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NHRA: Team Kitty Hawk Ready to Fly at NHRA True Value Keystone Nationals

16 September 1999

MOHNTON, Pa. - Labor Day signals a time for change. The season, the leaves on the trees and, in the case of NHRA drag racing, the changing of the points leader in Top Fuel. It's a change we're likely to see a lot more of as the NHRA Winston Drag Racing Series heads into the final events on the schedule. As the teams head into the 15th annual NHRA True Value Keystone Nationals here at Maple Grove Raceway many will be looking to make up for lost opportunities over the holiday weekend.

One of the drivers aiming to do just that is Doug Kalitta driver of the Kitty Hawk Top Fuel entry. Kalitta, like several other top drivers on the tour, had a frustrating Labor Day weekend at the U.S. Nationals. A finalist at three of the four events prior to the crown jewel on the tour, he entered the race third in points, just 21 points out of first place. When qualifying ended Sunday afternoon he was in the number ten spot - his lowest qualifying position since the start of the second half of the season. He then went out in round one, something he had not done since the Sears Craftsman Nationals in June.

If misery really does love company, Kalitta had plenty of that. Two other Top Ten drivers looking to advance in the points - Kenny Bernstein and Larry Dixon - failed to qualify for the show. Four others in the Top Ten also lost in the opening round. When it was all over, the Top Fuel drivers had a new name at the top of the list as season-long points leader Mike Dunn lost in round one to Tony Schumacher and now trails him by 12 points. Kalitta dropped one position in points and is now 33 points behind the leader in one of the tightest championship chases in recent years.

"We've still got six races left and anything can happen," said Kalitta, 35, of Ann Arbor, Mich. "I'm more disappointed about not winning the U.S. Nationals than I am about not leaving with the points lead. As long as we've got it on November 14th, that's all I care about. We didn't gain anything at Indy but, the way things worked out, we didn't lose much either. Too many things can happen from here on, so I just want to take things one at a time. Hopefully, we'll get back on track in Reading and things will take care of themselves."

Doug, a five-time finalist this season with one win, will be joined on-track here by his cousin Scott Kalitta. The Winston champion in 1994 and 1995, Scott retired at the end of the 1997 season. The winner of 15 events in 28 final round appearances, Scott was lured out of retirement in June by his father Connie Kalitta to take over the controls of the team's second Kitty Hawk entry that Connie had been driving. The True Value Keystone Nationals will be just his fifth event this season.

Scott performed well at this event in the years prior to his retirement. In his last five appearances here he never qualified below fourth. He was the number one qualifier in 1993 and 1997. The number two qualifier in 1994 and 1995, he won the event both years. Only in 1993 and 1996 did he fail to advance past the first round of competition. In 1994 the 37-year-old resident of Chelsea, Mich., ran the then fastest speed ever and set a new national record at 308.95 mph. He reset the track record in 1996 when he ran 313.15 mph. In 1997, his last appearance here, Scott fell to Bernstein in the semifinals after claiming the seventeenth number one qualifying spot of his career.

Team owner Connie, 61, of Ypsilanti, Mich., was the runner-up at this event in 1996 while Doug's crew chief Ed "the Ace" McCulloch, 57, of Hemet, Calif., was the Funny Car runner-up in 1988.

Professional qualifying for the 15th annual True Value Keystone Nationals will begin on Friday, September 17, with sessions scheduled for 3:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Qualifying will continue on Saturday with sessions scheduled for noon and 4 p.m. Final eliminations will begin at 11 a.m., Sunday, September 19.

Qualifying highlights from the event can be seen on SpeedVision on Saturday, September 18 beginning at 8 p.m. (ET). First round coverage can also be seen on SpeedVision on Sunday, September 19, beginning at 2 p.m. (ET). Final round coverage can be seen on Fox Sports on Sunday, September 19, beginning at 5 p.m. (local time).

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