Kalitta Motorsports Virginia Nationals Pre-Race Report (1 Viewer)

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Pre-Race Team Kalitta Notes​

Event : 2022 Virginia Nationals
Race 7 of 22
Virginia Motorsports Park
Richmond, VA
May 13-15, 2022​

NHRA Arizona Nationals No. 1 qualifier Doug Kalitta and his Mac Tools Toyota Top Fuel dragster will be racing for his second Virginia Nationals win. J.R. Todd will be looking to improve on his 2019 runner-up finish behind the wheel of the DHL Toyota GR Supra. Shawn Langdon and the DHL Toyota Top Fuel team will be looking to add a Top Fuel Virginia title to his resume.

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J.R. Todd and DHL GR Supra Chasing One More Win Light in Virginia

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The DHL Toyota GR Supra Funny Car and J.R. Todd will be heading into the Virginia Nationals looking to improve on their 2019 performance. The last time Todd and the DHL Toyota team hit the track at Virginia Motorsports Park they raced to a runner-up finish as the No. 4 qualifier. That day Todd had the Funny Car to beat, but in the final round his Toyota overpowered the track so severely the parachutes deployed and his race car never made it to the finish line.
“We definitely want to get one more win light this weekend in Virginia,” said Todd. “They have a lot to passionate fans there and the last time we raced there we almost got the win. This weekend will be tricky with the weather, but I know these DHL guys will be ready when the time comes.”
Todd and his new look DHL GR Supra Funny Car have been steadily making improved runs as the team get accustomed to the new body design. The entire organization including Todd was involved in the redesign which has the 2018 Funny Car world champion excited about the performance possibilities.
“We hadn’t had a new body design in a long time so this Supra design was a longtime coming,” said Todd. “I am a lot more comfortable in the race car and I can see a lot better. You are seeing the performance results starting to come around too. I would love to get that first Supra Funny Car win this weekend.”
The last three races have seen Todd race to two quarterfinals and a semifinal at the Houston SpringNationals. His efforts in Houston racing from the No. 13 spot to the final four gave the veteran driver confidence heading into the rest of the season. Two weeks ago at the final four-wide national event of the season Todd advanced to the second quad on the strength of his No. 6 qualifying effort.
“You look at what we did in Houston racing to the semifinals and that race gives me a lot of confidence,” said Todd. “We didn’t get it right in qualifying but on race day we went to the semis and had a car that could race with anyone. Now that we are back to traditional side-by-side racing we are going to be a team to contend with. (Crew chiefs) Todd (Smith) and Jon (Oberhofer) have been doing a great job and we just need a few things to go our way.”
A strong group of Funny Cars will be on the scene in Virginia looking to stand between Todd and his 11th win in the Funny Car category. Qualifying will begin on Friday night with two sessions on Saturday. Final eliminations begin at noon ET on Sunday with the race broadcast starting at 6:30 p.m. ET on FS1.

2019 NHRA Virginia Nationals Highlights: RUNNER-UP; Qual. No. 4; Beat Bob Tasca III, Shawn Langdon, Jonnie Lindberg; Lost to Ron Capps
Last Event Recap 2022 Circle K Four-Wide Nationals: Qual 6; Beat Dale Creasy Jr, Chad Green; Lost to Ron Capps, Mike McIntire
Career Stats: 261 events, 253 starts, 286 round wins, 19 wins, 40 finals, 14 No. 1 qualifiers; In Funny Car: 109 events, 109 starts, 10 wins, 20 finals, 138 round wins, 5 No. 1 qualifiers
2022 Results
Winternationals: Qual 8; Beat Bobby Bode; Lost to Ron Capps
Arizona Nationals: Qual 8; Lost to Alexis DeJoria
Gatornationals: Qual 11; Lost to Blake Alexander
Las Vegas1: Qual 9; Beat Tim Wilkerson and Jason Rupert; Lost to Ron Capps and Matt Hagan
Houston: Qual 13; Beat Bob Tasca III, Jim Campbell; Lost to Matt Hagan
Charlotte1: Qual 6; Beat Dale Creasy Jr, Chad Green; Lost to Ron Capps, Mike McIntire​

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Shawn Langdon and DHL Toyota Top Fuel Looking to Fire on All Cylinders at VMP

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The last time Shawn Langdon powered a Top Fuel dragster down the track at Virginia Motorsports Park he was a rookie in Top Fuel. It was 2009 and Langdon qualified No. 8 and lost a close first round match-up to current teammate Doug Kalitta. This weekend Langdon will power the DHL Toyota Top Fuel dragster at the Virginia Nationals for the fourth time his career. From 2018-2019 Langdon raced a Toyota Funny Car at the track located just outside Richmond and now he is looking to build his Top Fuel win record with a successful weekend starting with Friday night’s qualifying session.
“It has been a while since I drove a Top Fuel dragster in Richmond,” said Langdon. “We raced here a few years ago in our Toyota Funny Car but I am looking forward to getting down the track in this DHL Toyota Top Fuel dragster. This team has been making progress over these first few races.”
The weather forecast for the weekend does not look promising with thunderstorms predicted for Friday and Saturday. A break in the weather on Sunday would allow Langdon and his Top Fuel competitors to get four rounds of racing in before the rains potentially return at the start of the week. Earlier this season rain impacted the Gatornationals qualifying sessions only allowing teams to make one qualifying run.
“You want to get as many runs as possible every weekend, but we can’t control Mother Nature,” said Langdon. “The great thing about this DHL Toyota Top Fuel dragster team and our whole Kalitta Motorsports organization is we all work together. We will make the most out of whatever opportunity we get when it comes to qualifying and race day.”
This season Langdon and his DHL team have been looking for consistency in a tough Top Fuel category. Every race a new team has stepped up to race to a final round or turn on four win lights. The parity and race day consistency is something the DHL team is looking to duplicate.
“We have all the skills and experience to qualify well and win on race day,” said Langdon. “We have gotten to the quarterfinals a couple times and the season is still young. Everyone over here is focusing on getting better every run and I have a lot of confidence that we can start making some positive moves this weekend.”
Qualifying will start on Friday with one session followed by two sessions on Saturday. Final eliminations for Langdon and the DHL Toyota Top Fuel team will begin at noon ET on Sunday with the race broadcast on FS1 at 6:30 p.m. ET.

2019 NHRA Virginia Nationals Highlights: In Funny Car; Qual. No. 5; Beat Tim Wilkerson; Lost to J.R. Todd
Last Event Recap 2022 Circle K Four-Wide Nationals: Qual 14; Lost to Clay Millican, Josh Hart
Career Stats: 293 events, 289 starts, 312 round wins, 17 wins, 35 finals, 19 No. 1 qualifiers; in Top Fuel: 245 events, 241 starts, 15 wins, 32 finals, 273 round wins, 19 No. 1 qualifiers
2022 Results
Winternationals: Qual 8; Lost to Josh Hart
Arizona Nationals: Qual 7; Beat Antron Brown; Lost to Mike Salinas
Gatornationals: Qual 21; DNQ
Las Vegas1: Qual 11; Beat Doug Kalitta and Rob Passey; Lost to Steve Torrence and Brittany Force
Houston: Qual 10; Beat Leah Pruett; Lost to Brittany Force
Charlotte1: Qual 14; Lost to Clay Millican, Josh Hart​

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Doug Kalitta and Mac Tools Top Fuel Focused on Second Virginia Nationals Title

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Through six races this season Doug Kalitta and the Mac Tools Top Fuel team have been working on building off their solid qualifying efforts. The perennial championship contender has qualified no worse than sixth at every race this season including his 51st No. 1 qualifier at the NHRA Arizona Nationals. With new crew chiefs Alan Johnson and Brian Husen onboard Kalitta is looking to chase down his 50th career Top Fuel win at this weekend’s NHRA Virginia Nationals.
“We have had some good luck in Richmond the last few years we raced there. I am looking forward to getting back there because I know there are a lot of passionate fans in the area,” said Kalitta. “This Mac Tools team has been making some good runs lately and I think we will continue to keep getting better. We are all working together and I have a lot of confidence in this Mac Tools team.”
The NHRA hasn’t competed at Virginia Motorsports Park since 2019 and a year before the two-year hiatus Kalitta raced to a runner-up finish from the No. 4 qualifier position. On that race day Kalitta took out Canadian Dan Mercier, Leah Pruett and teammate Richie Crampton before dropping a close final round to Steve Torrence. The veteran driver is looking forward to getting back to Virginia.
“This weekend will be a great opportunity to build some momentum heading into two really busy months,” said Kalitta. “We are back to traditional side-by-side racing for the rest of the year and we will just have to take it one round at a time. That night session on Friday will be real important to get off on the right foot. I know Alan and Brian have a lot of experience, so I expect to be just fine.”
Kalitta has tasted success at Virginia Motorsport Park winning the Top Fuel title in 2007 outrunning Melanie Troxel for the win. The track has been resurfaced and now boasts and all-concrete racing surface which yields quick and fast times for the 11,000 horsepower Top Fuel dragsters and Nitro Funny Cars.
Qualifying will begin on Friday night with a lone session under the lights followed by two qualifying sessions on Saturday. The final eliminations will begin on Sunday at noon ET with the race broadcast airing on FS1 starting at 6:30 p.m. ET.

2019 NHRA Virginia Nationals Highlights: Qual. No. 5, Lost to Scott Palmer
Last Event Recap 2022 Circle K Four-Wide Nationals: Qual 4; Beat Alex Laughlin, Doug Foley; Lost to Mike Salinas, Cameron Ferre
Career Stats: 550 events, 543 starts, 726 round wins, 49 wins, 107 finals, 51 No. 1 qualifiers
2022 Results
Winternationals: Qual. 5; Lost to Tony Schumacher
Arizona Nationals: Qual. 1; Lost to Rob Passey
Gatornationals: Qual 5; Beat Alex Laughlin; Lost to Mike Salinas
Las Vegas1: Qual 6; Lost to Leah Pruett and Shawn Langdon
Houston: Qual 3; Lost to Billy Torrence
Charlotte1: Qual 4; Beat Alex Laughlin, Doug Foley; Lost to Mike Salinas, Cameron Ferre​

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About Kalitta Motorsports​

Based in Ypsilanti, Mich., Kalitta Motorsports is a Top Fuel and Funny Car drag racing team in the NHRA (National Hot Rod Association) Camping World Drag Racing Series. The team was founded and is owned by drag racing icon Connie “the Bounty Hunter” Kalitta. For more than 60 years, Connie has been involved in the sport as a driver, tuner, and an owner. Kalitta Motorsports is one of the most successful teams in the history of auto racing with seven world championships and over 100 national event titles in five different professional drag racing sanctioning bodies since it was established by Connie in 1959.
Kalitta Motorsports fields three full-time entries in the NHRA Camping World nitro classes. Connie Kalitta’s nephew, Doug Kalitta, pilots the Mac Tools Top Fuel dragster while 2013 NHRA Top Fuel world champion Shawn Langdon drives the DHL/Kalitta Air Top Fuel dragster. In Funny Car, 2018 NHRA Funny Car world champion J.R. Todd is the driver of the DHL Toyota GR Supra Funny Car. Connie Kalitta serves as head tuner for all Kalitta Motorsports entries. He is assisted by crew chiefs Todd Smith and Jon Oberhofer on the DHL Toyota GR Supra Funny Car, Kurt Elliott and Jason McCulloch on the DHL Top Fuel dragster and Alan Johnson and Brian Husen with Ronnie Thompson lead the efforts on the Mac Tools Top Fuel dragster.

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