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CHANDLER, Ariz. -- Native Australian Dave Grubnic, driver of the 8,000-horsepower Kalitta Motorsports Top Fuel dragster, advanced to the final round of quarter-mile competition in yesterday's 16-car final eliminations of the Checker Schuck's Kragen NHRA Nationals at Firebird Int'l Raceway in Phoenix, Ariz. It marked Grubnic's first final-round appearance since the NHRA national event in Seattle in July, 2006. Grubnic, the No 2 qualifier (4.524 seconds, 327.66 mph) had no problems getting past his first round opponent and No. 15 qualifier Troy Buff. Grubnic's round-best 4.500-second lap was more than enough to take the win over Buff's 4.644-second attempt. In round two, Grubnic's solid black rail continued to improve its performance with another round-best (tie) elapsed time of 4.491 seconds, which easily defeated his opponent's, Bob Vandergriff, 4.621-second effort. In the semifinals, Grubnic took on Rod Fuller for a chance to advance to the final round. Both drivers had posted 4.491-second marks in the second round, so the paved table was set for a colossal race, but the race was over soon after it began. Fuller's car lost traction almost immediately after the start so he had the best view of Grubnic blazing to the finish line with another incredible lap of 4.519 sec., 332.26 mph. Grubnic's booming speed was second fastest during the weekend. Fuller coasted to the finish stripe later with a 9.259-sec., 87.37-mph roll. Grubnic then faced another Top Fuel veteran in Larry Dixon in the title round. Unfortunately, Grubnic's almost-flawless charge through eliminations ended in the last race of the weekend. Both cars seemed to be running perfectly and side-by side until Grubnic's car began falling back due to a sudden loss of traction just before half-track which subsequently caused cylinders in the dragster's nitro-fueled engine to fail. Dixon's clean pass of 4.532 sec., 327.19 mph took the win away from Grubnic as his car posted a 5.002-sec., 259.26-mph mark. "What a great day for me and our whole Kalitta Motorsports team," Grubnic, a 45-year old resident of Ennis, Mont., said. "Sure, we wanted to get the win, and we're disappointed that we didn't, but all-in-all it was a great weekend for our team. "We've started this season without a major sponsor so we're hoping our upswing in performance this year will turn some heads in the corporate world. Our race car just keeps getting better and better, and hopefully that momentum will get noticed by someone out there that wants to partner with a proven, winning organization. I want to thank our longtime associate sponsors, Red Line Oil, Technicoat Companies, Summit Racing Equipment and K2M, who continue to stick by us through the bad times and the good." Grubnic is now 3rd in 2008 Top Fuel POWERade championship points. In early 2004, Grubnic was hired to drive for legendary team owner Connie "the Bounty Hunter" Kalitta and Kalitta Motorsports. In the fall of '04, Grubnic won the lucrative and coveted Budweiser Shootout in Las Vegas, becoming only the fourth driver in the special event's history to win its $100,000 prize in his first attempt. Grubnic picked up an emotional first NHRA national event win in May, 2005 in Topeka, Kans., to become the first non-native North American to win a Top Fuel trophy. He has one other event victory to date, the 2006 running of the famed Gatornationals in Gainesville, Fla. The Checker Schuck's Kragen NHRA Nationals was the 2nd 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 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 (Hillary Will-driven dragster) and Jon Oberhofer (Mac Tools dragster). Connie serves as crew chief on the DHL 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, and K2M.
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