Points shuffle as it’s not the same old faces in the winner’s circle

Results compiled by Kay Burk
Photos by Joe McHugh

Doug Kalitta ended a 71-race winless streak by taking the Top Fuel victory Sunday, Sept. 22, at the AAA Texas NHRA FallNationals at Texas Motorplex near Dallas.

Cruz Pedregon (Funny Car), Jason Line (Pro Stock) and Eddie Krawiec (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also were winners at the second of six events in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series Countdown to the Championship playoffs.

Although qualifying was cut short by two runs due to persistent rain that plagued the area surrounding Texas Motorplex, the Sunday racing action more than made up for any shortage.

TOP FUEL

The wait is over. Doug Kalitta, driver of the “Big Red” Mac Tools Top Fuel dragster, is once again in the winner’s circle at an NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series event. Kalitta and his team led by crew chief Jim Oberhofer were victorious Sunday, the first of the season for the 16-year Top Fuel veteran and the 33rd of his career.

Kalitta, the No. 2 qualifier (3.825 seconds, 318.39 mph), dominated Sunday’s eliminations by posting the quickest run in three of the event’s four rounds of racing (second quickest of the opening round).  He defeated Larry Dixon, Brittany Force, and pre-event points leader Spencer Massey on his way to the 67th final round of his career and his first “money round” since Norwalk (Ohio) in July.

In the final round, Kalitta matched up with No. 1 qualifier Shawn Langdon. Kalitta grabbed a starting line advantage (.074 sec. to .102 sec.) and never trailed in the 1,000-ft. race. At the finish line, the win light flashed in Kalitta’s lane after a 3.842-sec., 320.43-mph to 3.896-sec., 291.32-mph race. Kalitta shares the points lead (2251) with Langdon going into the next event of the Countdown to the Championship “playoffs” in St. Louis next weekend.