Doug Kalitta and the Mac Tools team earned a round win at the Thunder Valley Nationals earlier today.
Kalitta and the Mac Tools team faced tough conditions due to the heat all weekend long. In qualifying, the Mac Tools ride made their best pass in the final qualifying session as Kalitta went 4.091 seconds to move up a few spots and earn the 12th starting spot.
Kalitta drew defending champion Brittany Force in the first round and he was ready. With an incredible .030 reaction time, the Mac Tools team had a big advantage at the starting line. He made his best pass of the weekend with a sub-four second pass, and thanks to that stellar reaction time, Kalitta scored the round win.
However, that was all for the round wins in Bristol for this season for Kalitta. Kalitta got the jump on his second round opponent, Scott Palmer, at the tree, but a dropped cylinder ended Kalitta’s chances and Palmer advanced.
Statistics:
Qualified: No. 12 (4.091 sec., 243.81 mph)
E1: Kalitta defeated Force – 3.998 sec., 286.38 mph to 3.942 sec., 307.51 mph
E2: Kalitta defeated by Palmer – 4.292 sec., 230.92 mph to 4.067 sec., 302.41 mph
Quotable: “It was a hot weekend for the Mac Tools team. I am really impressed by their effort. This was not our weekend, but I feel confident our second win of the season is coming soon.”
Point Standings: Fourth; leads Leah Pritchett by 54 points for fifth; trails Tony Schumacher by 43 points for third.
Kalitta Motorsports PR/Photo Credit Gary Nastase Photograph
