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LAS VEGAS - At the SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway Sunday, Scott Kalitta, driver of the new DHL Toyota Solara Funny Car, made his best showing of the young 2007 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series season with a strong qualifying effort and a consistent nitro-fueled race car in final eliminations.
Scott, the No. 9 qualifier, used a 4.841-second, 320.43-mph lap to easily defeat his first round opponent Tony Bartone (9.882 sec., 79.92 mph) when final eliminations began Sunday morning. In the quarterfinals, Scott rolled to the starting line to race Jack Beckman. Scott and the DHL crew again posted another consistent pass with a 4.847-sec., 314.75-mph run, but Beckman made an outstanding 4.767-sec., 325.77-mph lap to get the win over Scott.
Team Kalitta nitro pilot Dave Grubnic, driver of the Zantrex-3 Top Fuel dragster and No. 7 qualifier, matched up with No. 10 qualifier Joe Hartley in round one. Grubnic and his Zantrex-3 team made a clean and straight run down the quarter-mile at "The Strip", but unfortunately for them, so did Hartley to get the win light in a great side-by-side race, 4.686 sec., 318.39 mph to 4.618 sec., 328.70 mph.
Hillary Will, driver of the Kalitta Motorsports-managed, Ken Black-owned KB Racing LLC Top Fueler, qualified in the No. 11 position for eliminations. She was defeated by Larry Dixon in round one.
Scott's Cousin Doug Kalitta, driver of the Mac Tools Top Fuel dragster, failed to qualify for Sunday's eliminations. Doug's last DNQ before this weekend was at the Phoenix event in 2000, which ends his streak of qualifying at 164 consecutive NHRA national events.
The SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals was the 5th 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, while Hillary Will drives the Kalitta Motorsports-managed and Ken Black-owned Top Fuel dragster.
Connie serves as head tuner for all Team Kalitta entries. He is assisted by crew chiefs Jim Oberhofer (Hillary Will-driven dragster) and Jon Oberhofer (Zantrex-3 dragster). Connie serves as crew chief on the DHL Toyota Solara Funny Car with assistance from co-crew chief Glenn Mikres.
Associate sponsors on all Kalitta Motorsports' race cars include Red Line Oil, Summit Racing Equipment, Technicoat Companies, and Fischer Honda.
For more info about Kalitta Motorsports, please visit Kalitta Motorsports.
Scott Kalitta Makes Quarter-Final Showing on the Las Vegas Quarter-Mile
Top Fuel Teammate Dave Grubnic Ousted in Opening Round
LAS VEGAS - At the SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway Sunday, Scott Kalitta, driver of the new DHL Toyota Solara Funny Car, made his best showing of the young 2007 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series season with a strong qualifying effort and a consistent nitro-fueled race car in final eliminations.
Scott, the No. 9 qualifier, used a 4.841-second, 320.43-mph lap to easily defeat his first round opponent Tony Bartone (9.882 sec., 79.92 mph) when final eliminations began Sunday morning. In the quarterfinals, Scott rolled to the starting line to race Jack Beckman. Scott and the DHL crew again posted another consistent pass with a 4.847-sec., 314.75-mph run, but Beckman made an outstanding 4.767-sec., 325.77-mph lap to get the win over Scott.
Team Kalitta nitro pilot Dave Grubnic, driver of the Zantrex-3 Top Fuel dragster and No. 7 qualifier, matched up with No. 10 qualifier Joe Hartley in round one. Grubnic and his Zantrex-3 team made a clean and straight run down the quarter-mile at "The Strip", but unfortunately for them, so did Hartley to get the win light in a great side-by-side race, 4.686 sec., 318.39 mph to 4.618 sec., 328.70 mph.
Hillary Will, driver of the Kalitta Motorsports-managed, Ken Black-owned KB Racing LLC Top Fueler, qualified in the No. 11 position for eliminations. She was defeated by Larry Dixon in round one.
Scott's Cousin Doug Kalitta, driver of the Mac Tools Top Fuel dragster, failed to qualify for Sunday's eliminations. Doug's last DNQ before this weekend was at the Phoenix event in 2000, which ends his streak of qualifying at 164 consecutive NHRA national events.
The SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals was the 5th 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, while Hillary Will drives the Kalitta Motorsports-managed and Ken Black-owned Top Fuel dragster.
Connie serves as head tuner for all Team Kalitta entries. He is assisted by crew chiefs Jim Oberhofer (Hillary Will-driven dragster) and Jon Oberhofer (Zantrex-3 dragster). Connie serves as crew chief on the DHL Toyota Solara Funny Car with assistance from co-crew chief Glenn Mikres.
Associate sponsors on all Kalitta Motorsports' race cars include Red Line Oil, Summit Racing Equipment, Technicoat Companies, and Fischer Honda.
For more info about Kalitta Motorsports, please visit Kalitta Motorsports.
