The trip to the winner's circle in Memphis is the first for Arend as a driver for Kalitta Motorsports. He took over the driving duties of the DHL Toyota Solara Funny Car after the tragic death of Scott Kalitta in a racing accident in New Jersey last June.

Arend defeated Tony Pedregon in the final round. Pedregon had problems at the start of the race and was vanquished early, but Arend and the DHL charge were going to be beat as they ran their best elapsed time of the weekend, 4.091 seconds, and the fourth fastest 1,000-ft. speed in NHRA history, 310.41 mph, which is also a career best speed for Arend.

Both the 4.091 sec., elapsed time and the speed of 310.41 mph in the final are season bests for the DHL team.

"This is one of the best days of my life," Arend, a 46-year old resident of San Dimas, Calif., said. "To get this win for Scott and Connie (Kalitta, team owner and Scott's father) and everyone at Kalitta Motorsports is amazing. It's surreal and it definitely hasn't all soaked in yet.

"Our DHL Funny Car performed great today and we knew that we had a good chance of going some rounds, but to get the win was just incredible. Connie is the best owner to work for in drag racing. He's a racer's racer, and I can't explain what this win means to me and everyone on our DHL team who have struggled so hard to get this "Wally" (trophy) for Connie and for Scott."

Connie "the Bounty Hunter" Kalitta, 72, a drag racing icon and legendary team owner, driver, and tuner, is celebrating 50 years of NHRA drag racing in 2009.

Final eliminations were postponed until today after rain washed out racing at Memphis Motorsports Park yesterday. Arend defeated Jack Beckman, John Force, and Ashley Force Hood in respective rounds en route to his final round showdown with Pedregon.

Arend's previous trip to an NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series event final round was in 2005 at the event in Bristol. He now has two victories in three final round appearances. His first Funny Car title trophy was garnered in Reading, Pa., in 1996. Arend, a native Canadian, is married to Windy, and they have a daughter, Jenna, 9.

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

Courtesy of Todd Myers