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BRISTOL, Tenn. -- Sunday at the O'Reilly NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals at Bristol Dragway in Bristol, Tenn., Doug Kalitta, driver of the "Big Red" Mac Tools Top Fuel dragster, won his 7th elimination round of the 2008 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series en route to his 73rd career quarter-final finish. Kalitta, the No. 3 qualifier, 4.536 seconds, 320.66 mph, got a "free pass" in the opening round of Sunday's Top Fuel eliminations when his opponent and No. 14 qualifier Todd Paton was shut off due to a mechanical failure after doing his burnout. Kalitta's single lap down the quarter-mile garnered him a 4.710-second, 308.64-mph time slip. In the quarterfinals, Kalitta faced Brandon Bernstein. Kalitta's extreme-horsepower Mac Tools machine had mechanical sufferings of its own after the start of his race with Bernstein. Kalitta charged down his lane as best he could, but it was not enough to catch his opponent, and Bernstein took the victory, 4.810 sec., 280.19 mph to 4.545 sec., 326.71 mph. The Mac Tools dragster crew won the Full Throttle Pit Crew Award for their extraordinary efforts in Bristol. The award goes to the Top Fuel crew of specialists who excel in consistency and performance in qualifying. Kalitta remains in 8th place in POWERade Top Fuel championship points. Since winning the NHRA's equivalent of Rookie of the Year, the Automobile Club of Southern California's Road to the Future Award after the 1998 drag racing season, Kalitta has driven his dragster to 30 Top Fuel national event titles, which places him in sixth in career wins for the sport's quickest and fastest class. In the past five NHRA seasons, Kalitta has solidified his place among the best Top Fuel pilots of all-time. In 2006, he won a career-high five national events in 2006 and led the POWERade points for almost the entire second half of the season. After finishing just 14 points shy of his first NHRA championship, Kalitta garnered his third career runner-up points finish in 2006. He was also points runner-up in 2003 and 2004. In 2007, he won one event - the event held in Richmond, Va. The O'Reilly NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals was the 8th of 24 national events in the 2008 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 Kalitta Motorsports Top Fuel dragster, while Hillary Will drives the Ken Black-owned and Kalitta Motorsports-managed Top Fuel dragster. Connie serves as head tuner for all Team Kalitta entries. He is assisted by crew chiefs Jim Oberhofer (KB Racing, LLC dragster), Jon Oberhofer (Mac Tools dragster co-crew chief), and Richard Hogan (Mac Tools dragster co-crew chief). Connie serves as crew chief on the DHL Toyota Solara Funny Car with assistance from co-crew chief Glenn Mikres and as the crew chief on the Kalitta Motorsports dragster with assistance from co-crew chief James Riola. Associate sponsors on all Kalitta Motorsports' race cars include Red Line Oil, Summit Racing Equipment, Technicoat Companies, K2M, and Toyota.
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