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BRISTOL, Tenn., (July 8, 2007) - Top Fuel dragster teammates Doug Kalitta and Dave Grubnic both made the quarterfinals of final eliminations at the O'Reilly NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals at Bristol Dragway in Bristol, Tenn., Sunday.
Doug, driver of the Mac Tools dragster and the No. 5 qualifier, had won the previous two annual events in Bristol. He started his day of eliminations by defeating No. 12 qualifier Morgan Lucas, 4.630 seconds, 324.20 mph to 4.736 sec., 311.41 mph, in a close opening-round drag race.
In the quarterfinals, Doug matched up against current POWERade points leader Rod Fuller. Doug and his 8,000-horsepower "Big Red" machine unfortunately turned on the big red bulb with a foul start (-.004 sec.) and that let Fuller automatically get the round win. Doug and Fuller are now 2-2 against one another in 2007 elimination rounds.
Doug moved up one position in POWERade Top Fuel points from 12th to 11th. He is now only 31 points shy of the important No. 8 spot.
This season the NHRA instituted a new Countdown to the Championship points system. Only the top eight in POWERade points after the first 17 national events will be allowed to vie for the season championship.
Team Kalitta dragster pilot and native Australian Dave Grubnic, driver of the Zantrex-3 rail, qualified in the No. 15 spot. He raced No. 2 qualifier Whit Bazemore in round one. Grubnic drove the Zantrex-3 machine to the on-paper upset when Bazemore's mount lost traction on the quarter-mile, 4.659 sec., 298.01 mph to 15.205 sec., 67.33 mph.
In his quarter-final race, Grubnic and his opponent Larry Dixon were neck-and-neck on the drag strip until approximately 300 ft., when Grubnic's race car began slipping and sliding on the hot Bristol Dragway surface and Dixon was able to pull away to get the win, 5.351 sec., 234.78 mph to 4.686 sec., 296.57 mph.
Grubnic moved down one point in points from 6th to 7th.
Doug's Cousin Scott Kalitta, driver of the DHL Toyota Solara Funny Car, qualified his flopper machine in the No. 12 spot. Scott raced perennial Funny Car world champion and No. 5 qualifier John Force in round one. In a battle of wily NHRA vets, Force was able to get the win, 5.984 sec., 159.42 mph to 4.864 sec., 307.65 mph.
Hillary Will, driver of the Kalitta Motorsports-managed, Ken Black-owned KB Racing LLC Top Fueler, qualified in the No. 9 position for Sunday's eliminations in Bristol. She was defeated in round one by J.R. Todd.
The O'Reilly NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals was the 12th of 23 national events in the 2007 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series.
About Kalitta Motorsports
Based in Ypsilanti, Michigan, Kalitta Motorsports is a Top Fuel and Funny Car drag racing team in the NHRA (National Hot Rod Association) POWERade Drag Racing Series. The racing operation was started in 1959 by now legendary drag racer and team owner Connie "the Bounty Hunter" Kalitta. His son Scott Kalitta drives the DHL Toyota Solara Funny Car. Scott's cousin, Connie's nephew, Doug Kalitta drives the flagship Top Fuel dragster for Mac Tools. Native Australian Dave Grubnic drives the Zantrex-3 Top Fuel dragster, and Hillary Will drives the Kalitta Motorsports-managed and Ken Black-owned Top Fuel dragster.
Connie serves as crew chief on the Zantrex-3 dragster. Tuning consultant and drag racing legend Dick LaHaie helps guide all four Team Kalitta entries. Crew chiefs Jim Oberhofer (Hillary Will-driven dragster), Jon Oberhofer (Mac Tools dragster), and Glenn Mikres (DHL Toyota Solara Funny Car) lead their respective teams. Serving as assistant crew chiefs are Shawn Dill (Mac Tools dragster) and James Riola (Zantrex-3 dragster).
Associate sponsors on all Kalitta Motorsports' race cars include Red Line Oil, Summit Racing Equipment, Technicoat Companies, and Toyota.
For more info about Kalitta Motorsports, please visit Kalitta Motorsports.
Kalitta and Grubnic make quarter-final runs for Team Kalitta in Bristol
BRISTOL, Tenn., (July 8, 2007) - Top Fuel dragster teammates Doug Kalitta and Dave Grubnic both made the quarterfinals of final eliminations at the O'Reilly NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals at Bristol Dragway in Bristol, Tenn., Sunday.
Doug, driver of the Mac Tools dragster and the No. 5 qualifier, had won the previous two annual events in Bristol. He started his day of eliminations by defeating No. 12 qualifier Morgan Lucas, 4.630 seconds, 324.20 mph to 4.736 sec., 311.41 mph, in a close opening-round drag race.
In the quarterfinals, Doug matched up against current POWERade points leader Rod Fuller. Doug and his 8,000-horsepower "Big Red" machine unfortunately turned on the big red bulb with a foul start (-.004 sec.) and that let Fuller automatically get the round win. Doug and Fuller are now 2-2 against one another in 2007 elimination rounds.
Doug moved up one position in POWERade Top Fuel points from 12th to 11th. He is now only 31 points shy of the important No. 8 spot.
This season the NHRA instituted a new Countdown to the Championship points system. Only the top eight in POWERade points after the first 17 national events will be allowed to vie for the season championship.
Team Kalitta dragster pilot and native Australian Dave Grubnic, driver of the Zantrex-3 rail, qualified in the No. 15 spot. He raced No. 2 qualifier Whit Bazemore in round one. Grubnic drove the Zantrex-3 machine to the on-paper upset when Bazemore's mount lost traction on the quarter-mile, 4.659 sec., 298.01 mph to 15.205 sec., 67.33 mph.
In his quarter-final race, Grubnic and his opponent Larry Dixon were neck-and-neck on the drag strip until approximately 300 ft., when Grubnic's race car began slipping and sliding on the hot Bristol Dragway surface and Dixon was able to pull away to get the win, 5.351 sec., 234.78 mph to 4.686 sec., 296.57 mph.
Grubnic moved down one point in points from 6th to 7th.
Doug's Cousin Scott Kalitta, driver of the DHL Toyota Solara Funny Car, qualified his flopper machine in the No. 12 spot. Scott raced perennial Funny Car world champion and No. 5 qualifier John Force in round one. In a battle of wily NHRA vets, Force was able to get the win, 5.984 sec., 159.42 mph to 4.864 sec., 307.65 mph.
Hillary Will, driver of the Kalitta Motorsports-managed, Ken Black-owned KB Racing LLC Top Fueler, qualified in the No. 9 position for Sunday's eliminations in Bristol. She was defeated in round one by J.R. Todd.
The O'Reilly NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals was the 12th of 23 national events in the 2007 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series.
About Kalitta Motorsports
Based in Ypsilanti, Michigan, Kalitta Motorsports is a Top Fuel and Funny Car drag racing team in the NHRA (National Hot Rod Association) POWERade Drag Racing Series. The racing operation was started in 1959 by now legendary drag racer and team owner Connie "the Bounty Hunter" Kalitta. His son Scott Kalitta drives the DHL Toyota Solara Funny Car. Scott's cousin, Connie's nephew, Doug Kalitta drives the flagship Top Fuel dragster for Mac Tools. Native Australian Dave Grubnic drives the Zantrex-3 Top Fuel dragster, and Hillary Will drives the Kalitta Motorsports-managed and Ken Black-owned Top Fuel dragster.
Connie serves as crew chief on the Zantrex-3 dragster. Tuning consultant and drag racing legend Dick LaHaie helps guide all four Team Kalitta entries. Crew chiefs Jim Oberhofer (Hillary Will-driven dragster), Jon Oberhofer (Mac Tools dragster), and Glenn Mikres (DHL Toyota Solara Funny Car) lead their respective teams. Serving as assistant crew chiefs are Shawn Dill (Mac Tools dragster) and James Riola (Zantrex-3 dragster).
Associate sponsors on all Kalitta Motorsports' race cars include Red Line Oil, Summit Racing Equipment, Technicoat Companies, and Toyota.
For more info about Kalitta Motorsports, please visit Kalitta Motorsports.
