Doug Kalitta and the Mac Tools team earned a semi-final finish today in Chicago.
The qualifying portion did not go as the Mac Tools group would have liked as Kalitta made just one clean pass, a 3.786 second run on Friday evening. However, that run was good enough for another top half starting spot and a first round draw of Terry McMillen.
Kalitta got the slight advantage on McMIllen on the starting line. The Mac Tools ride continued to struggle down track, but McMillen had bigger issues to deliver a first round win to Kalitta. In the second round, Kalitta again had problems, but his opponent, Luigi Novelli, again suffered bigger woes to move the Mac Tools machine to the semifinals.
In the semifinals, Kalitta faced last race’s winner, Clay Millican. Kalitta moved first, but Millican was able to get around the Mac Tools driver. However, Millican’s chutes deployed before the finish line. Kalitta closed considerably but came up five thousandths short at the stripe.
Statistics:
Qualified: No. 8 (3.786 sec., 321.96 mph)
E1: Kalitta defeated McMillen – 3.978 sec., 281.48 mph to 5.161 sec., 135.73 mph
E2: Kalitta defeated Novelli – 3.934 sec., 305.77 mph to 4.081 sec., 253.85 mph
E3: Kalitta defeated by Millican – 3.819 sec., 325.53 mph to 3.785 sec., 316.75 mph
Quotable: “Solid day for the Mac Tools team here at Route 66 Raceway. Always looking for wins, but this was a good points day on a tricky track. We will head to Richmond next weekend and try to get the win there.”
Point Standings: Fifth; leads Brittany Force by 99 points for sixth; trails Tony Schumacher by eight points for fourth
Kalitta Motorsports PR/Photo Credit Gary Nastase Photography
