal fortitude required to battle adversity and succeed.
“We had some computer issues, and that was about the main thing,” Kalitta said. “We’re all still trying to get this new car sorted out, but we have the best in the business here looking at everything. Alan, Mac and Mark (Crew Chief Alan Johnson, Assistant Crew Chief Mac Savage and Assistant Crew Chief Mark Denner) have it figured out now we’ll drag it to St. Louis and be ready to go.”
The conclusion of this week’s race will mark the end of the first half of the Countdown and consistency is key. Kalitta and his Mac Tools team have been proficient in qualifying this season having qualified in the top four at 13 of 16 races including seven No. 1 qualifiers. This team is hungry for another race win, but going rounds wins championships.
“We’re qualifying well, and we just have to keep going down the track,” the Michigan Motorsports Hall of Famer said. “We just have to keep turning on win lights on Sunday, try to get the win each weekend and see where it leaves us. Being in position to try to get this done is what you dream about out here.”
Race Information:
Napa Auto Parts NHRA Midwest Nationals Worldwide Technology Raceway; Madison, Ill.
TV Schedule (All times eastern):
- Qualifying Show: 2-3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 28 on FS1
- Finals: 3-6 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 28 on FS1
2024 NHRA Midwest Nationals Recap: Qualified No. 12; lost to Shawn Langdon.
Doug Kalitta Career Stats: 623 events, 57 wins, 65 runners-up, 830 round wins, 65 No. 1 qualifiers.
2025 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series Results to Date (Wins in Italics):
- Gainesville: Qualified No. 4; defeated Ida Zetterstrom; lost to Steve Torence.
- Phoenix: Qualified No. 1; defeated Travis Shumake, Bye and Jasmine Salinas; lost to Shawn Langdon.
- Pomona: Qualified No. 2: defeated Scott Palmer before losing to Tony Stewart.
- Las Vegas: Qualified No. 1: defeated Clay Millican, Bye, lost to Tony Stewart and Justin Ashley.
- Charlotte: Qualified No. 1; Lost to Tony Stewart, Clay Millican and Lex Joon.
- Chicago: Qualified No. 1; defeated Lex Joon and Josh Hart, lost to Justin Ashley.
- Epping: Qualified No. 1; defeated Bye and Ida Zetterstrom; lost to Brittany Force.
- Bristol: Qualified No. 9; lost to Josh Hart.
- Richmond: Qualified No. 7; defeated Antron Brown and Clay Millican; lost to Justin Ashley
- Norwalk: Qualified No. 15; defeated Antron Brown; lost to Clay Millican.
- Seattle: Qualified No. 1; defeated Bye and Justin Ashley; lost to Brittany Force.
- Sonoma: Qualified No. 2; defeated Ron August, Jr., Josh Hart, Bye and Antron Brown.
- Brainerd: Qualified No. 1; defeated Terry Totten, Bye, Billy Torrence and Clay Millican.
- Indianapolis: Qualified No. 4; Defeated Tony Schumacher, lost to Justin Ashley.
- Reading: Qualified No. 3; defeated Antron Brown, Tony Stewart and Steve Torrence; lost to Shawn Reed.
- Charlotte: Qualified No. 2; defeated Josh Hart & Bye, Antron Brown & Steve Torrence; lost to Justin Ashley.
The post DOUG KALITTA RECIPE FOR PLAYOFF SUCCESS: QUALIFY WELL, GO ROUNDS first appeared on Team Kalitta Motorsports.
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