Championship Drag Racing

Fram Autolite NHRA Nationals
Sonoma, Calif.
(July 25-27)

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Driver Profile

Doug Kalitta Mac Tools dragster

Sonoma, Sunday: Sunday during final eliminations of the FRAM Autolite NHRA Nationals at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, Calif., Doug Kalitta, driver of the 8,000-horsepower, “Big Red” Mac Tools Top Fuel dragster, unfortunately had his chance of winning his 6th title trophy in wine country ended early in the opening round.

Kalitta, the No. 15 qualifier (4.154 seconds, 289.51 mph), faced off against the driver of the Alan Johnson-tuned dragster and No. 2 qualifier (3.813 sec., 314.09 mph) in the first stanza of race day. Kalitta and his nitro-fueled charge made a bold effort, but it was not enough to get the win light over his opponent, 4.299 sec., 284.99 mph to 3.865 sec., 312.42 mph.

Kalitta was inducted into the Infineon Raceway Wall of Fame on Sunday during pre-event ceremonies. Kalitta has five-career victories on the Infineon Raceway drag strip, including three consecutive (1998-2000) and two back-to-back (2004, 2005).  He is one of only two NHRA drivers to ever three-peat at Infineon Raceway, the other being John Force (1990-1992). He is the winningest Top Fuel driver in the Sonoma Valley.

“Well, it was a bad day and a good day,” Kalitta, a 43-year old resident of Ann Arbor, Mich., said. “We certainly are disappointed about losing in the first round, but getting inducted into the Wall of Fame helped ease the blow a little. We’ve been struggling lately with our Mac Tools car. Sometimes you just get a little off, and it’s hard to find your way back as far as the tune-up goes, but I have all the confidence in the world in my team that we’ll get it figured out very soon.”

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