Championship Drag Racing

CARQUEST Auto Parts NHRA Winternationals
Pomona, Calif.
(February 7-10)

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Driver Profile

Doug Kalitta Mac Tools dragster

Pomona, Sunday:  Doug Kalitta, driver of the "Big Red" Mac Tools Top Fuel dragster, saw his hopes of claiming his first Winternationals title trophy unexpectedly go up in tire smoke in round one because of a mechanical failure.

Kalitta, the No. 14 qualifier (4.615 seconds, 319.67 mph), faced off against his longtime nemesis and No. 3 qualifier Tony Schumacher in the opening stanza of final eliminations. Almost as soon as Kalitta stepped on the throttle of his 8,000-horsepower Mac Tools rail, a lever in the race car's clutch mechanism broke and caused the car to over-rev. That in turn caused the dragster to immediately spin and smoke its big rear tires to give Schumacher an unchallenged win, 4.50, 328.30 mph to 30.838, 52.32 mph.

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