Third Las Vegas Nationals Win on the Table for Mac Tools Top Fuel and Doug Kalitta

Las Vegas – Doug Kalitta is closing in on the end of his incredible 20th season with primary sponsor Mac Tools as the NHRA Las Vegas Nationals from The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway fire up this weekend. The 49-time Top Fuel winner collected two of those wins during this race when he took home the trophy in 2015 and 2004. This weekend Kalitta and the familiar red and white Top Fuel dragster will be looking for a third win at the desert fall classic from Bruton Smith’s impressive facility which hosts two NHRA national events annually.

“We have gotten a couple wins at the fall race and we would definitely like to get that third win at The Strip this weekend,” said Kalitta. “We have been battling all season and have come close a couple times. I know we have what it takes to get four win lights on Sunday we just need to make it happen.”

The perennial championship contender will not earn his first Top Fuel world championship this year but his success on the track for primary sponsor Mac Tools over the past 20 years cannot be diminished by another solid top ten finish. In addition to his two wins at the Las Vegas Nationals he also has a runner-up to his credit from 2007.

This season the veteran driver has raced to two final rounds including a runner-up finish at the Las Vegas Four-Wide Nationals earlier this year.  In that race Kalitta outran Clay Millican and Antron Brown and finished just behind Steve Torrence in the final quad. Three races later Kalitta once again earned runner-up honors at the Houston Spring Nationals. The early season success solidified his 24th season with a top ten finish.

“We have had some ups and downs this season for sure, but we have always kept our heads up and been in the fight,” said Kalitta. “This Mac Tools team is looking forward to getting to the track in Las Vegas and finishing this season strong.”

2020 NHRA Las Vegas Nationals Highlights: Qual. No. 3, Lost to Justin Ashley

Last Event Recap (2021 Thunder Valley Nationals): Qual. No. 11; Lost to Billy Torrence

Career Stats: 542 events, 535 starts, 723 round wins, 49 wins, 107 finals, 50 No. 1 qualifiers

2021 Season:
Gatornationals: Qual. No. 4; Beat Arthur Allen; Lost to Justin Ashley
Las Vegas1: RUNNER-UP; Qual. No. 3; Beat Troy Buff and Rob Passey, Beat Shawn Langdon and Leah Pruett; Lost to Steve Torrence
Atlanta: Qual. No. 9; Lost to Antron Brown
Charlotte1: Qual. No. 12; Beat Josh Hart, Billy Torrence, Kyle Wurtzel; Lost to Brittany Force, Josh Hart
Houston: RUNNER-UP; Qual. No. 9; Beat Brittany Force, Antron Brown, Shawn Langdon; Lost to Steve Torrence
Epping: Qual. No. 5; Beat Shawn Langdon, Lost to Mike Salinas
Norwalk: Qual. No. 11; Lost to Antron Brown
Denver: Qual. No. 4; Lost to Leah Pruett
Sonoma: Qual. No. 8; Beat Mike Salinas; Lost to Steve Torrence
Pomona1: Qual. No. 6; Lost to Clay Millican
Topeka: Qual. No. 9; Lost to Clay Millican
Brainerd: Qual. No. 9; Lost to Clay Millican
Indianapolis: Qual. No. 3; Beat Krista Baldwin; Lost to Billy Torrence
Reading: Qual. No. 9; Lost to Justin Ashley
Charlotte2: Qual. No. 12; Lost to Steve Torrence
St. Louis: Qual. No. 9; Lost to Tripp Tatum
Dallas: Qual. No. 10; Beat Antron Brown; Lost to Steve Torrence
Bristol: Qual. No. 11; Lost to Billy Torrence