Two-time Topeka Nationals winner Doug Kalitta will be racing to become the second winningest Top Fuel racer at the historic track. There is a log jam of two-time Top Fuel winners, but they all pale in comparison to Scott Kalitta, the six-time Heartland Motorsports Park winner, who captured four wins at the now discontinued fall national event and two victories at the spring race. The Kalitta legacy in Kansas is one that Doug Kalitta is looking forward to extending this weekend with a specialty design on his Top Fuel dragster highlighting KalittaAir.com/careers.
“We have a really cool looking race car this weekend promoting KalittaAir.com/careers,” said Kalitta, who took Topeka titles in 2006 and 2016. “We did a huge display for Kalitta Air employees before the Western Swing and this is just a continuation of that relationship.”
The perennial championship contender has four final round appearances at the Topeka Nationals capturing runner-up honors in 2003 and 2004 before picking up his two national event wins at the multi-use facility. Kalitta also secured the No. 1 qualifier in 2005 behind the wheel of his traditional Mac Tools Top Fuel dragster.
“We have had a lot of good races in Topeka,” said Kalitta. “I am looking forward to getting back to that track. There is a lot of history there. This weekend will be a big one for us since we are working to lock down that spot in the Countdown going into the playoffs.”
The last two races of the Western Swing highlighted the progress Kalitta’s Top Fuel team has made as the season has unfolded. A semifinal finish at Sonoma and a quarterfinal finish in Seattle combined with strong qualifying efforts at both races have Kalitta eager to wrap up the regular season. This year Kalitta’s qualifying efforts have been one of the team’s strengths wrapping up a No. 1 qualifier at the Arizona Nationals and eleven additional top half qualifiers.
“We have a great race car and it is starting to come around on race day for us,” said Kalitta. “I have a lot of confidence in (crew chiefs) Alan (Johnson) and Brian (Husen). They have brought a lot of positives to this team and we are ready to have some long days on Sunday.”
Qualifying for the Topeka Nationals will start on Friday afternoon with two more sessions on Saturday. Final eliminations will begin at 10:30 a.m. local with FS1 broadcasting the race nationals starting at 2 p.m. ET on Sunday.
2021 NHRA Topeka Nationals Highlights: Qual. No. 9, Lost to Clay Millican
Last Event Recap 2022 Northwest Nationals: Qual. 4; Beat Alex Laughlin; Lost to Leah Pruett
Career Stats: 557 events, 550 starts, 732 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
Las Vegas1: Qual 6; Lost to Leah Pruett and Shawn Langdon
Houston: Qual 3; Lost to Billy Torrence
Charlotte1: Qual 4; Beat Alex Laughlin, Doug Foley; Lost to Mike Salinas, Cameron Ferre
Richmond: Qual 6; Beat Leah Pruett; Lost to Austin Prock
Epping: Qual 4; Beat Cameron Ferre; Lost to Shawn Langdon
Bristol: Qual 12; Lost to Brittany Force
Norwalk: Qual. No. 6; Beat Antron Brown; Lost to Mike Salinas
Denver: Qual. No. 8; Lost to Josh Hart
Sonoma: Qual. 2; Beat Ron August, Josh Hart; Lost to Mike Salinas
Seattle: Qual. 4; Beat Alex Laughlin; Lost to Leah Pruett
Kalitta Motorsports PR
