Doug Kalitta, Mac Tools Top Fuel Dragster
2025 NHRA Lucas Oil Winternationals Recap: Qualified No. 2; beat Scott Palmer, lost to Tony Stewart.
Doug Kalitta Career Stats: 628 events, 59 wins, 68 runners-up, 844 round wins, 66 No. 1 qualifiers.
Current Points Position: 1
Pre-Race Notes:
Pre-Race Quotes:
“It’s nice to be the points leader, for sure. We really had a good shot to win both of the races this season so that’s all you can really hope for; I have a very consistent car. We’re just trying to get this Mac Tools car to the final at these things and to give us a shot at the win like we had at Gainesville.
“Pomona has been a good track for me over the years, and I’m really looking forward to getting out there and seeing what we have – it should be fun. We’ll have a bunch of our friends from Mac Tools and everybody else that has been supporting us over the years with us this weekend. A lot of people come to that track, and it’s close to where Alan Johnson lives so it’s a hometown race for him; it should be good.
“It’s hard to say why Pomona is such a good track for us. Definitely a little bit of luck has to go into that answer, but that’s racing. You have a lot of confidence when you show up at these places – that’s half of it or more. Pomona is just one of those places that has been around forever. It’s kind of where the NHRA started, and that’s one of the things I think about when I talk about Pomona.
“As far as the Saturday races, it’s hard to say, really, why we’ve had some success there. It’s just the way our car is running; the thing is definitely capable of putting up a good number on every run, really; hats off to Alan and Mac (Crew Chief Alan Johnson and Assistant Crew Chief Mac Savage) and all the guys on the Mac Tools team that are just doing an incredible job. This team is very consistent; that’s where it all starts for sure, and you couldn’t do it without Alan and all he brings. It’s just everybody working together. It’s a cool program though; I definitely appreciate what Mission Foods does with the race on Saturday, and I think for the fans, it was a great idea. Hopefully, we can continue to win those things.”
Kalitta Photo Courtesy: Kalitta Motorsports
For Doug Kalitta’s 2026 race-by-race results, please click here.
The post Doug Kalitta Seeks Success as NHRA Pomona as Points Leader first appeared on Team Kalitta Motorsports.
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2025 NHRA Lucas Oil Winternationals Recap: Qualified No. 2; beat Scott Palmer, lost to Tony Stewart.
Doug Kalitta Career Stats: 628 events, 59 wins, 68 runners-up, 844 round wins, 66 No. 1 qualifiers.
Current Points Position: 1
Pre-Race Notes:
- Doug Kalitta enters the Lucas Oil Winternationals as the points leader – the same position he occupied when leaving Pomona, Calif., last November as the 2025 NHRA Top Fuel Champion.
- Kalitta reached the final round at the season-opening NHRA Gatornationals in Florida and the semifinals in Phoenix – an extremely solid start to his title defense.
- When Kalitta advanced to the semifinals three weeks ago near Phoenix, he earned a spot in this week’s Mission Foods Challenge. During Saturday’s qualifying sessions, the drivers who reached the semifinals at the last race will re-run the semifinals and final earning additional purse and championship bonus points.
- Kalitta earned a “double-up” win in the first Mission Foods #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge of the season in Phoenix with his teammate, J.R. Todd. It was the team’s second double win in the special Saturday event – Kalitta and Todd accomplished the same at last season’s U.S. Nationals.
- One could almost consider In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip Kalitta’s personal playground. He has seven wins in 15 final-round appearances along with six No. 1 qualifiers. Kalitta’s most significant Pomona win was the 2023 NHRA Finals. With the win, he clinched his first NHRA Top Fuel title in a winner-take-all final round. With four Winternationals wins, Kalitta trails only Don Garlits who has six Top Fuel wins in this event.
- Kalitta’s 59 race wins place him fourth all-time in Top Fuel wins and 12th overall. His 66 career No. 1 qualifiers place him tied with Kenny Bernstein for seventh all-time. He is seventh all-time in round wins
- Kalitta is a two-time NHRA Top Fuel Champion (2023, ’25) and a member of the Michigan Motorsports Hall of Fame.
Pre-Race Quotes:
“It’s nice to be the points leader, for sure. We really had a good shot to win both of the races this season so that’s all you can really hope for; I have a very consistent car. We’re just trying to get this Mac Tools car to the final at these things and to give us a shot at the win like we had at Gainesville.
“Pomona has been a good track for me over the years, and I’m really looking forward to getting out there and seeing what we have – it should be fun. We’ll have a bunch of our friends from Mac Tools and everybody else that has been supporting us over the years with us this weekend. A lot of people come to that track, and it’s close to where Alan Johnson lives so it’s a hometown race for him; it should be good.
“It’s hard to say why Pomona is such a good track for us. Definitely a little bit of luck has to go into that answer, but that’s racing. You have a lot of confidence when you show up at these places – that’s half of it or more. Pomona is just one of those places that has been around forever. It’s kind of where the NHRA started, and that’s one of the things I think about when I talk about Pomona.
“As far as the Saturday races, it’s hard to say, really, why we’ve had some success there. It’s just the way our car is running; the thing is definitely capable of putting up a good number on every run, really; hats off to Alan and Mac (Crew Chief Alan Johnson and Assistant Crew Chief Mac Savage) and all the guys on the Mac Tools team that are just doing an incredible job. This team is very consistent; that’s where it all starts for sure, and you couldn’t do it without Alan and all he brings. It’s just everybody working together. It’s a cool program though; I definitely appreciate what Mission Foods does with the race on Saturday, and I think for the fans, it was a great idea. Hopefully, we can continue to win those things.”
Kalitta Photo Courtesy: Kalitta Motorsports
For Doug Kalitta’s 2026 race-by-race results, please click here.
The post Doug Kalitta Seeks Success as NHRA Pomona as Points Leader first appeared on Team Kalitta Motorsports.
Continue reading...
