Connie Kalitta Makes Change in Night Under Fire Lineup- Doug is Coming!

June 5- Norwalk Raceway Park President Bill Bader, Jr. received a phone call from Connie Kalitta last week.  As was previously reported on www.norwalkraceway.com, Scott Kalitta was coming as the eighth driver in the exclusive field of Nitro Funny Cars.  Connie informed Bill that Scott had a prior commitment scheduled and is unable to participate at Night Under Fire.  Coming in his stead- Doug Kalitta- who just happens to be on a roll in NHRA's Top Fuel Championship, winning the last three meets.  "We are thrilled to have Doug Kalitta here to race at Night Under Fire.  I am waiting for the moment to watch Doug roll into the staging beams with Connie at his side."  Legendary racer Connie Kalitta has also committed to be on hand at the race. 
Tickets are selling fast for Night Under Fire.  Remember, all seats are reserved, so call Norwalk today!  419-668-5555 or purchase your tickets online by clicking on the order tickets on the menu bar at the top of the page.  For more information on Doug Kalitta- click on Read More!

Doug Kalitta Biography

Hometown: Mt. Clemens, Michigan
Residence: Ann Arbor, Michigan
Birth Date: August 20, 1964
Family: Wife, Josie; Son, Mitchell (2/13/01); Daughter, Avery (7/15/03)
Years Racing: 19
Years Drag Racing: 9

Wins/Final Rounds: 27/50
Best Elapsed Time: 4.420 (NHRA Best)
Best Speed: 335.57

Car Owner: Connie Kalitta
Crew Chief: Rahn Tobler

In 1998, Doug Kalitta burst onto the NHRA Top Fuel drag racing scene as the season’s Automobile Club of Southern California Road to the Future Award winner. Ever since then, he has been blazing down quarter-miles and blasting through NHRA records in his Mac Tools flagship dragster.

In the past three NHRA seasons, Doug has solidified his place among the best Top Fuel pilots of all-time. There is no reason to venture that 2006 will be any less extraordinary for the veteran ace. The 2005 season saw Doug win a career-high five national events and finish third in POWERade championship points. He led the points race for only the second time in his quarter-mile career and did so for more than half of the season.

In 2003, Doug finished a career-high second in points, his sixth straight top-10 finish. He led the Top Fuel class with a career-high nine No. 1 qualifying positions. Five of those low qualifier awards came consecutively at the beginning of the season, tying a Top Fuel record with Gary Beck. He also won the $100,000 Budweiser Shootout bonus race for the second time in his storied career. His first Shootout title was in his rookie run in 1998.

The 2004 POWERade tour was also a stellar year of racing and performance for Doug. For the second consecutive season, he finished second in points. Also for the second straight year, he won four national events, and he won a category-leading seven low qualifier awards. He led the championship points standing for the first time in his drag racing career and became the quickest man in NHRA history with an astounding 4.420-second lap in the finals in the spring event in Chicago. He also clocked the then NHRA’s fastest lap with his 335.57-mph jaunt in Las Vegas. He was runner-up at 50th Mac Tools U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis, the most prestigious drag racing event in the world.

Doug’s racing career started as a crewmember on his Uncle Connie “the Bounty Hunter” Kalitta’s Top Fuel team. Doug spent most of the 1980s working for his legendary uncle, now the car owner of his rail ride. In 1990, Doug began pursuing his open-wheel racing aspirations. He was ARCA/WWAR Midget Rookie of the Year in 1990 and USAC National Midget Rookie of the Year in 1991. In 1994, he was crowned the USAC National Sprint Car Champion. He followed his title with runner-up points finishes in 1995 and 1996.

When Connie decided to hang up his driving gloves at the end of the 1997 season, he asked Doug to put his circle-track career aside and take the controls of his 7,000 + horsepower nitro rocket-on-wheels. Doug accepted the offer and has been a perennial NHRA championship contender ever since.

Pursuing a lifelong passion for flying, Doug, like his Uncle Connie, makes his living in the skies. Doug is owner and president of Kalitta Charters based at Willow Run Airport in Ypsilanti, Michigan, right next to Connie’s Kalitta Air. When he was only 21 years old, Doug became one of the youngest persons to ever receive a Learjet rating.

When he is not racing or flying, Doug, the cousin of his Kalitta Motorsports teammate Scott Kalitta, enjoys hunting, skiing and spending time with his family.
© 2006 Kalitta Motorsports