Race Recap: Doug Kalitta set a new career-best MPH, but was defeated in the quarterfinals earlier today in Reading, Penn.
For the second straight race to start the Countdown for the Championship, the Mac Tools driver was stout in qualifying. He earned seven bonus points and ran two of the four fastest runs in NHRA history. He would earn the second starting spot, a mere five hundredths of as second behind the no.1 qualifier, Clay Millican.
Kalitta faced a debuting Audrey Worm in the first round and showed her no mercy with a stellar .051 reaction time. The Mac Tools machine’s elapsed time was strong as well as the 3.766 second elapsed time gave him lane choice in the second round.
His quarterfinal opponent was local Dom Lagana. The Mac Tools driver was again solid at the tree, but his ride fell to near immediate tire smoke. Kalitta pedaled, but was unable to catch Lagana.
Statistics:
Qualified: No. 2 (3.704 sec., 333.66 mph)
E1: Kalitta defeated Worm – 3.766 sec., 328.14 mph to 4.436 sec., 271.13 mph
E2: Kalitta defeated by Lagana – 7.164 sec., 127.99 mph to 4.301 sec., 243.24 mph
Quotable: “It is very disappointing to have such a short day here in Reading. My Mac Tools team is working so hard, and we will go to St. Louis and attempt to pick up some of the points that we lost here.”
Point Standings: Second; leads Brittany Force by one point for third, trails Steve Torrence by 22 points for first
Kalitta Motorsports PR/Photo Gary Nastase Photography
