At the previous two NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series national events in Memphis and Richmond, Va., Kalitta posted strong semi-final finishes in each. He and the Technicoat dragster team are hoping to build on their late-season momentum this weekend at "The Strip" and to take the next step toward garnering their 2nd event title trophy this season.

"Our Technicoat dragster has been running great lately," Kalitta said. "Our race car has been putting up some of our best numbers of the season and most importantly our consistency has improved a lot. Hopefully that will continue in Las Vegas and we can get back in the winner's circle."

Also, Interceramic Tile joins Kalitta Motorsports as an associate sponsor on the Technicoat dragster this weekend in Las Vegas. Based in Dallas, Interceramic Tile's mission is to provide their customers in North America, the most innovative, high-quality ceramic tile and related products and world-class customer service by employing highly qualified team, innovative sales strategies, and an efficient technology-driven distribution network.

"We decided to support Team Kalitta because they are a great team, fabulous group of people, and have a history of great success," Victor Almeida, Interceramic Tile C.E.O., said. "Other partners in the team like Technicoat have shown us that it is a great investment to be a part of such a professional organization as Kalitta Motorsports."

Kalitta won the season-opening NHRA national event in Pomona, Calif., in February. He won the Top Fuel title trophy at the Las Vegas NHRA Nationals in 2004.

The Las Vegas event is the fifth in NHRA's six-event, season-finalizing "playoffs", the Countdown to 1. Kalitta is currently in the No. 9 points position, 209 points off of the lead. By making this season's Countdown to 1, Kalitta guarantees himself another top-ten finish in championship points, a fete he has incredibly accomplished in every season of his Top Fuel driving career which began with his Rookie of the Year award-winning season in 1998.

Kalitta, a 45-year old resident of Ann Arbor, Mich., has 31 NHRA Top Fuel event victories in his career in 58 final-round appearances. He is married to Josie, and they have a son, Mitchell, 8, and a daughter, Avery, 6.

Event Schedule
The Las Vegas NHRA Nationals begin Friday for the nitro-fueled classes with two qualifying sessions at 1:30 p.m. (PT) and 4:00 p.m. and again on Saturday at 12:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. The top 16 qualified cars in each pro class will race Sunday in final eliminations beginning at 11:00 a.m.

Times and dates subject to change.

The Las Vegas NHRA Nationals is the 23rd of 24 national events in the 2009 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series.

ESPN2 TV Schedule
10/31/2009 - Qualifying - 11:30:00 PM-1:30:00 AM (ET)
11/01/2009 - Eliminations - 7:30:00 PM-10:30:00 PM (ET)
11/13/2009 - Repeat Eliminations - 2:00:00 AM-4:00:00 AM (ET)

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

Courtesy of Todd Myers