This weekend, July 10-12, at Bandimere Speedway in Morrison, Col., a few miles west of downtown
Denver, DHL Toyota Solara Funny Car driver Jeff Arend will try to guide his team to the highest
winner's circle in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series at the annual running of the Mopar
Mile-High NHRA Nationals.
At an elevation of more than 5,800 ft., Bandimere Speedway presents many challenges to the race car
teams and their 8,000-horsepower, nitro-fueled machines in the "thin" air of the Rocky Mountains.
"The thin air affects not only the way we tune the engine in our DHL Funny Car, but it also affects
our car's drag and aerodynamics," Arend, a 46-year old resident of San Dimas, Calif., said. "It's
always tricky running at Bandimere. Getting the perfect mix of oxygen and fuel to make our nitro
motor run its best is even more critical at high altitudes. The high altitude even affects how
quickly our race car stops when the parachutes are popped.
"We've got some very smart and talented folks on our DHL team, so I'm sure we'll be able to make
the numbers we need to and hopefully get our car qualified well and go some rounds on Sunday."
Arend, a native Canadian, has 24 round-wins in his career and one NHRA Funny Car national event win
to his credit - Reading, Pa., 1996. He is married to Windy, and they have a daughter, Jenna, 9.
Event Schedule
The Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals begins Friday for the nitro-fueled classes with two qualifying
sessions at 5:30 p.m. (MT) and 8:00 p.m. Two more qualifying opportunities take place Saturday at
4:30 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. The top 16 qualified cars in each pro class will race Sunday in final
eliminations beginning at noon.
Times and dates subject to change.
The Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals is the 13th of 24 national events in the 2009 NHRA Full Throttle
Drag Racing Series.
ESPN2 TV Schedule
7/11 - Qualifying: 10:00 p.m. - 12:00 a.m. (ET)
7/12 - Eliminations: 7:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
7/15 - Repeat Eliminations: 1:00 a.m. - 3:30 a.m.
Times and dates subject to change.
About Kalitta Motorsports
Based in Ypsilanti, Mich., Kalitta Motorsports is a Top Fuel and Funny Car drag racing team in the
NHRA (National Hot Rod Association) Full Throttle Drag Racing Series. In 2009, Kalitta Motorsports
is celebrating 50 years of drag racing by team owner and drag racing legend Connie "the Bounty
Hunter" Kalitta. Over the past 50 years, Connie, who has been involved in the sport as a driver,
tuner, and as an owner, has dedicated unequalled amounts of time and resources to building one of
the most successful teams in the history of auto racing. Kalitta Motorsports has won five world
championships and over 50 national event titles in five different drag racing sanctioning bodies
since it was established by Connie in 1959.
Jeff Arend drives the DHL Toyota Solara Funny Car for the team while Connie's nephew, Doug Kalitta,
drives the No. 50 Top Fuel dragster entry. Connie serves as head tuner for both Team Kalitta
entries. He is assisted by crew chief Jim Oberhofer and assistant crew chief Troy Fasching on
Doug's Top Fueler and by co-crew chiefs Jon Oberhofer and Nick Boninfante on the DHL Funny Car.
Associate sponsors on Kalitta Motorsports' race cars include Red Line Oil, Summit Racing Equipment,
Technicoat Companies, Rocky Boots, Toyota, and Mac Tools.
For more info about Kalitta Motorsports, please visit http://www.teamkalitta.com
Follow Team Kalitta on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/TeamKalitta
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/kalitta
