This weekend Doug Kalitta and the Mac Tools Toyota Top Fuel team will be looking to improve on their 2021 runner-up performance at the NHRA Las Vegas Four-Wide Nationals. The No. 1 qualifier at this year’s Arizona Nationals has shown improved performance at each of the first three NHRA national events this season and has a history of strong runs at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Through three rounds of tracing last year in the desert Kalitta who was the No. 3 qualifier, advanced to the final quad comprised of eventual winner Steve Torrence, Clay Millican and Antron Brown and he was only edged out by Torrence.
“We came pretty close last year at the Vegas four-wide,” said Kalitta, who also racked up a runner-up finish at Houston’s SpringNationals in 2021. “I am really happy with the direction this Mac Tools team is moving. We had some good runs two weeks ago at the Gatornationals. I am excited to get to The Strip and see what we can do.”
Over the off-season Kalitta Motorsports added world champion Top Fuel tuner Alan Johnson along with Brian Husen to the Mac Tools team. The pair of world championship winning crew chiefs and an experienced crew has started to show progress in a highly competitive Top Fuel field that has seen not only three different winners to start the season but six different finalists.
“The competition is fierce out here and I am so glad I have Alan and Brian in my corner,” said Kalitta. “We raced against those guys for a lot of years and I am really glad to have them on my team now.”
Kalitta’s success at the Las Vegas track has primarily been realized at the fall national event inside the NHRA Countdown playoff window. He has collected two wins finishing first in 2004 and 2015 with a runner-up finish in 2007. Kalitta did collect his first final round appearance at The Strip’s spring race in 2003 well before the transition to four-wide racing.
“I enjoy the four-wide racing because it is something different and I think the fans like it,” said Kalitta. “We have been working on a consistent tune-up and we are right around the corner from having a lot of success I feel. This could be a really exciting weekend for us.”
2021 NHRA Las Vegas Four-Wide Highlights: RUNNER-UP; Qual No. 3; Beat Troy Buff and Rob Passey; beat Shawn Langdon and Leah Pruett; Lost to Steve Torrence, beat Clay Millican and Antron Brown
Last Event Recap (2022 Gatornationals): Qual 5; Beat Alex Laughlin; Lost to Mike Salinas
Career Stats: 547 events, 540 starts, 724 round wins, 49 wins, 107 finals, 51 No. 1 qualifiers
2022 Results
Winternationals: Qual. 5; Lost to Tony Schumacher
Arizona Nationals: Qual. 1; Lost to Rob Passey
Gatornationals: Qual 5; Beat Alex Laughlin; Lost to Mike Salinas
Kalitta Motorsports PR
