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JOLIET, Ill. -- Doug Kalitta, driver of the "Big Red" Mac Tools Top Fuel dragster, had his hopes of winning his fourth Torco Racing Fuels Route 66 NHRA Nationals title dashed at Route 66 Raceway in Joliet, Ill., just a few miles south of the Chicago city limits, Sunday after being defeated in round one by a scant .02 seconds. Kalitta, the No. 7 qualifier (4.574 seconds, 319.52 mph), raced against the No. 10 qualifier, Rod Fuller, in their opening lap down the quarter-mile. The two race cars were side by side all the way down the 1320-ft. track, but it was Fuller's mount that barely got to the finish line first, 4.560 sec., 327.59 mph to 4.540 sec., 309.34 mph. Kalitta, a 43-year old resident of Ann Arbor, Mich., won the event in Joliet in 2006, 2004 and 2002. In his final-round win in 2004 in Joliet, Kalitta ran the quickest lap in NHRA history with a 4.420-second blast. Kalitta is currently in 8th place in POWERade Top Fuel championship points. The Torco Racing Fuels Route 66 NHRA Nationals was the 10th 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 DHL 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 DHL dragster with assistance from co-crew chief James Riola. Associate sponsors on all Kalitta Motorsports' race cars include Mac Tools, Red Line Oil, Summit Racing Equipment, Technicoat Companies, K2M, and Toyota.
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