because you want to SEE it

Kalitta Motorsports

1 2 3 62

FES LIGHTING RENEWS KALITTA MOTORSPORTS CORPORATE PARTNERSHIP AS PRIMARY AND ASSOCIATE PARTNER

YPSILANTI, MI – If it’s not broken, don’t fix it. After a successful inaugural campaign last season, Future Energy Solutions (FES) Lighting, a national “Lighting-As-A-Service” provider, extended its Kalitta Motorsports agreement to be a primary partner on Shawn Langdon’s Top Fuel dragster. The 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series resumes April 5-7, 2024 at the NHRA Arizona Nationals in Glendale, Ariz.

FES will be the primary partner on Langdon’s car at the Gerber Collision and Glass NHRA Route 66 Nationals presented by Peak Performance May 16-18, 2024 in Joliet, Ill. In addition, FES is a full-season associate partner on the Top Fuel dragsters driven by Langdon and reigning NHRA Top Fuel champion Doug Kalitta.

FES completed the lighting upgrade at more than 20 Kalitta Air buildings that comprise its facilities in Oscoda and Ypsilanti, Mich. After a successful first phase, a second phase is underway to complete the balance of the facilities; Kalitta Motorsports will follow. This process will provide Kalitta Air and Kalitta Motorsports with not only state-of-the-art LED lighting but also significant savings.

Continue reading

Share

Doug Kalitta, Mac Tools Top Fuel Dragster Exit After Round 2

Pomona, CA – Qualifying: Doug Kalitta was the No. 7 qualifier at the Lucas Oil Winternationals. His best effort came during the rain-delayed Saturday qualifying session when he ran a 3.785-second pass at 303.30 mph.

Eliminations: Kalitta defeated Jasmine Salinas before losing to Billy Torrence when the Mac Tools dragster smoked the tires almost immediately at the start of the second-round run.

Unofficial Point Standings: Kalitta leaves Pomona tied with Brittany Force for sixth place in the NHRA Top Fuel point standings. They trail fifth-place Antron Brown by two points and lead eighth-place Josh Hart by 24 points.

Kalitta on Pomona: “It was unfortunate to go out in the second round, but fortunately, our Mac Tools team got past the first round in both of the races so far this season. It was kinda tricky this weekend with only two qualifying runs, and the first qualifying run probably shouldn’t even count because the track was so bad. It was tricky for everybody; we’ll have to save it for Phoenix. Really appreciate everyone at Revchem, SealMaster and Toyota for everything they do for us.”

Continue reading

Share

Shawn Langdon, Kalitta Air Careers Top Fuel Dragster out after Round 2

Pomona, CA – Qualifying: Shawn Langdon was the No. 7 qualifier at the Lucas Oil Winternationals. During the first round of qualifying late Friday, Langdon posted a 3.788-second effort at 318.24 mph for his best qualifying attempt.

Eliminations: Langdon defeated Krista Baldwin before losing to Tony Schumacher in the second round when the Kalitta Air Careers car dropped a cylinder very early in the run.

Unofficial Point Standings: Langdon leaves Pomona in first place in the NHRA Top Fuel point standings. The final round of eliminations was postponed by rain and will be run at the next race in Phoenix. With the incomplete race, Langdon either leads second-place Billy Torrence by 18 points or leads second-place Justin Ashley by 11 points depending on which driver wins the weather-delayed final round.

Continue reading

Share

J.R. Todd, DHL Funny Car Race to Semi-Final Finish

Pomona, CA – Qualifying: J.R. Todd was the No. 13 qualifier at the Lucas Oil Winternationals. With weather reducing qualifying to just two rounds, Todd’s best qualifying effort came during the rain-delayed Saturday round when the DHL GR Supra was on an excellent pass before slowing to a 4.207-second run at 223.80 mph.

Eliminations: Todd and the DHL Toyota team defeated Cruz Pedregon and Paul Lee before losing to Matt Hagan in the semifinals. Todd won the first six eliminations rounds of the season before the Pomona semifinal loss.

When Todd advanced to the semifinals, he earned a spot in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge at the next race near Phoenix. During Saturday’s qualifying sessions, the drivers who reached the semifinals in Pomona will re-run the semifinals and final earning additional purse and championship bonus points.

Continue reading

Share

REIGNING NHRA TOP FUEL CHAMPION DOUG KALITTA SET FOR POMONA RETURN

YPSILANTI, MI – The last time Doug Kalitta and his Mac Tools Toyota team were at In ‘n Out Burger Raceway in Pomona, Calif., they won the race and claimed the 2023 NHRA Top Fuel title in a “winner take all” final round at the season’s final race. Later this week, they return to the site of perhaps the most monumental day in Kalitta’s career. The 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Season resumes March 22-24, 2024 at the Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals in Pomona, Calif.

Including the win last November, Kalitta has seven wins in 14 final-round appearances at the historic southern California race track, but none was more special than what happened on that fateful November day. On the final day of the season’s final race in the final round, Kalitta defeated Leah Pruett to clinch the championship. Going back to a place where one has enjoyed success before is always nice, but this time will be a bit more special.

“I always love Pomona and have had good luck there over the years,” Kalitta said. “We pulled off the championship last time we were there, and going back will be really cool actually. I love Pomona – the history of that place – we’re definitely looking forward to it, and we’ll see how we’re running when we get there.

Continue reading

Share

SHAWN LANGDON BREAKS WINLESS STREAK IN FLAWLESS CAR; ENTERS POMONA WITH POINTS LEAD

YPSILANTI, MI – Flawless. That’s how Kalitta Air Careers Top Fuel driver Shawn Langdon described his car at the season-opening Gatornationals two weeks ago in Florida. The 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Season resumes March 22-24, 2024 at the Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals in Pomona, Calif.

Consider:

  • No. 1 qualifier for the first time since 2020? Check.
  • Consistent race car with four race day runs with elapsed times within .03 seconds? Check.
  • Race win for the first time since 2020? Check.
  • First double win in Kalitta Motorsports history? Check.

That’s a pretty solid start to the season, and oh by the way, it was Brian Husen’s first race as Langdon’s crew chief…as anyone’s crew chief, although he spent the last two decades working with 14-time Top Fuel championship tuner Alan Johnson. Everything that happened to Langdon, Husen and their Kalitta Air Careers Toyota team at the season’s first race bodes extremely well for the season. And for Langdon to break a four-year winless streak is an added if not forgotten bonus.

Continue reading

Share

POINTS LEADER J.R. TODD, DHL FUNNY CAR TEAM OFF TO GREAT START

YPSILANTI, MI – The season is off to a pretty good start for J.R. Todd and his DHL Toyota team, and that’s putting it lightly. Todd joined teammate Shawn Langdon in the winner’s circle at the season-opening race and “doubled up” for the first time in Kalitta Motorsports history. Next on the to-do list is continuing that success in Southern California. The 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Season resumes March 22-24, 2024 at the Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals in Pomona, Calif.

Raceday was certainly eventful for the 2018 Funny Car champ. The first three rounds did not go as planned – the DHL team could easily have been eliminated in any of them, but to borrow a college basketball tournament term, race day is all about survive and advance. The DHL team saved its best for last and raced to the finish line with a 3.88-second effort to defeat Austin Prock, win the Gatornationals and take the first points lead of the season.

“It’s great; that’s the goal,” Todd said. “We show up to win every race. Leaving Gainesville (Fla.) as the points leader, I don’t know when the last time I was able to say that was, but it’s a long season. You want to stay up there in the top five going into the Countdown to the Championship which is a long time from now, but hopefully we can get a few more of these along the way and let it eat those last six races of the year.”

Continue reading

Share

TEAM KALITTA SCORES FIRST DOUBLE VICTORY IN TEAM HISTORY; J.R. TODD, SHAWN LANGDON RACE TO VICTORY AT SEASON-OPENING RACE

GAINESVILLE, FL – Seventeen times. That’s how many chances Kalitta Motorsports had over the years to win the Top Fuel and Funny Car titles at the same race. On the day Doug Kalitta received his 2023 championship ring on the weekend his cousin, the late Scott Kalitta, was inducted into the International Drag Racing Hall of Fame, the 18th time was the charm. Team Kalitta made history when Funny Car driver J.R. Todd and Top Fuel driver Shawn Langdon raced to the winner’s circle in the season-opening Amalie Oil NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway in Florida.

“We’ve been trying to double up for a long time,” Todd said. “There were times when I was driving Shawn’s car that Del (Worsham) and I were in the finals together. Then I’d be in the final with Shawn or Doug, but for whatever reason, it just never worked out. You’re definitely not rolling up to the starting line thinking about doubling up, but leading up to it, you know there’s an opportunity. It’s in the back of your mind, but more than anything, I was worried about racing Austin Prock – he had the best car all weekend long.

“The stars lined up for us here in Gainesville. Scott’s sons were here, Scott’s wife, Kathy, was here, and I think it was her first time at the race track since 2008 so it was pretty awesome. I’m just the lucky one who gets to drive Scott’s car – that’s forever his car; his name is still on the side of it. I almost screwed it up in the second round today, but I’m just happy we were able to redeem ourselves and get the trophy for DHL, Revchem, Safety-Kleen, SealMaster and everyone else that supports us.”

Continue reading

Share

J.R. TODD SETS SIGHTS ON RACE WINS, CHAMPIONSHIP NO. 2 AS NEW SEASON BEGINS

YPSILANTI, MI – One year ago at the season’s opening race, 2018 NHRA Top Fuel champion J.R. Todd posted a runner-up finish in his DHL GR Supra Funny Car, and while the pre-season goal is always championship No. 2, the first aspiration is one more round win and a race win to kick off the new year. The 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing season begins at the Amalie Oil Gatornationals set for March 8-10, 2024 at historic Gainesville Raceway in Florida.

Todd won in Sonoma last summer, but despite three additional final-round appearances, the wine country win was his sole 2023 triumph. With Gatornationals success one year ago, useful pre-season testing as well as the energy and excitement of the new season could propel Todd and his DHL team to the Gatornationals winner’s circle.

“It would be great to come out and win Gainesville – we’ve done it in the past (in 2021),” Todd said. “We went to the final round last year so hopefully we can go back to last year’s notes and pick up on that performance this weekend. We’re definitely trying some different parts and pieces in pre-season testing. We didn’t get to try everything we wanted to try in Bradenton (pre-season testing in Bradenton, Fla.) so we’re going to test Tuesday and Wednesday before we race in Gainesville. Hopefully, that brings us some good results heading into the race.

Continue reading

Share

LANGDON, NEW CREW CHIEF BRIAN HUSEN START FIRST SEASON TOGETHER

YPSILANTI, MI – When 2013 NHRA Top Fuel champion Shawn Langdon eases the Kalitta Air Careers dragster to the starting line for his first qualifying attempt of the 2024 season, he’ll do so with a new crew chief, a revamped race team and a car that’s similar to the one his teammate drives. The 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing season begins with the Amalie Oil NHRA Gatornationals set for historic Gainesville Raceway March 8-10, 2024 in Gainesville, Fla.

Brian Husen joins Langdon’s team as crew chief for the first time in his career, and it’s a reunion of sorts from when the two worked together at Alan Johnson Racing where Langdon won the 2013 NHRA Top Fuel championship. Husen comes to the Kalitta Air Careers Toyota team following two seasons as Crew Chief Alan Johnson’s assistant on Doug Kalitta’s Mac Tools team that won the 2023 NHRA Top Fuel title. The changes to his team have Langdon energized, to say the least, entering the new season.

“I’m definitely looking forward to this new year,” Langdon said. “We had a couple really trying years so going into this year and bringing in a couple new guys and having Brian Husen lead the way on our Kalitta Air Careers team changes everything. I’m really excited for Brian to have the opportunity to get his shot at being crew chief. He’s very, very talented, and I’ve had a lot of respect for him since I worked with him at Alan Johnson Racing 10 years ago. I’m just really excited for him to get the opportunity to show what he can do.”

Continue reading

Share
1 2 3 62
  • MBE Button 290x
Team/Series News
Follow Us On Facebook
Facebook Pagelike Widget