Doug Kalitta and the Mac Tools Top Fuel team are ready to get back to Bristol Dragway for the first time since 2019. The 49-time Top Fuel winner has dominated the Thunder Valley Nationals over the past two decades and the team is eager hit the track in Thunder Valley. This season Kalitta has picked up two runner-up finishes and as the Countdown playoffs come to close the perennial championship contender is looking for a strong finish over the final three races.
“I am looking forward to getting to Bristol Dragway,” said Kalitta, who last weekend raced to the quarterfinals at the Texas Fall Nationals. “We have had some really good races there and it is a great facility. You know when you are racing a track owned by Bruton and Marcus Smith everything will be first class.”
Kalitta has raced to six final rounds over his career at the Thunder Valley Nationals. Most recently he was runner-up in 2014. His reign of terror at the track goes back to three wins over the course of five years when he took the title in 2001, 2005 and 2006. Three years later he raced to his fourth final round in Tennessee and added another runner-up in 2012. For the driver from Michigan the mountains of Tennessee have been a great place to hit the throttle on race day.
“I don’t know what it is about racing at Thunder Valley, but we run pretty good at Bristol,” said Kalitta. “You have great fans, and the track is usually really quick. You can hear the power of these nitro cars in the valley and that is pretty cool.”
At this last appearance at Bristol Dragway Kalitta and the Mac Tools Top Fuel dragster started from the No. 1 spot and raced to the semifinals. The team is celebrating 20 years with primary sponsor Mac Tools and that relationship combined with his success at tracks like Bristol Dragway goes a long way for the veteran driver.
“We have been with Mac Tools for all our races here at the Thunder Velley Nationals,” said Kalitta. “They have been a great sponsor and partner. I would definitely like to keep the winning momentum going this weekend for sure.”
Qualifying will get underway on Friday, October 15 at 5:30 p.m. and race day will start on Sunday at 11:30 p.m. ET.
2019 NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals Highlights (event not contested in 2020): Qual. No. 1, Beat Antron Cameron Ferre, Terry McMillen; Lost to Mike Salinas
Last Event Recap (2021 Texas NHRA Fall Nationals): Qual. No. 10; Beat Antron Brown; Lost to Steve Torrence
Career Stats: 541 events, 534 starts, 723 round wins, 49 wins, 107 finals, 50 No. 1 qualifiers
2021 Season:
Gatornationals: Qual. No. 4; Beat Arthur Allen; Lost to Justin Ashley
Las Vegas1: RUNNER-UP; Qual. No. 3; Beat Troy Buff and Rob Passey, Beat Shawn Langdon and Leah Pruett; Lost to Steve Torrence
Atlanta: Qual. No. 9; Lost to Antron Brown
Charlotte1: Qual. No. 12; Beat Josh Hart, Billy Torrence, Kyle Wurtzel; Lost to Brittany Force, Josh Hart
Houston: RUNNER-UP; Qual. No. 9; Beat Brittany Force, Antron Brown, Shawn Langdon; Lost to Steve Torrence
Epping: Qual. No. 5; Beat Shawn Langdon, Lost to Mike Salinas
Norwalk: Qual. No. 11; Lost to Antron Brown
Denver: Qual. No. 4; Lost to Leah Pruett
Sonoma: Qual. No. 8; Beat Mike Salinas; Lost to Steve Torrence
Pomona1: Qual. No. 6; Lost to Clay Millican
Topeka: Qual. No. 9; Lost to Clay Millican
Brainerd: Qual. No. 9; Lost to Clay Millican
Indianapolis: Qual. No. 3; Beat Krista Baldwin; Lost to Billy Torrence
Reading: Qual. No. 9; Lost to Justin Ashley
Charlotte2: Qual. No. 12; Lost to Steve Torrence
St. Louis: Qual. No. 9; Lost to Tripp Tatum
Dallas: Qual. No. 10; Beat Antron Brown; Lost to Steve Torrence
Kalitta Motorsports PR
