Doug Kalitta – Syndication Server

Kalitta DNQs for 70th running of NHRA US Nationals in Indy

Top Fuel points leader and reigning world champion Doug Kalitta did not qualify for the 70th annual Toyota NHRA U.S. Nationals, going 3.793s during the final qualifying session. His teammate, Shawn Langdon, bumped him out on the next pass, going 3.784s to go to 16th. He’ll take on Brittany Force in the opening round, while Kalitta won’t qualify for the first time since 2010, an incredible span of 301 races.

Funny Car’s Paul Lee won a specialty race for the first time in his NHRA career on Sunday at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park, defeating Bob Tasca in the final round of the Pep Boys Funny Car All-Star Callout.

In other racing action, Brittany Force (Top Fuel), Austin Prock (Funny Car), Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) all qualified No. 1 at the 14th of 20 races during the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season.

Lee, who was seeded eighth in the eight-car field and appeared in a specialty race for the first time, went 4.243s at 328.38mph in his McLeod Racing/FTI Performance Dodge Charger to slip past Tasca’s 4.255s. Both cars drove into smoke near the finish line, but Lee had enough to coast to the victory, which nets the veteran the $80,000 prize. Lee beat Ron Capps and defending world champion Matt Hagan earlier on Sunday to reach the final round of the specialty race.

He left first on Tasca and held on for the win, which is certainly Lee’s biggest moment in the Funny Car ranks. Lee has made impressive strides this year with Jonnie Lindberg as his crew chief and John Medlen offering guidance as well.

“I couldn’t be prouder of my whole team. They really worked their butts off today, changed engines between first and second round and did a flawless job,” Lee said. “This is a team sport. I’m here representing my team, but it’s a true team sport and I just remember growing up watching all the specialty shootouts in the past and then growing up and getting to be in one and win it? I’m over the moon.

“I’m in it, I don’t care who I race. I didn’t really care because you have to beat everybody. Look at the cars you have to race, these are the top cars in the country. I don’t look at this as stress, I look at it as opportunity. This time, it was an opportunity to win $80,000. Tomorrow, I look at it the same way. I have the opportunity to win the U.S. Nationals.”

Top Fuel’s Brittany Force has enjoyed the weekend she has needed so far, securing the No. 1 qualifier when Saturday’s 3.693s at 333.08mph in her Chevrolet Accessories dragster. It’s the 48th top qualifier for the two-time world champ and Force needed every bit of it this weekend, entering the U.S. Nationals 10th in points. She’ll enter raceday with a 58-point advantage over 11th-place Josh Hart and Force will need to stay in the top 10 to earn a spot in the Countdown to the Championship playoffs. That means plenty is on the line for Force on Monday as she opens eliminations against Shawn Langdon.

“It’s been a whirlwind of a weekend,” Force said. “We’ve done really well and we’re wearing a No. 1 qualifier hat. We ended up No. 1 and haven’t done that since the very beginning of the season. That’s a huge deal, but we are right now so focused on tomorrow and what it takes to stay in this thing. We’re sitting 10th and we can get bumped out. This team, we want to be in a hunt for a championship. We’ve done great so far and done everything that we can..

“If it wasn’t Langdon, it’d be somebody else and there is no easy team or driver out here. We’ve seen crazier things happen on raceday. We’re going to give it our all, we’re in a really good position, we have to focus on that and just stay in our lane – focus on what our team can do, what our goals are, what we want to accomplish.”

Tony Stewart qualified in the second spot with his 3.707s at 331.04mph and T.J. Zizzo is third with a 3.716s at 332.67mph.

In Funny Car, Austin Prock easily held on to the No. 1 spot, as Saturday’s stellar pass of 3.855s at 328.38mph in his Cornwell Tools Chevrolet Camaro SS handed the points leader a remarkable 10th No. 1 qualifier this season. It’s been nothing short of a spectacular season for Prock in his rookie season in the category and this was another major moment for the young standout who earned his first career U.S. Nationals No. 1 qualifier. Prock will try to turn that into his first U.S. Nationals victory on Monday, where he will open eliminations against Chris King.

“It’s pretty cool, I didn’t even think about it until today and not very many people get to qualify No. 1 here at the U.S. Nationals. It’s our biggest race of the year, and I’m definitely proud of this team,” Prock said. “They all work really hard and deserve results like this. I was proud to be able to get the car down the track in a nice, neat fashion all five runs, and I’m looking forward to tomorrow.

“Earlier this week I got a new attitude, and I’ve just been having fun. When you get punched in the face like I did (in Brainerd), that’ll change a man. I got a new attitude and it’s been working so far. I’m having fun and can’t wait for tomorrow. It’s going to be a great show for the fans, and that’s how the U.S. Nationals should be.”

Tasca took the second spot with a 3.871s at 336.23mph and Jack Beckman, racing for John Force, qualified third thanks to a run of 3.877s at 329.10mph.

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For a third straight day, Greg Anderson stayed atop the Pro Stock field and for the third straight day, the veteran improved on his performance, going 6.575s at 207.88mph in his HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro. Weather conditions should allow for Anderson to improve again on Monday during eliminations, where the five-time world champion will have a chance to win The Big Go for the eighth time. He’ll open raceday against Camrie Caruso, looking for his third win of 2024. It’s already been a rewarding weekend for the veteran, making the quickest run in all five qualifying sessions, but success on Monday is the biggest thing and Anderson feels confident his team is on track.

“The big day is Monday but it’s been near perfection for three days straight and that’s a helluva confidence builder,” Anderson said. “It certainly makes me feel good, the car feels great, engine is running great, crew is right on point making decisions. Hopefully, we can make that go for four more runs tomorrow and make some magic here at Indy. I feel great, a lot of confidence in the group, the team, and that helps as a driver and makes you get up on the wheel as a driver.

“I need to get it done. That’s not just me, it’s the entire race team. We need to race error free, like we qualified and get the job done, win the race. I’ve got the horse, I need to ride that sucker to the finish line and ride it proud. That’s what I plan on doing tomorrow. I love racing here at Indy. It would be tough to find a more special race than when I won my 100th race here. You never know when you’re going to get another one. The very next one I get, if I can get another one, will be the best one I ever had.”

Defending world champion Erica Enders remained in second with a 6.592s at 207.11mph, while Jeg Coughlin Jr. took third with a 6.598s at 207.50mph.

After two days of strong performances from Matt Smith Racing, Pro Stock Motorcycle points leader Gaige Herrera had his day on Sunday, picking up the No. 1 qualifier with a standout run of 6.809s at 197.71mph on his RevZilla/Mission Foods/Vance & Hines. It was a strong weekend turnaround for the defending world champion, who picks up his fifth No. 1 qualifier of the season with the impressive run. He’ll open eliminations against Wesley Wells, trying to pick up his first victory at the world’s biggest drag race. It’s one of the few events Herrera didn’t win a year ago and he’ll get a chance for redemption on Monday.

“It’s good to get the No. 1 spot for Vance & Hines. This is big for us,” Herrera said. “I was happy to run 6.80 and I’ve got to credit Mother Nature because the [cool weather] helped us. I just didn’t think it would be good enough to stick. I was surprised that it did. It should be even cooler tomorrow, so I think you’ll see some 6.70s for sure.

“We tested here a couple of weeks ago and it helped quite a bit. The air was close to what we had this morning, so we got good data. We’re in a good spot for Monday. That goes for me and Richard [Gadson], Kelly [Clontz], and Geno [Scali]. I think we’ll also do well tomorrow.”

Matt Smith took the second spot with a 6.816s at 196.90mph and John Hall qualified third after going 6.830s at 198.76mph.

Eliminations for the 70th annual Toyota NHRA U.S. Nationals begin at 10 a.m. ET on Monday at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park.

M. Smith sets PSM track record en route to No. 1 at Sonoma

Six-time Pro Stock Motorcycle world champion Matt Smith set a new track E.T. record on Saturday at Sonoma Raceway, defeating teammate Jianna Evaristo in the final round of the GETTRX Pro Stock Motorcycle All-Star Callout as part of this weekend’s …

Doug Kalitta (Top Fuel), Bob Tasca III (Funny Car), Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) and Smith all qualified No. 1 at the 12th of 20 races during the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season.

In the final round of the specialty race, Smith went 6.655s at 204.23mph on his Denso Auto Parts Buell, defeating Evaristo’s 6.703s at 203.77mph to win his first Callout race. Smith topped the track record he set earlier in the day – when he beat top seed Gaige Herrera in the opening round with a 6.662s – and also qualified No. 1 for the fourth time this season as he looks for his first event win of the season.

“I’m really thrilled. This is my first win in the GETTRX Callout but my third win in a specialty race,” Smith said. “We’ve had a tough year. We haven’t won a race, but we’ve been good on Saturdays. Now, we’ve got to be good on Sunday. This is a big payday, and it means a lot so I have to say thanks to Steve Bryson and GETTRX for putting this deal on.

“(Jianna) is going to be an excellent rider and I’m proud of what she’s doing. Before the final, I didn’t cut her any slack. We’ve both struggled to cut a light here, but I still told her I was going to spank her.”

Evaristo qualified second in PSM with a career-best 6.674s at 204.54mph – also making the second-fastest pass in class history – and Herrera is third after going 6.688s at 202.55mph, which took place in the opening round of the Callout.

Top Fuel points leader Doug Kalitta fell in the final round of the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge to teammate Shawn Langdon, but he kept his No. 1 spot on the strength of Friday’s track-record 3.649s at 336.40mph in his Mac Tools/Toyota dragster. It handed the points leader his No. 1 qualifier of the season and the 58th in his career, as he looks to win in Sonoma for a sixth time in his career.

“On that last run in Q4, we pushed a bit harder and it didn’t hold so Shawn ended up with the [Mission Challenge] win,” Kalitta said. “Even though I ran a 3.64s there were other cars that were close and tomorrow I don’t think it will be much hotter, so I expect a real battle.

“I’m actually a bit relieved because we now know how hard we can push and that should be a bit tomorrow. You might get one lucky round, but you need to be on your game. Shawn pushes me and he keeps me on my game especially now that both of our cars are as close as possible. He’s one of the best out there and he’s one up on me right now.”

Clay Millican jumped to second with a 3.664s at a track-record 338.26mph and Brittany Force qualified third after going 3.668s at 335.57mph.

In Funny Car, Matt Hagan came close to bumping him out, but Bob Tasca III hung on to the No. 1 position in the loaded category, as Friday’s run of 3.839s at 338.43mph in his Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Mustang held up. It gave the veteran his second No. 1 qualifier of the season and the 18th in his career, putting Tasca in a strong position to try and pick up another Sonoma victory.

He’ll open eliminations against Buddy Hull, keeping the top position after reigning world champ Matt Hagan went an identical 3.839s at a slower 330.49mph to take the second spot. Ron Capps qualified third with a 3.864s at 332.43mph. Tasca did close qualifying with a stout 3.868s at a whopping 337.66mph, adding to his momentum for Sunday.

“We tried to run 340mph this morning and it nearly put me into the wall so on the last run we slowed it way down to make a full pull,” Tasca said. “I say this all the time but you could take a fan in the stands, put them in one of these cars and tell them to keep it straight and on most runs they could do it. That was Q4 where the car did exactly what it was supposed to do.

“We’ve had some vibrant conversations in our trailer and a lot of discussions about going 340mph. We have parts that are faster, but we had to be smart. This car is set up to win a championship and when it warms up, like today, we need to be smart.”

Pro Stock’s Greg Anderson made the most of Saturday morning’s conditions, shattering the track E.T. record and taking the No. 1 spot for the fifth time this season with a spectacular run of 6.491s at 211.20mph in his HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro. It was nearly a picture-perfect run for the five-time world champion and Pro Stock’s winningest driver, earning his 128th career No. 1 qualifier in the process. Anderson has a Pro Stock-best six wins in Sonoma and will open raceday against Derrick Reese.

“I love coming here because it’s so fast but we have to rely on Mother Nature to do it for us,” Anderson said. “I love it when she shines on us like today and you can throw everything at it. I didn’t have a great day yesterday but today we had a turn of fortune. We made two great runs today.

“We have a good book on this place and when you come here, you don’t have to de-tune it. That’s a tribute to the guys in our engine shop. I love it here, from the track to the people – everyone is happy.”

Points leader Dallas Glenn took second with a 6.497s at 211.00mph and Eric Latino is third with a 6.501s at 210.60mph.

Eliminations for the Denso NHRA Sonoma Nationals begin at 10:30 a.m. PT on Sunday at Sonoma Raceway.

Kalitta sets Norwalk record to go No. 1 at NHRA Summit Nationals

Top Fuel points leader Doug Kalitta made the fastest run in track history on Saturday at Summit Motorsports Park, picking up the win in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge and cementing his No. 1 qualifier position at the 18th annual Summit Racing …

Austin Prock (Funny Car), Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) and Richard Gadson (Pro Stock Motorcycle) all won the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge, while Prock, Anderson and Matt Smith (Pro Stock Motorcycle) qualified No. 1 at the 10th of 20 races during the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season.

Kalitta stayed red-hot in the loaded Top Fuel ranks, picking up his first specialty race win of the year, going 3.703s at a track-record 337.16mph in his Applied Innovation/Toyota dragster to defeat Antron Brown’s 3.755s. It was an impressive performance in a stretch that has been filled with them for the defending world champion.

Friday’s track-record run of 3.692s held up as well at the home track for Kalitta Motorsports, handing the veteran his fourth No. 1 qualifier of the season and 57th in his career. He opens eliminations against Kyle Wurtzel, looking for his second straight win and third in the past four races.

“This just gets you ready on Saturday to go racing, and we’re having fun. I think all the drivers – and definitely me – we enjoy having the Mission Foods #2Fast2Tasty race and the format,” Kalitta said.

“The track turned out to be in great shape and the conditions were perfect to put down good numbers. The way my car is running, I’m just trying to get into a good routine. I’m certainly working at that and trying my best to be consistent. So far this weekend, I’ve been pretty steady and I’m looking forward to tomorrow.”

Justin Ashley jumped to the second spot during the final session, going 3.702s at 330.47mph, while Brown’s 3.717s at 333.33mph gave him the third spot. In all, 15 of the 16 qualified dragsters went 3.791s or quicker.

Funny Car’s Austin Prock enjoyed another spectacular Saturday in a year filled with terrific moments, winning his third straight Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge, this time over Bob Tasca III with a stellar, track-record pass of 3.853s at 330.55mph in his AAA Chevrolet Camaro SS. Tasca left the starting line first and delivered a strong 3.882s, but Prock tracked him down to stay on an impressive pace in the Funny Car ranks.

The pass was also an improvement from Friday’s provisional No. 1 qualifying run, as the Funny Car points leader earned an incredible seventh No. 1 spot in the first 10 races of the season. After winning the past two races, Prock will also look to make it three in a row, opening eliminations against Joe Morrison. Earlier this month in Bristol, Prock also qualified No. 1, won the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge and picked up the event win the next day.

“This feels really good, and we’re very blessed to be in this situation,” Prock said. “It’s a lot of hard work that goes into making these race cars run like this one has this year. I’ve said it all year, hats off to my guys, they’re making it easy on me. I can go up there and I believe in my car, and they’re giving me opportunities every weekend. It’s definitely helped my learning curve.

“It’s been a great year; the hard work is showing. Growing up, there was always a saying, ‘Races are won in the shop.’ We get to the racetrack and we’re prepared, our ducks are in a row and we’ve got a good notebook. We’re just executing that and trying to race smart and make smart decisions, then leave it up to me to let the pedal out and stomp the gas. It’s all been working out.”

J.R. Todd qualified second with a 3.865s at 332.02mph, while defending event winner Blake Alexander jumped to third after going 3.874s at 328.14mph in the final session.

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Anderson also made it a clean sweep through two days in Pro Stock, winning his second straight Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge after going 6.595s at 204.94mph in his Summit Racing Equipment/HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro to defeat longtime rival Erica Enders in the finals of the specialty race. After missing out on any bonus race wins since last year, the veteran has now won two in a row.

He also qualified No. 1 for the third time this year on the strength of Friday’s 6.592s at 207.69mph, putting him in a prime position to sweep the weekend. That would mean a great deal for Anderson, who has 105 career wins and is sporting a special Summit Racing Equipment wrap this weekend. He opens eliminations against Ohio native Larry Morgan.

“This has been a great week. I got here on Wednesday morning, spent all day at Summit and got to chat with all the great employees again. It was great to see them all and it fires you up, it makes you feel good,” Anderson said.

“To come over here to Summit Motorsports Park with the wrap I have on my car, it’s just a proud weekend for me. We’re off to a great start and we had another great day today. The car ran great, and we found our way to another Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge win. I guess we’re figuring that deal out. It’s all good and a great tuneup for tomorrow. The Summit Racing Equipment Nationals, that’s what I’m looking forward to, that’s the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow for me. I just really, really hope that I can come out tomorrow feeling as well as I did today. I’m looking forward to it.”

Enders, the defending world champion, stayed second, but improved to a 6.601s at 207.15mph, making that run in the specialty race final. Deric Kramer’s 6.605s at 208.17mph from Friday handed him the third spot.

In Pro Stock Motorcycle, Richard Gadson enjoyed a special moment, picking up his first win in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty after going 6.819s at 196.87mph on his RevZilla/Mission Foods/Vance & Hines Suzuki against John Hall, who beat Gaige Herrera in the opening round. Gadson took down Hector Arana Jr. earlier in the day, getting past Hall’s 6.857s in the finals.

“That round right there, that was big for me, to avenge my teammate. That was big. Before I walked out of the trailer, Gaige said to me, ‘Go do what I couldn’t do.’ That was a little booster,” Gadson said. “I’m having a blast and I just want to thank Mission Foods and NHRA for having this. It gets the juices flowing before Sunday. I love it.

“It gets you into race mode and you start to find your spot, you start to learn how your bike is reacting and how you’re reacting. Typically, you might not be worried about that stuff in qualifying, but it gets you amped up and into race mode. I love the format.”

Matt Smith earned his third No. 1 qualifier in the past four races, as his track-record run of 6.748s at 201.31mph from Friday on his Denso Auto Parts/Matt Smith Racing Buell easily held up. The six-time world champion enjoyed another strong effort in qualifying and will now to look to pick up his first win since September of last year. Since then, Herrera has won the past 10 races, but Smith has plenty of momentum heading into Sunday’s eliminations.

“We’ve been No. 1 two other times before this, but we have to get it done on Sunday. We have not done that this year like we need to,” Smith said. “Hopefully we can do that tomorrow. Tomorrow is going to be a totally different day from what it looks like. It’s going to be cooler and a lot drier. We’re just trying to get an MSR bike in the final and see if we can win this thing tomorrow.”

Angie Smith qualified second with a 6.798s at 200.26mph, while Herrera took third with a 6.799s at 198.88mph.

Eliminations for the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals begin at 11 a.m. ET on Sunday at Summit Motorsports Park.

Prock sets Norwalk track record en route to Friday No. 1 at NHRA Summit Nationals

Funny Car points leader Austin Prock set the track record on Friday at Summit Motorsports Park, powering to the provisional No. 1 qualifying position for John Force Racing at the 18th annual Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals. Doug Kalitta (Top …

Doug Kalitta (Top Fuel), Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) and Matt Smith (Pro Stock Motorcycle) are also the provisional No. 1 qualifiers at the 10th of 20 races during the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season.

Prock made the quickest run in both sessions on Friday, going 3.863s at 327.51mph under the lights in his AAA Chevrolet Camaro SS, which also puts him in line for a remarkable seventh No. 1 qualifier in 10 races.

Prock is the only John Force Racing driver competing this weekend in Norwalk, as John Force remains hospitalized following his crash on Sunday during the first round of eliminations at Virginia Motorsports Park. His daughter, Brittany, is also not racing this weekend in Top Fuel, remaining at the hospital with her father and family.

“That was a heck of a lick right there tonight and two great runs for us today,” Prock said. “I’m thinking of Brittany and John, and the whole Force family. I miss all of them out here – it’s just not the same. But the race car is running [well] and that always helps a little bit.

“It’s just how hard this team works. My dad (Jimmy), Thomas and Nate have been doing a really good job analyzing the racetrack and making the right decisions. How this car is running, it’s really shortening my learning curve because I’ve had so many attempts up there. We’ve made a lot of runs already this year. I’m really proud to be behind the wheel. We had a great day today, got to get our minds off the world for a little bit and just go to work and try to make John Force Racing proud.”

J.R. Todd jumped up to the second spot under the lights in Norwalk, going 3.865s at 332.02mph, and Bob Tasca III is currently third with a run of 3.894s at 323.74mph.

Reigning Top Fuel world champ Doug Kalitta made the most of his run under the lights in Norwalk, vaulting to the top spot with an impressive run of 3.692s at 332.92mph in his Applied Innovation/Toyota dragster. It was the only run in the 3.60s in the category, as Kalitta and his team, led by crew chief Alan Johnson, had an aggressive approach after struggling during the first run. It certainly worked, as the Top Fuel points leader now has a chance to earn his fourth No. 1 qualifier of the season. After winning two of the last three races, Kalitta also continued his strong momentum and put on a show at the home track for Kalitta Motorsports.

“That 3.69s was a solid run. The conditions were great, the track – they have this place in very good condition — and once again the hospitality the Baders have for the fans is outstanding,” Kalitta said. “It just ended up being a really good night for us. The Kalitta Motorsports effort was good tonight, and hopefully our main man John Force is proud of us. Best wishes for him.

“For Alan and the guys tuning, they went up there to throw down, and it stuck. It was really an incredible run for us.”

Antron Brown went to second after his run of 3.722s at 330.72mph and Tripp Tatum is third on the strength of his 3.739s at 324.36mph.

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In Pro Stock, Greg Anderson was the only driver to dip into the 6.50s, making a strong run right off the trailer and taking the No. 1 spot with a pass of 6.592s at 207.69mph in his Summit Racing Equipment/HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro. Sporting a special Summit Racing Equipment wrap for this weekend’s race in Norwalk, Anderson delivered a strong run that could give the five-time world champion his third No. 1 qualifier of the year and the 127th in his career. This event has always meant a great deal for the winningest driver in Pro Stock and Anderson would love nothing more than to pick up his fourth career victory at “America’s Racetrack.”

“[The first session] went great. It was perfect, actually,” Anderson said. “In Q2, I should have just stayed at the trailer. We had a $5 part fail — a relay that fires the ignition coils. I had no spark, the car started up and it killed the ignition. It shut right off after two seconds of running and I was dead in the water.

“No matter what, I have to call today a success. I ran great the first run, but I feel like I could have run even better on the second run. I think it’s there, it’s ready to run well, and the car looks and runs great. It just feels like home racing here at Summit Motorsports Park.”

Erica Enders, the defending world champion, put together a strong effort in the second session and currently sits No. 2 with a 6.601s at 207.15mph. Deric Kramer’s 6.605s at 208.17mph puts him third.

Qualifying continues to go well for six-time Pro Stock Motorcycle world champion Matt Smith, going a track-record 6.748s at 201.31mph on his Denso Auto Parts/Matt Smith Racing Buell. It puts Smith in line for his third No. 1 qualifier in the past four races as the bike continues to impress in qualifying. He ended Gaige Herrera’s string of No. 1 qualifiers in Chicago and has controlled that area recently, but Smith is focused on getting the job done on Sunday. Friday’s run gives him a good start on the weekend, but Herrera has been unbeatable for the past 10 races, something Smith hopes to change this weekend.

“Qualifying doesn’t mean anything if you can’t back it up on Sunday, and that’s what I’ve learned so far this year,” Smith said. “We’ve had a good bike in qualifying a couple races and we haven’t closed the deal. But we’re right where we should be here, and all in all, I’m happy with our Denso/Outlaw Beer bike. We’ve got a great team right now – Angie (Smith) is second, Jianna (Evaristo) is fourth. We have three bikes in the top four right now, [and] we just have to keep digging.”

A. Smith is currently second with a 6.798s at 200.26mph, while Herrera is right behind after going 6.799s at 198.88mph.

Qualifying at the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals continues at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday at Summit Motorsports Park.

A day in the life of an always-moving Doug Kalitta

It’s quarter past eight on a Thursday morning in Ypsilanti, Michigan, and Doug Kalitta is making the rounds. Kalitta Turbines is the first stop, the aircraft engine maintenance and repair shop. As he explains the operations of each room or shows off …

It’s quarter past eight on a Thursday morning in Ypsilanti, Michigan, and Doug Kalitta is making the rounds.

Kalitta Turbines is the first stop, the aircraft engine maintenance and repair shop. As he explains the operations of each room or shows off one engine after another, Kalitta interacts with employees. It might be a simple greeting, or an inquiry into how their current task is progressing.

Before returning to the front of the building, where you’ll find an engine turned into a glass-top coffee table, Kalitta takes a quick trip outside to show off how the expansion is going. Having more room is much needed. Business, as they say, is booming.

With everything in order, Kalitta heads to the next location. The administration building is a stone’s throw away and it, too, is operating as usual. On the days when Kalitta does make an appearance, it’s usually pretty quick for invoicing or signing checks.

“But the engine shop always has something going on,” Kalitta says. “The guy I have running things likes to have somebody to vent on. A lot of the time, some of the managers just want to have someone to explain what’s going on and actually understand what they’re talking about. A lot of it is moral support and making sure everyone has what they need.”

Kalitta Turbines and the administration offices are located on Tyler Road, less than five minutes from Willow Run Airport. It is there where the Kalitta family has quite a presence. Kalitta Charters, which Doug Kalitta owns and Kalitta Air, founded by Connie Kalitta, are based here.

There are multiple buildings to handle all the operations, which Doug navigates easily as he continues his daily check-ins. Kalitta not only runs the business but is a pilot himself. And as of November, he’s also the reigning NHRA Top Fuel champion.

Around here, however, he’s just Doug.

At least that’s how Kalitta carries himself. While employees are well aware of his stature and, in between talking airplanes, might offer congratulations on a recent victory or ask where the next race is, Kalitta is focused on business. It’s almost as if his two worlds aren’t co-existing, and the only thing Kalitta needs to be concerned about is attending the 10 a.m. daily meetings.

“My nightmare,” Kalitta says as he looks over one of the cargo planes, “is worrying about pilots.” It’s a competitive business and like race car drivers, pilots come and go for various reasons.

Connie Kalitta, who is putting his signature on various items in his office, gets a greeting from Doug on the way by. There’s a bit of NFL draft talk in another office. A closed-door visit with the family lawyer in a section of the building where his business has set up shop to be nearby.

Kalitta Charters offers various services, and there are planes littering the map. One of the most rewarding jobs, Kalitta admits, is medical transport. It’s a collaboration with AirMed, and the planes are customized to serve as an air ambulance for an individual in need or a medical professional traveling with a transplant.

Kalitta is fifth on the NHRA’s all-time Top Fuel wins list, but when he’s on the clock with his assorted companies, he’s all business. Image via NHRA

At any time, Kalitta can check one of the many screens and see where the planes are (there are 60 planes and 400 people in the company). Or those of the competition.

Medical. Cargo. Passenger. Live animals (yes, like for Sea World). Hazmat. U.S. Department of Defense, U.S. Department of Justice and U.S. Department of Energy. All can be handled by the Kalitta Charters business. Elton John band members have also traveled by Kalitta plane.

One of the most important contracts — for about 15 years now — Kalitta has with the military is bringing home fallen military members. He takes great pride in ensuring a personal and intimate experience for grieving families and that everything is handled and represented well.

Kalitta grew up within a few miles of a Mount Clemens, the Michigan military base. Having jets fly above the house every day was normal, and it’s where his fascination with airplanes began. After graduating high school, Kalitta went to work for Connie’s race team but became even more intrigued by airplanes (since his uncle now owned them) and realized he wanted to be at the airport during the week.

“It’s just cool,” Doug says of flying.

Kalitta doesn’t take the bait about which of his two passions — the airline and racing — is the hobby and which is the job. But he admits that racing has forced him to understand that he can’t do everything, and it’s critical to any successful venture to hire the right people and build the right teams.

Kalitta likes being busy, though. On this day, his navy L.L. Bean jacket over a button-up shirt with black khaki pants and dress shoes never comes off. He’s constantly on the move.

“I don’t know how he does it,” one employee says in passing as Kalitta is off, they think, with the sales folks.

Fortunately for Kalitta, being on the move today doesn’t include having to make any trips to the company’s other locations in Ohio or California. There are multiple Kalitta brands: Kalitta Turbines, Kalitta Air, Kalitta Charters, Kalitta Charters II, DK Turbines, AirNet II and Kalitta Accessories.

When Kalitta does return from meeting with sales, it’s not to sit down. We’re off again, now well past 4pm, seeing more of the all-encompassing operation on the Kalitta campus that no matter where you turn, there are model airplanes. One large room has a setup for emergency exits, rafts and life vest training.

There is a building that houses training rooms and multiple state-of-the-art simulators. Kalitta asks its operators which one is currently available and then puts RACER in the pilot’s seat as he sits as co-pilot. The scene, which is realistic to the point of feeling all too real if something were to go wrong, is downtown Los Angeles.

It is smooth and natural as Kalitta points out switches and gives instructions. He even suggests buzzing the buildings.

Whether flying a plane or driving a Top Fuel dragster, Kalitta says he’s “super-comfortable.”. Image via NHRA

“I’m super comfortable doing both,” says Kalitta of whether driving the dragster or flying the plane is more stressful. “It’s no problem; fly (in) and hop in the car.”

Before leaving the simulator building, Kalitta pops into one of the training rooms where there is a meeting happening. “Hey, boss,” is the greeting. Once the business talk is done, the conversation shifts to the upcoming race weekend, Kalitta’s outlook, and when everyone is flying out.

“Good luck,” rings out through the room as Kalitta leaves.

A typical day might end around 6:30pm or so. Kalitta can then be found at the race shop if he doesn’t go home. There are times when Kalitta slips in and out without notice. But if he’s sitting in the cockpit and working the practice tree (which is precisely the length away it would be at the track), the noise through the ceiling alerts employees that Kalitta is there.

“The changes we made over the winter, it’s really fun to see how it’s all coming together with the performance of all three of our cars,” says Kalitta, who is now sitting in his office where he still has to get caught up on paperwork from the day.

The room only has a hint of racing, with a few hats and a small Champagne bottle on one of the bookcase shelves. On the door, however, a mini pinata in the shape of a No. 1 that was taped on the glass after his championship feat is still there.

Kalitta’s thoughts about the season continue, “Everybody has a little extra skip in their step. Hopefully, all the other teams see us coming and are intimidated. Whatever it takes to win these rounds.”

Usually, as race weekend gets closer and when Kalitta leaves Michigan, things slow down. His focus shifts to driving, and very rarely does something so important come up with the airline that it needs his attention.

With the next day being the start of race weekend, in this case for the 4-Wide Nationals at zMAX Dragway, Kalitta plans on leaving before noon since he has media obligations before qualifying begins. On the plane, which Kalitta will pilot, will be Connie, his son Mitch, and a handful of others.

Just like in the simulator, Kalitta seamlessly goes through the motions when in the cockpit. It’s a clear day without noticeable turbulence.

Halfway through the flight, Kalitta pulls out his iPad and starts doing math. He then turns over his right shoulder to me, observing from the jump seat and shows 547.2 on the calculator.

“Does it feel that fast?” Kalitta asks.

Undoubtedly, it doesn’t to Kalitta. A man who, no matter where or what he’s doing, is always at full speed.

Prock grabs emotional win for JFR at NHRA Virginia Nationals

Funny Car points leader Austin Prock won his second straight race on Sunday for John Force Racing, defeating Bob Tasca III in the final round with the quickest run of the weekend at the PlayNHRA Virginia Nationals. Doug Kalitta (Top Fuel), Aaron …

Doug Kalitta (Top Fuel), Aaron Stanfield (Pro Stock) and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also won the ninth of 20 races during the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season.

Prock went 3.921s at 327.90mph in his Cornwell Tools Chevrolet Camaro SS to power past Tasca and pick up his third win of 2024 in his debut season in Funny Car. Prock dedicated the win to his boss, legendary Funny Car driver John Force, who was involved in a crash in the first round of eliminations on Sunday.

Force suffered an engine explosion at the finish line and then crossed the centerline, striking both guard walls before coming to a stop. The 16-time world champion was alert and was examined onsite before being transported to a local medical facility for further evaluation.

“This win is definitely dedicated to John Force,” Prock said. “This is one for the books and there were a lot of emotions today and we had to battle a bunch of adversity. This trophy is definitely going back to him. I wanted to get it done for him and this is really special. I’m super proud of this team to get it done with everything that went on and keeping my head together.

“We wanted to get it done for him, but I almost felt like I was feeling the pressure early on in the day. I drove terrible in the second and third round. This team’s busting their tail out in this heat, and I don’t want to be the weak link and I wanted to get it done for John.”

Prock reached the final round with wins against Cruz Pedregon, Ron Capps and defending world champ Matt Hagan, while Tasca advanced to the championship round for the second time this season with victories against Dave Richards, Tim Wilkerson and Blake Alexander.

Pro Stock Motorcycle’s Gaige Herrera added yet another record in his amazing two-year run on Sunday, going 6.755s at 199.26mph on his RevZilla/Mission Foods/Vance & Hines Suzuki to defeat teammate Richard Gadson in the final round. With the victory, the defending world champion set the record for the most consecutive wins in NHRA history, winning his 10th straight race on his Suzuki and eclipsing the previous mark set by Bob Glidden.

He also now has 39 straight round wins, setting that record on Sunday as well. Herrera, who stayed undefeated in 2024 and hasn’t lost since early September of last year, defeated Chris Bostick and John Hall to reach the finals, picking up his fifth victory of the year and 16th since the beginning of last year, continuing an absolutely historic and dominant run.

“It’s kind of hard to process all of it,” Herrera said. “The amount of accomplishments that have been achieved in such a short time, I tried to sit back and just think about it, and it’s very hard, because there are so many of them. I have to thank Andrew [Hines, crew chief] and basically picking me out of a haystack to ride for them. I’ve got to give it all up to Andrew and all the guys at the shop. None of this is possible without them.

“It’s very surreal. Getting the 10 consecutive wins, I think that’s the biggest thing that really hasn’t set in. Last year, we were feeling like we were doing very good and making everyone else have to step up, so this year, if we go out there and do like we did last year, I think this year is really going to hit us in the face and make us realize what we’re doing right now.”

Gadson reached his first career final round after defeating Eiji Kawakami, Jianna Evaristo and Hector Arana Jr.

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Doug Kalitta continued to roll in the Top Fuel ranks, defeating teammate Shawn Langdon in the final round with a weekend-best run of 3.752s at 333.41mph in his Mac Tools dragster. Kalitta, the defending world champion, added to his points lead en route to his third win this year – also advancing to his third straight final round – and 55th victory in his career.

It’s the veteran’s first win at Virginia Motorsports Park since 2007 and his day included round wins against Cam Ferre, Josh Hart and Tony Stewart. That set up a marquee matchup with his Kalitta Motorsports teammate in the finals, guaranteeing a fifth team win in 2024 through the first nine events. Kalitta pulled away from Langdon under the lights, making the first Top Fuel run in the 3.70s this weekend.

“It’s been good [this year],” Kalitta said. “We’ve worked to get to this point for a long time and to see it come together, it seems like just getting down the track is just half the battle most of the days you’re out here, and that’s been key with my tune-up and the performance of that thing. Alan (Johnson, crew chief) just seems to have a lot of tricks up his sleeve when it comes to moving through those different conditions. What we’ve had today was a big swing from normal.

“These crew chiefs out here, it’s incredible. I’m really fortunate to have Alan tuning my car. He’s proven time and time again that he can figure out different conditions. We’re just real, it seemed like the first year he was on my car, we changed a lot of stuff around. Right now, with what we picked up on at the middle of last year and carried into this year, everybody is doing their job. The consistency of putting that thing together is really good right now with the guys. It’s just a big team effort.”

Langdon, who moved to second in points, defeated Lex Joon, Steve Torrence and Antron Brown to reach the finals for the fourth time this year.

In Pro Stock, Aaron Stanfield gave Elite Motorsports its third straight victory in the category, as he drove past points leader Dallas Glenn in the final round with a run of 6.614s at 207.15mph in his Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage/Janac Brothers car. It is Stanfield’s first victory of the season and the ninth in his career, as he also won for the first time at Virginia Motorsports Park.

He reached the finals after defeating Val Smeland, Troy Coughlin Jr. and Greg Anderson, posting an outstanding 0.007s reaction time against Glenn to get the win and get some revenge after Glenn won their final-round matchup in Chicago.

“It was definitely a long hot race day for sure,” Stanfield said. “Dallas has got me a couple times here the past couple of races and it was good to get them back right there. I was blessed with the opportunity to represent JHG this year, and it’s good to finally be able to pull off that wind representing their brand.

“It’s just a special day. I have my little girl [Oakley] with me here today, and for her to see me win, now she can understand why dad’s gone so much, so, it’s just a special, special day for me.”

Glenn, who remained in the points lead, knocked off Mason McGaha, Deric Kramer and Bo Butner to reach the finals.

The NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series returns to action June 27-30 with the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals at Summit Motorsports Park in Norwalk, Ohio.

J. Force, Kalitta and Coughlin Jr. claim New England Nationals wins

John Force finished off an impressive double-up weekend in front of another sellout crowd on Sunday at New England Dragway, as the 16-time Funny Car world champion outran teammate Austin Prock in the final round of the 11th annual NHRA New England Nationals. Doug Kalitta (Top Fuel) and Troy Coughlin Jr. (Pro Stock) also took wins at the seventh round of the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season. It was the second straight sellout for the NHRA this weekend.

In an all-John Force Racing Funny Car final round, Force went 4.081s at 319.29 mph in his PEAK Chevrolet Camaro SS in the finals to slip past Prock’s 4.096 at 316.38. It gave the legendary driver his second victory of the season, third at New England Dragway and 157th in his career.

He reached the finals by defeating Buddy Hull, Blake Alexander and J.R. Todd, holding off Prock in a thrilling side-by-side duel. Force also won the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge on Saturday, with Sunday’s double-up victory pushing him to second in points in what has truly been a remarkable season for the longtime star.

“I love the crowds. For three days they packed them in. I came here 40-something years ago and this place is special,” Force said. “We had a good race car and what keeps me alive is driving this hotrod and all these fans.

“I’m down right now because don’t like beating my teammate in the final. He is the future. I love that kid. He’s going to be here for a long time and Robert [Hight] will be coming back. I’m not being dramatic, but my time is up. It was up when I was 65. Hell, it was up when I turned 50. The world is changing for me and I’ve got to do some real thinking. I’m not quitting today. I’m going to Bristol, but I just know I’m not what I used to be.”

Prock, who jumped back into the points lead in the category and was also the No. 1 qualifier, went to the championship round for the fourth time in 2024 and 12th time overall with wins over Mike Smith, Chad Green and Daniel Wilkerson.

In Top Fuel, Doug Kalitta enjoyed his own special moment on Sunday at New England Dragway, defeating Tony Schumacher in the final round with a pass of 3.802 at 332.92 in his MAC Tools/Toyota dragster. The victory clinched an impressive mark for the reigning world champ, as Kalitta now has a win at every track on the NHRA circuit. It’s another remarkable achievement for the veteran, who has been riding high since clinching his first world title last year.

On Sunday, Kalitta, who also qualified No. 1 and ran well all weekend, defeated Scott Farley, Tony Stewart and Kalitta Motorsports teammate Shawn Langdon to reach the finals. He powered past Schumacher in the championship round, earning his second win of the season — and vaulting to second in points — and the 54th in his career.

“Coming in here, my goal was to try and get the win. This is the last place haven’t won. I didn’t want to put a lot of attention on it, but it’s hard not to,” Kalitta said. “This was incredible. We’ve been digging hard and I was just trying not to screw it up.”

“Then on Saturday, we got set up for our tribute to Scott [Kalitta]. It’s great to have an opportunity to have a good meal with a lot of the teams and I know it means a lot to Connie. He loves this sport. It was a good time to be able to pull off this win. It was super special.”

Schumacher advanced to his second final round of the season and the 159th of his career after defeating Brittany Force, Josh Hart and Clay Millican. Justin Ashley stayed in the points lead, though Kalitta closed the gap to just 26 points on Sunday.

Troy Coughlin Jr. turned in a stellar day on Sunday in Pro Stock, capping things off with a holeshot victory over reigning world champion and Elite Motorsports teammate Erica Enders in the final round. Coughlin went 6.584 at 210.05 in his JEGS.com/White Castle Pro Stock car, holding off Enders’ hard-charging 6.563 at 210.54 on the strength of an impressive .013 reaction time. It is Coughlin’s first win of the 2024 season – and first at New England Dragway – and also the fifth Pro Stock victory in his career.

After qualifying second, Coughlin reached the final round for the first time this season by defeating Brandon Miller, Aaron Stanfield and points leader Dallas Glenn. That set up a marquee final round, but Coughlin’s strong reaction time was just enough to ward off the six-time champion.

“It was definitely a wonderful day,” Coughlin said. “Erica is fast. She hits the tree well and it’s an honor just to race her. When I practice every week on a simulator, you’re asking nothing more of yourself than you do each week on the track. You’re just racing yourself and you need to be that way when you’re running a champ like Erica.

“In the final I just tried to crush it and make my best lap. I got there by four thousandths of a second and here we are.”

Enders, who was the No. 1 qualifier, reached her 81st career final round thanks to wins against Fernando Cuadra Jr., Deric Kramer and Jerry Tucker, coming up just short in the bid for her 50th career national event win.

The NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series returns to action June 7-9 with the 23rd annual Super Grip NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals at Bristol Dragway in Bristol, Tenn.

Kalitta, Prock, Enders go No. 1 on Friday at New England Nationals

Reigning Top Fuel world champion Doug Kalitta made the quickest run of both sessions on Friday at New England Dragway, taking the provisional No. 1 spot at the 11th annual NHRA New England Nationals. Austin Prock (Funny Car) and Erica Enders (Pro …

Reigning Top Fuel world champion Doug Kalitta made the quickest run of both sessions on Friday at New England Dragway, taking the provisional No. 1 spot at the 11th annual NHRA New England Nationals.

Austin Prock (Funny Car) and Erica Enders (Pro Stock) are also the provisional No. 1 qualifiers at the seventh of 20 races during the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season.

Kalitta went 3.700s at 332.84mph under the lights in his Mac Tools dragster as part of a thrilling side-by-side run with Steve Torrence, maintaining his No. 1 spot from earlier in the day. It puts the veteran in position for his third No. 1 qualifier of the season and 56th in his career. New England Dragway is also the only track on the NHRA tour where Kalitta hasn’t won, which is something the 53-time event winner would love to change this weekend.

“I was really confident and real hopeful,” Kalitta said. “The car left good and smooth and really happy once I figured we got the quick time. This track is on my radar [as the last one] to get to a final and finally get a win.

“This is last on the list and the history here is incredible and the area around this place is fantastic. Hats off to Alan Johnson and Mac Savage and all the guys working on this thing. The Toyota guys have been helping us with the track and I can’t thank them enough. All our cars ran well that session.”

Torrence took the second spot with a strong 3.702s at 335.23mph and Brittany Force, who did not qualify at the most recent event in Chicago, jumped to third with a 3.715s at a track-record 335.57mph.

In Funny Car, Austin Prock continued to impress in qualifying on Friday, delivering a standout run of 3.837s at 336.23mph in his AAA Chevrolet Camaro SS. It puts Prock, who is second in points, on track for an impressive fifth No. 1 qualifier in the first seven races of the season as the former NHRA Rookie of the Year continues to show his talents in a new category. Prock has adjusted well in his first year in the loaded Funny Car ranks and made a pair of solid runs on Friday as he attempts to pick up his first career victory at New England Dragway.

“It’s surreal just holding on to the wheel,” Prock said. “Kudos to my dad [Jimmy] and brother [Thomas]. They’re making really smart decisions, and it’s really impressive watching them work. They’ve been in the right spot at right time and we’re getting the job done.

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“I got a little John Force in me. I never know where I’m at. On the first run, I didn’t have it staged shallow and it cost me the top spot. I had to walk back to the trailer with my tail between legs. It was so bad, my dad could see it. As soon as I crossed the finish line I apologized on the radio but on the second run they bailed me out with a 3.83s with a really good mph.”

Prock’s boss, legendary Funny Car racer John Force, is in second with a run of 3.865s at 333.16mph and J.R. Todd is in third after the first two qualifying sessions, going 3.865s at 327.74mph.

A two-time Pro Stock winner at New England Dragway, defending world champ Erica Enders enjoyed a terrific start to her weekend, going a blistering 6.488s at 211.79mph in her Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage/Melling Performance/Scag Power Equipment car. Should that hold, Enders would pick up her third top spot of 2024, as Enders was the only driver to reach the 6.40s on Friday. The biggest thing for Enders is picking up her 50th career national event victory, something she’s been chasing for a handful of events now. After Friday’s terrific start, it could happen this weekend for Enders.

“Well, my guys have really been studying up and have been working hard this past week and put their heads together,” Enders said. “We’re running our race car just a little bit differently. Earlier in that session, the starting line wasn’t there but the air was. We thought we could go 0.49s then with the sun down and cooler track temps, we thought we could get after it a little bit more and we threw a 0.48s on the board. I love racing up here in Epping and I’m just really grateful and I’m having fun again.

“When I let go of clutch the wheels were up and that makes you think you’re on a run. Then you’ve just got to keep it in groove and hit all your shifts, and I was able to do that. I could tell it was good when my guys were excited on the radio.”

Troy Coughlin Jr. is currently second thanks to a run of 6.510s at 211.46mph and points leader Dallas Glenn is third after going 6.529s at 210.57mph.

Qualifying continues at 12 p.m. on Saturday at the NHRA New England Nationals at New England Dragway.

Kalitta takes second No. 1 at Charlotte 4-Wide

Defending Top Fuel world champion Doug Kalitta enjoyed his second straight No. 1 qualifier, cementing the top spot on Saturday at zMAX Dragway at the 14th annual NHRA 4-Wide Nationals in Charlotte. John Force (Funny Car), Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also qualified No. 1 for the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series event.

Kalitta’s run of 3.691s at 337.92mph from Friday in his Mac Tools dragster held up through two rounds of qualifying on Saturday, handing the reigning world champion his second straight No. 1 spot and the 55th in his career. The result of taking the top position worked well in Las Vegas for Kalitta, as he claimed his first career four-wide win and he’ll look to replicate that on Sunday in Charlotte, also finishing qualifying with a strong 3.710s at 332.18mph.

“We kind of struggled a little bit today. We put this other blower on and just had a little bit too much power in that first run and smoked the tires, and then that last run, we got right to the finish line and kind of took care of that blower, unfortunately,” Kalitta said. “So we’re going to have to start from scratch again. But now that we’ve got our setup that we’ve been running, we’re going to be in good shape for tomorrow.”

Antron Brown clinched the second spot thanks to his 3.698s at 332.18mph, while points leader Justin Ashley’s 3.701s at 334.32mph, which happened during his winning run in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge, sent him to the third spot.

In Funny Car, John Force stayed in the top spot thanks to Friday’s track E.T. record of 3.820s at 330.96mph in his PEAK Performance Chevrolet Camaro SS. It gives the legendary 16-time world champion his first No. 1 qualifier of the season and the 167th in his iconic career, putting him in a strong position for eliminations on Sunday. Force is aiming for his second win this season, closing out qualifying with a solid pass as well.

“I’ve got a real good Camaro and I’m learning how to drive it,” Force said. “It was a good day for my good chiefs. We tried to run it hard earlier [in the third qualifying session] and had a problem then came back and got cloud cover and ran [3.85s]. Now we’ve got to race tomorrow, and that’s a whole new baby. So we’ll see what happens but I’m having fun with my teams and my sponsors.”

Bob Tasca, who won the 4-Wide Nationals in Las Vegas two weeks ago, took second with a 3.834s at 338.34mph, setting the track speed record and also claiming the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge win. Points leader Austin Prock is third with a 3.852s at 333.58mph.

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Pro Stock’s Greg Anderson finished as the No. 1 qualifier on the strength of Friday’s run of 6.500s at 210.90mph in his HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro, but Saturday certainly featured plenty of other headlines. His qualifying run in the third session – as part of the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge – was disqualified due to a technical violation after bypassing a safety device. It eliminated that pass and took Anderson out of the specialty event, as his replacement, Erica Enders, went on to win the Challenge.

But Anderson still has momentum as the No. 1 qualifier at the home track for KB Titan Racing. He’s after his second victory this season after picking up his first top spot of 2024 and the remarkable 125th in his standout career.

“I’m not sure where to start but yesterday in Q2 we had an issue with our ECU [Electronic Control Unit] where the engine wasn’t getting a spark,” Anderson said. “We had a mad thrash in the pits and in the process, one of my guys disconnected a wire that goes to the system that deploys the parachutes in the event of low air pressure. In the process, he forgot to plug that wire back in so our win in the (Mission) #2Fast2Tasty Challenge was disallowed.

“I beat Jeg and Erica and David Cuadra, and then the bottom fell out. It was a simple mistake, but we lost the run and lost the win. Otherwise, the car ran great. It was just a crazy day but it’s over now and I’m ready for race day. Tomorrow, we’re going to make damn sure all the wires are where they should be. I’ve got a really good race car and we’re going to give it all we’ve got.”

Cristian Cuadra qualified second with a 6.507s at 210.18mph and Aaron Stanfield took third thanks to a 6.508s at 209.92mph.

Gaige Herrera’s qualifying dominance in Pro Stock Motorcycle continued on Saturday in Charlotte, but it took until the final session when the defending world champ put together a track-record run of 6.671s at 202.70mph on his RevZilla/Mission Foods/Vance & Hines Suzuki. It’s the quickest run in zMAX Dragway history and also hands Herrera his 11th straight No. 1 qualifier dating back to last season. It’s already the 16th career top spot for the young phenom, who will look to stay perfect this season on Sunday.

“Yesterday, we had a malfunction on the first run that set us back, and then we ran 6.68s on the second and that was a good run,” Herrera said. “Today, I ran a 6.70s and then that 6.67s and that’s just our team learning how to fine-tune the new fuel. There was not much left on my bike. It went straight and required very little correction. Tomorrow will be a lot of fun.”

Matt Smith’s 6.685s at 201.61mph from Friday qualified him in the second spot, while LE Tonglet is third after his 6.703s at 200.77mph from Friday as well.

Eliminations for the NHRA 4-Wide Nationals begin at 12 p.m. ET on Sunday at zMAX Dragway in Charlotte.

Kalitta, Hagan, Enders race to titles at NHRA finals in Pomona

Top Fuel veteran Doug Kalitta claimed his first career NHRA world championship on Sunday at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip, knocking off Leah Pruett in a winner-take-all final round, while Funny Car’s Matt Hagan gave Tony Stewart Racing its first …

Erica Enders (Pro Stock) also secured the championship on Sunday at the 21st race of the 2023 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season, and the last of six races in the Countdown to the Championship playoffs. Gaige Herrera earned the Pro Stock Motorcycle world title on Saturday.

Kalitta powered to a Sunday-best run of 3.673s at 334.98mph in his Mac Tools/Toyota dragster in the final round, driving past Pruett’s run of 3.720s at 326.16mph to pick up his third win of the season. After six runner-up finishes in his 26-year career, Kalitta finished the job on Sunday to win a world title for the first time.

On a pressure-packed Sunday, Kalitta knocked off Dan Mercier, Josh Hart and Justin Ashley to set up an incredible final round with Pruett. Kalitta led wire-to-wire, setting off a raucous celebration on the starting line as the veteran had finally achieved the ultimate goal in the sport.

“It’s incredible the way the points thing worked out to come down to that last run,” said Kalitta, who won for the third time this season and 52nd time in his career. “I just stay focused. It was obviously a big round for us and it played out just perfectly. It’s just one of those deals get to the end of the track and I cannot believe these guys are cheering and high-fiving as I get around the corner because I missed seeing the win light.

“When we got to semis with the cars still in, you’re just wishing and hoping for the best really. This is one of the coolest places to run, with the museum and just the history of the NHRA, and I’ve heard all the stories back in the day with Connie (Kalitta), and this is just like the pinnacle for me. It’s hard to believe. I’ve always dreamed about this opportunity over the years and thanks to my guys for making it happen. I appreciate all the support I’ve gotten from the fans and we’re taking this trophy back home.”

Hagan clinched his fourth world championship in his Dodge Direct Connection Charger SRT Hellcat during a wild second round on Sunday at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip. With Hagan, Robert Hight and Bob Tasca III separated by just 17 points entering race day, all three won the opening round, but each lost during the quarterfinals. Tasca fell first, then Hagan and it came down to Hight’s matchup with Chad Green. But Hight also smoked the tires, handing the championship to Hagan.

It’s the fourth world title for Hagan, joining John Force, Kenny Bernstein and Don Prudhomme as the only drivers to win four or more Funny Car world championships in NHRA history. To get there, Hagan was consistent throughout, picking up six victories and advancing to eight final rounds. He held the points lead for the bulk of the regular season and then got hot at a key time in the Countdown to the Championship, winning back-to-back races in St. Louis and Dallas to take the points lead for good. That proved critical during the wild turn of events on Sunday, one that gave Hagan his place in history.

“It’s just one of those things, you hate to have to stand there and watch someone go out to win a championship,” Hagan said. “That’s just not my style of racing and not how I want to win one. But it’s really about the body of work we did all year and coming in here and being ahead in points and being able to have that opportunity. I just can’t say enough about every single one of my guys that wrench on the car. They’re all coming back next year and everyone’s excited about that. Tony Stewart, to get his first championship out here in second year in NHRA, it’s unbelievable.

“I think it speaks volumes to the group he’s assembled and the people we put around and the leader he is as a team owner and just as a guy. It’s unbelievable we were able to do that this year. It’s super special for me, and it puts you in a caliber of drivers, you look up and you go, ‘How is it possible, I’m not that good.’ I know I’m not that good because I’ve surrounded myself with people who are better than me. That’s the only reason I’m in this position. It’s pretty incredible.”

Erica Enders’ path to a sixth world championship in Pro Stock was simple on Sunday: simply win the opening round of eliminations. After qualifying third, the winningest female in NHRA history took care of business, knocking off Fernando Cuadra with a run of 6.502s at 210.80mph in her Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage/Melling Performance Chevrolet Camaro. It gave Enders her sixth world championship, much to the delight of the crowd, tying her with Warren Johnson for the second-most in Pro Stock history.

It was also a resounding bounce back for Enders, who struggled mightily to open the 2023 campaign. But Enders and her Elite Motorsports team turned things around at the perfect time, as she moved into the points lead at the halfway mark in the Countdown to the Championship and then added to her lead with victories in Dallas and Las Vegas. That put her in command and Enders finished with her fourth world title in the past five years and four victories this season. Her victory in Dallas also gave her the most wins by any female in NHRA history and a sixth championship will only add to her legacy.

“On the heels of a career-best season last year, anything is going to be challenging,” Enders said. “It took us seven races to figure out our issue and I owe my guys all my credit in the world. The message this year is tenacity and consistency, and digging through all of it prevailing when it matters. I have to thank my guys for that.

“It was a dogfight and I’m really thankful for the position we were in. When my guys’ back are against the wall, they perform and we execute and makes me so proud to be their driver. I think word that describes this year is tenacity. Every championship has its story and this season is another reminder of why you don’t give up. You doubt yourself and it’s digging yourself out that ditch and that’s what this season is about.”

The 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series begins March 7-10 with the NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway.