DOUG KALITTA ATTENDS AVIATION WEEK MRO AMERICAS IN OFF WEEK, LINKS RACE TEAM TO KALITTA AIR
YPSILANTI, Mich. (April 25, 2023) – While many NHRA competitors used the second off week of the NHRA season to rest, relax or catch up on personal business, Mac Tools Toyota driver Doug Kalitta spent the week working his real job as CEO of Kalitta Charters, and last week, that meant attending Aviation Week MRO Americas, a major aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul show in Atlanta. The NHRA Camping World Drag Racing season resumes Friday with the Circle K NHRA Four-Wide Nationals at zMAX Dragway near Charlotte April 28-30, 2023.
MRO Americas had 850 exhibitors and tens of thousands of attendees representing the major aircraft and aircraft maintenance companies from all over the world. Some 16,000 people attended opening day, and the crowds grew through the show. Kalitta Air and Kalitta Charters handle maintenance on all of their aircraft at the Oscoda, Mich., maintenance facility.
Photo Courtesy: Kalitta Motorsports
Pictured at Aviation Week MRO Americas, left-to-right, are Doug Kalitta, Shawn Langdon, J.R. Todd with Cindy Francis, Julie Farr and Mike Zerbe from Chromalloy. (Photo Courtesy: Kalitta Motorsports)
While at this show, Kalitta was able to meet with suppliers ranging from engine manufacturers, brakes and wheels and just about any other aircraft component to talk about what it takes to keep the Kalitta Air and Kalitta Charters fleets flying. Eighteen Kalitta Air employees worked the booth representing departments such as engines, materials, wheels and brakes, quality control and purchasing/procurement among others.
With a Team Kalitta show car on hand, fellow Kalitta drivers J.R. Todd and Shawn Langdon joined Kalitta at the show to represent the race team and sign autographs. The drivers also autographed rods and pistons that were given away at the Kalitta Air booth.
“MRO Americas is a really important event for Kalitta Air and Kalitta Charters,” Kalitta said. “It gives us an opportunity to meet with the companies that help us keep our planes in the air to either establish new relationships or nurture existing ones. It was really nice to have J.R., Shawn and the show car there to help link the team to the airlines. These people know a lot about aircraft maintenance but aren’t as familiar with Connie’s (team owner Connie Kalitta) drag racing history and how it was such a big part of starting the airline. We’d love to bring some of these companies over to the race team as new corporate partners so the show gives us a chance to talk about that as well.”
This weekend, Kalitta returns to zMAX Dragway where he has one win in seven final appearances. The Mac Tools Toyota started the season with great promise in first two races but backed up a bit in the second two.
“That’s why it’s a long season,” Kalitta said. “We started out really strong with a semifinal and a No. 1 qualifier in the first two races, and we tested after Phoenix. At Las Vegas, we found some issues that we didn’t have to consider at the first two races that should help us going forward. I know Alan, Brian and all my guys are doing everything they can to keep us moving in the right direction, and with what we found in Vegas, I’m super excited to get going again.”
At the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals one race ago, Kalitta made a strong run in the first round but finished third of the four cars and did not advance to the semifinals which was a major disappointment considering the flashes of brilliance the team is showing.
“Nobody was happy about that,” Kalitta continued. “I take a lot of pride in winning the close races, but it didn’t happen in Las Vegas; we will have another shot at a four-wide win this weekend in Charlotte. zMAX Dragway is one of the nicest places we race each year, and we generally run pretty well there. Like last race, it’s an opportunity to win a race like no one else has. The world has multiple drag racing series, but NHRA is the only place to race four wide. Winning one of these unique races would be a neat experience for our Mac Tools Toyota team.”
SHAWN LANGDON RETURNS TO SITE OF FIRST TOP FUEL WIN WITH FOUR-WIDE WIN IN HIS SIGHTS
YPSILANTI, Mich. (April 25, 2023) – When 2013 NHRA Top Fuel champion Shawn Langdon straps into the CMR Construction & Roofing Top Fuel Car this weekend, his thoughts could easily revisit his first-career victory that came at zMAX Dragway more than a decade ago. The NHRA Camping World Drag Racing season resumes Friday with the Circle K NHRA Four-Wide Nationals at zMAX Dragway near Charlotte April 28-30, 2023.
And when he eases the car up to the lights to stage it for the first time since he did the same in Las Vegas two weeks ago, he will definitely stage the car on time. During the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals semifinals two weeks ago, Langdon “timed out” because he did not stage the car within seven seconds of the when the first driver staged, and a car that could have won the race was eliminated. It was a situation that included Langdon as well as drivers Josh Hart and Steve Torrence.
“At the four-wides at Las Vegas, the racing situation shouldn’t have happened, and I took full responsibility for it,” Langdon said. “Steve (Torrence), Josh (Hart) and I talked about the situation, and everything’s all good. We talked about what happened in Las Vegas, what caused it and our plans going forward. It’s over, and we’ve moved on. I wish them nothing but luck, and it’ll be fun to race against them in Charlotte.”
Langdon definitely has good memories when he drives through the zMAX Dragway entrance. He has two wins in four final rounds and enjoys generally good memories of competing at the North Carolina race track.
“Charlotte is where I won my first Top Fuel race so I always enjoy going back there,” Langdon added. “It’s another opportunity for a four-wide win, but this time, it’s an opportunity to redeem myself for the last race. The car’s been running very well lately. The guys have been giving me a great race car in qualifying and on race day.
“It’s great to have a good race car and a strong team behind you – it gives you more confidence when you get in the race car. It makes you more confident driving the car, cutting good lights and even just showing up to the race track. It’s a great feeling to have a car you know is capable of winning the race. It’s all good right now because of all the hard work our CMR Construction & Roofing crew does every day. We just have to keep working hard and keep trying to get that first victory of the year.”
J.R. TODD, DHL FUNNY CAR IGNORE REAR VIEW, LOOK FORWARD
YPSILANTI, Mich. (April 25, 2023) – For 2018 NHRA Funny Car champion J.R. Todd and his DHL Toyota team, it could be tempting to look back at all that transpired in the last month, but instead, Todd is looking forward – forward to the next run, forward to the next race and definitely forward to the rest of the season. The NHRA Camping World Drag Racing season resumes Friday with the Circle K NHRA Four-Wide Nationals at zMAX Dragway near Charlotte April 28-30, 2023.
The season’s first four races included a semifinal appearance, a berth in the inaugural #Mission2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge, a qualifying accident, an engine explosion and failing to qualify for a race. After an April that was eventful, to say the least, Todd and team would like nothing better than to resume what they started when the season began and finish the month with a four-wide win, and it all starts with the first qualifying attempt.
“All we can do is go up there, hit the gas in Q1(first qualifying session), do what I know how to do, hope the car goes down the track in a straight line and a quick manner and get the thing qualified where it should be,” Todd said. “You can’t dwell on all the things that happened in the last few weeks because if you do, you’ll just go out there and make mistakes. That’s not what I’m paid to do. We are only looking forward; it’s still early in the year so we have plenty of time to regroup, put what’s happened in the past and go out there and win races so we can contend for a championship.
“We have a really good group of guys that work really hard. I hope we can pay them back with results right away, but it’ll be a process. At the end of the day, with all they went through in the last few weeks, I’m sure it caught up to them and that they needed that week off to get ready to go to Charlotte. I have all the confidence in the world in our DHL crew guys; they don’t get down and out or complain about anything. That week off came at a good time because the guys could get back to the shop, have time to go through everything and then enjoy some time off before getting back into race mode this week.”
The DHL GR Supra team started the season with great optimism that began with off-season changes, a new car, solid pre-season testing and early-season results. All of that remains, but the rest of the season begins Friday afternoon with the opening qualifying session.
“We have a really good car; at the end of the day, we still have to go out there, do what we need to do and compete for wins. We’ve regrouped, put all that behind us and are ready to go. The Countdown allows you to make some mistakes along the way and still be in position to battle it out for the championship after the points reset. We aren’t looking that far ahead. We’re only looking at Charlotte. Step one is to go down the track, get the car qualified and then work on winning the race.”
Race Information:
Circle K NHRA Four-Wide Nationals
zMAX Dragway, Concord, N.C.
TV Schedule:
Qualifying 1: 7-8:30 p.m. Friday, April 28 on FS1
Qualifying 2: Noon-1 p.m. Sunday, April 30 on FS1
Finals: 6-9 p.m. Sunday, April 30 on FS1
Circle K NHRA Four-Wide Nationals
zMAX Dragway, Concord, N.C.
TV Schedule:
Qualifying 1: 7-8:30 p.m. Friday, April 28 on FS1
Qualifying 2: Noon-1 p.m. Sunday, April 30 on FS1
Finals: 6-9 p.m. Sunday, April 30 on FS1
