POMONA, Calif. (Feb. 17, 2013) - Doug Kalitta, a 48-year old resident of Ann Arbor, Mich., and driver of the Mac Tools Top Fuel dragster, garnered his first round win of the 2013 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series season in the season-opening event for the largest drag racing series in the world Sunday in eliminations of the NHRA Winternationals in Pomona, Calif.
The Mac Tools team landed in the lofty No. 3 qualifying spot (3.763 seconds, 328.06 mph) for Sunday’s race day. Kalitta turned on his first win light of 2013 by defeating rookie Leah Pruett, the No. 14 qualifier, in a close side-by-side race, 3.799 sec., 326.71 mph to 3.850 sec., 309.56 mph.
In the quarterfinals, Kalitta took on Khalid alBalooshi for a chance to advance to the semifinals. It was another great race for the fans, but Kalitta ended up on the losing end this time, 3.800 to 3.782.
“All in all it was a great weekend for me and our team,” Kalitta, owner and president of Kalitta Charters airline service, said. “Our Mac Tools dragster team did a great job all weekend and got us a great qualifying start for Sunday. We got our first round win of the season and came really close to getting more. Our whole team is really excited about the 2013 season, and we know we’ll get better results next time out.”
Kalitta leaves Pomona on his way to the next NHRA national event in Phoenix next weekend in the No. 6 position in Mello Yello Top Fuel championship points, only one point away from breaking into the top five.
Kalitta has amassed 32 NHRA Top Fuel title trophies in 65 final-round appearances. He has finished in the top ten in Mello Yello championship points in every season of his 16-year straight-line career. He was the 1994 USAC National Sprint Car champion.
From: Todd Myers
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The Mac Tools team landed in the lofty No. 3 qualifying spot (3.763 seconds, 328.06 mph) for Sunday’s race day. Kalitta turned on his first win light of 2013 by defeating rookie Leah Pruett, the No. 14 qualifier, in a close side-by-side race, 3.799 sec., 326.71 mph to 3.850 sec., 309.56 mph.
In the quarterfinals, Kalitta took on Khalid alBalooshi for a chance to advance to the semifinals. It was another great race for the fans, but Kalitta ended up on the losing end this time, 3.800 to 3.782.
“All in all it was a great weekend for me and our team,” Kalitta, owner and president of Kalitta Charters airline service, said. “Our Mac Tools dragster team did a great job all weekend and got us a great qualifying start for Sunday. We got our first round win of the season and came really close to getting more. Our whole team is really excited about the 2013 season, and we know we’ll get better results next time out.”
Kalitta leaves Pomona on his way to the next NHRA national event in Phoenix next weekend in the No. 6 position in Mello Yello Top Fuel championship points, only one point away from breaking into the top five.
Kalitta has amassed 32 NHRA Top Fuel title trophies in 65 final-round appearances. He has finished in the top ten in Mello Yello championship points in every season of his 16-year straight-line career. He was the 1994 USAC National Sprint Car champion.
From: Todd Myers
More...
