Tue, 10 Jun 2003, 06:15 PM Kalitta Hoping for “Hometown” Win in Columbus

Courtesy of Todd Myers Running Special Wright Brothers Paint Scheme

HEBRON, Ohio --

Rendering of Wright Brothers dragster.

For driver Doug Kalitta and the Mac Tools/Kalitta Motorsports Top Fuel dragster team, this weekend’s NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series national event in Columbus, Ohio, is almost like a homecoming. After all, Columbus is home of the corporate headquarters of Mac Tools. Kalitta and his team would like nothing better than to give their long-time supporters the thrill of celebrating in the winner’s circle of their “backyard”, National Trail Raceway.

“Columbus is a great place to race,” Kalitta said. “All the folks at Mac Tools are like family to us. It would be incredible for us to win there for them. There is always a big crowd of Mac Tools distributors and district managers cheering us on in Columbus. We want to win there so we can thank them for all that they do for our race team.”

In 2003, Kalitta has taken two national event wins (Houston, Englishtown) from four final round appearances (Las Vegas, Houston, Englishtown, Topeka). He is currently second in NHRA POWERade Top Fuel championship points, tying a career high.

Being an avid aviator as well as president and owner of Kalitta Charters, a charter aircraft service, Doug is also honored to be representing the Fathers of American aviation, the Wright Brothers, with a unique paint scheme on his Mac Tools dragster this weekend. As part of the Wright Brothers 100 Years of Aviation Celebration, the Mac Tools dragster will be decorated with images of Orville and Wilbur Wright’s Kitty Hawk airplane, long considered the first manned flying vehicle constructed in the United States of America.

Kalitta will roll his specially painted red, white and blue Mac Tools dragster to the starting line for his first qualifying attempt at the Pontiac Excitement NHRA Nationals on Friday at approximately 5:30 p.m. (EST). All the action of professional and sportsman drag racing will be on the track of National Trail Raceway, June 12-15.

Doug Kalitta Power Points
Career event wins: 13
Last event win: 2003 K&N Filters NHRA SuperNationals, Englishtown
Career final rounds: 28
Last final round: 2003 O’Reilly NHRA Summer Nationals, Topeka
Career No. 1 qualifying: 13
Last No. 1 qualifying: 2003 K&N Filters NHRA SuperNationals, Englishtown
Career best elapsed time: 4.481 seconds (2003 K&N Filters NHRA SuperNationals)
Career best speed: 333.91 mph* (2003 NHRA O’Reilly Spring Nationals, Houston)

After ten of 23 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series national events in 2003, Kalitta is 2nd in Top Fuel championship points.

*Fastest speed in NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series history