Event 7: 2021 NHRA Norwalk Nationals
Summit Racing Equipment Motorsports Park
Norwalk Ohio
June 25-27, 2021
Team Kalitta sits second in Funny Car and fourth and sixth in Top Fuel in the point standings. Doug Kalitta and Shawn Langdon will be racing to see who can secure their second Top Fuel title at the NHRA Norwalk Nationals and J.R. Todd will be looking for Funny Car win number two of 2021
Doug Kalitta will be taking on the NHRA Norwalk Nationals in the Applied Imaging Top Fuel dragster this weekend. This is the second specialty car he has raced in 2021 and this is the second time Applied Imaging will be the primary sponsor on the perennial championship contended at the NHRA Norwalk Nationals. Kalitta sits in sixth place in the NHRA Camping World Top Fuel point standings but he is just over three rounds out of third with a busy stretch of races on the horizon.
“We have been in the mix at the top of the point standings all season which is where you want to be,” said Kalitta. “We have a couple runner-up finishes so far, but we are looking for that first win of 2021. Getting four win lights on Sunday in Norwalk would be a great way to start the summer.”
Getting another title at the NHRA Norwalk Nationals is definitely within Kalitta’s reach. Over the past ten events he has been to the final round three times pick up the win in 2015 from the No. 1 qualifying position. In addition to his success at Summit Motorsports Park on race day Kalitta’s team has also been strong in qualifying starting from the top of the field four times since 2013. They were No. 1 qualifiers in 2013, 2015, 2016 and 2017.
“We have had some good luck at Norwalk over the years. The one thing that stands out is how great the fans are in Norwalk,” said Kalitta. “The Baders do an amazing job of promotion and you can just tell this is a big event. We have been No. 1 qualifier quite a few times and we have been to the finals three times I think. I’ll be running the Applied Imaging Top Fuel dragster this weekend and we are still looking for that 50th win so maybe we can get that win this weekend. I am glad we are back racing in Ohio since it is so close to our shop in Ypsilanti, Michigan, we have a lot of employees from the shop and Kalitta Air that come to the race. It will be a busy weekend but also a lot of fun.”
This season Kalitta has been a strong competitor in his traditional red and white Mac Tools Top Fuel dragster. The team is celebrating 20 years with Mac Tools with a career that has featured over 700 round wins and 49 Top Fuel national event wins to go along with 50 career No. 1 qualifiers. Two runner-up finishes stand out so far this season with final round appearances at the Las Vegas Four-Wide Nationals and the SpringNationals in Houston.
“We are starting to pick up some momentum and this team is coming together,” said Kalitta. “(Crew chief) Rob Flynn and the guys on the crew are busting their tails to make sure we have a great race car. I am feeling confident and we just need to keep doing our jobs for Mac Tools and especially Applied Imaging this weekend. We will have a lot of guests at the race so it will be a busy weekend.”
2019 NHRA Norwalk Nationals Highlights (event not contested in 2020): Qual. No. 13; Beat Clay Millican, Lost to Steve Torrence
Last Event Recap (2021 NHRA New England Nationals): Qual. No. 5; Beat Shawn Langdon, Lost to Mike Salinas
Career Stats: 530 events, 523 starts, 720 round wins, 49 wins, 107 finals, 50 No. 1 qualifiers
2021 Season:
Gatornationals: Qual. No. 4; Beat Arthur Allen; Lost to Justin Ashley
Las Vegas1: RUNNER-UP; Qual. No. 3; Beat Troy Buff and Rob Passey, Beat Shawn Langdon and Leah Pruett; Lost to Steve Torrence
Atlanta: Qual. No. 9; Lost to Antron Brown
Charlotte1: Qual. No. 12; Beat Josh Hart, Billy Torrence, Kyle Wurtzel; Lost to Brittany Force, Josh Hart
Houston: RUNNER-UP; Qual. No. 9; Beat Brittany Force, Antron Brown, Shawn Langdon; Lost to Steve Torrence
Epping: Qual. No. 5; Beat Shawn Langdon, Lost to Mike Salinas
