For the second time in the 2019 Countdown Doug Kalitta powered the Mac Tools Top Fuel dragster to the final round. In the first three Countdown races he has two finals and a semifinal finish which is tops in the category. That kind of consistency and success has the veteran driver determined to stay at the top of his game heading into the last three races of the Countdown.
Kalitta took out the No. 7 qualifier, the No. 3 qualifier and the No. 2 qualifier on the way to his 100th final round today. In the final against No. 1 qualifier Steve Torrence, Kalitta overpowered the track and opened the door for Torrence to drive around him.
Against Antron Brown in the first round Kalitta used is driving skills to pedal his dragster to the win. The Mac Tools dragster was just the second race car down the track and Kalitta knew he would need to be at the top of his game. The next two rounds of eliminations were dominant performances by the Mac Tools dragster posting winning elapsed times of 3.745 and 3.762 seconds to defeat the No. 3 and No. 2 qualifiers.
In the final round against Torrence, Kalitta knew he was racing for a chance to reclaim his points lead. Both dragsters launched hard but Torrence was able to keep his dragster hitting on all eight for the full pull. Kalitta’s Goodyears lost traction at half-track and he was unable to catch up for the win. He will leave zMAX Dragway just 30 points out of the points lead with three races to go in the Countdown.
“That was a big final round,” said Kalitta. “We knew we had to be aggressive and we just overshot it a little. I am very happy with how this Mac Tools dragster ran today and has been running the last four races. Three final rounds and a semifinal over four races is pretty good. We will be ready to go for Dallas.”
Quotable:
Doug Kalitta on points chase heading into Dallas: “There are three races left and we are only back 30 points. That would be one round in Pomona with double points. We are going to be back on the race track in four days and will start trying to get some of those bonus points on Friday and Saturday.”
Statistics:
Qualified: No. 10 (3.773 sec., 323.35 mph)
Bonus points: +2 (2nd quickest of Q1)
Race Details:
First Round
Driver Qual R/T ET MPH
Doug Kalitta 10 .058 3.905 326.95 (W)
Antron Brown 7 .051 6.032 114.16
Second Round
Driver Qual R/T ET MPH
Doug Kalitta 10 .061 3.745 329.50 (W)
Leah Pritchett 2 .063 7.343 87.24
Semifinal Round
Driver Qual R/T ET MPH
Doug Kalitta 10 .067 3.762 326.24 (W)
Brittany Force 3 .068 3.901 262.95
Final Round
Driver Qual R/T ET MPH
Doug Kalitta 10 .068 4.090 274.27
Steve Torrence 1 .031 3.772 323.19 (W)
Team Kalitta PR
