Race two of the NHRA Countdown has Doug Kalitta and the Mac Tools Toyota Top Fuel team looking to make a move up the points with five races remaining in the 2022 season. The 49-time national event winner has a history of success at zMax Dragway, known as the Bellagio of drag strips, and a win this weekend at the Betway NHRA Carolina Nationals would move the perennial championship contender right into the middle of the title battle. In 2019 Kalitta scored a runner-up finish and two years prior in 2017 he won the event.
“We have run well in Charlotte and it is a great facility overall. The Smith family has done an amazing job with this race and I would like to pick up another win there in my Mac Tools dragster,” said Kalitta. “We are one race into the Countdown so I really think everyone has a shot if you can start building some momentum. This Mac Tools team is ready.
Throughout his career at zMax Dragway Kalitta has chalked up quite a few round wins and this year win lights will have a little extra meaning. Kalitta Motorsports and longtime sponsor DHL are teaming up with Feeding America to donate 20,000 meals for every win light on Sunday by any of the three drivers racing under the Kalitta Motorsports banner.
“This is a really neat deal we are doing with our marketing partner DHL and Feeding America,” said Kalitta. “We want to turn on as many win lights as possible and help as many people as possible with this program.”
Kalitta has a long history of success at Charlotte in addition to his 2017 win he has runner-up finishes in 2019 and 2016. The veteran driver has also recorded a runner-up at the Four-Wide Nationals in 2018 and 2010. His 2017 win came from the No. 1 qualifier starting spot.
“I love racing in Charlotte because it has a great racing community,” said Kalitta. “You see NASCAR crew guys and drivers walking around the pits and on the starting line. This will be a big race for our sponsor Mac Tools along with DeWalt and Black and Decker so we’ll be busy on and off the track.”
Last weekend Kalitta raced to the quarterfinals at the Reading Nationals and the three in a row stretch to start the Countdown will give all the teams the chance to improve their point positions with success on race day. For the Alan Johnson and Brian Husen crew chief tandem the back-to-back-to-back races are a great chance to get into a racing groove at the most important time of the season.
“Alan and Brian have been working really hard putting this program together this season and I have a lot of confidence it will start paying off,” said Kalitta. “They have been great to work with and every time I get in my Mac Tools Top Fuel dragster I have a lot of confidence.”
This weekend the Mac Tools dragster will get three qualifying runs looking to grab one of the 16 spots in the qualified field. Race day will begin at noon ET with FS1 broadcasting the race beginning at 3 p.m. ET.
2021 Betway Carolina Nationals Highlights: Qual. No. 12, Lost to Steve Torrence
Last Event Recap 2022 Pep Boys Nationals: Qual. 7; Beat Leah Pruett; Lost to Justin Ashley
Career Stats: 561 events, 554 starts, 735 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
Topeka: Qual. 5; Lost to Tony Schumacher
Brainerd: Qual. 10; Lost to Tony Schumacher
Indianapolis: Qual. 12; Beat Clay Millican, Mike Salinas; Lost to Brittany Force
Reading: Qual. 7; Beat Leah Pruett; Lost to Justin Ashley
Kalitta Motorsports PR
