Robert Hight fast qualifier in Funny Car at Norwalk
Robert Hight drove his Automobile Club of Southern California Mustang to the number one qualifying position at the 2nd annual Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals in Norwalk, Ohio today. Hight's 4.882 second E.T. at 309.77 MPH in Saturday's final qualifying session. The Fuel Funny Car qualifying field had 0.318 second spread by the end of qualifying.
The event was plagued with water issues. On Friday, qualifying was cancelled after the first PSM round when water began seeping out of the track near the finish line. The Norwalk area has had more than a foot of rain in the last week and the water percolates to the surface has the day warms up. Track officials worked for over five hours to dry the track before giving up. Saturday qualifying was put on hold twice due to rain, but the track workers were able to dry the track and complete Saturday's scheduled sessions.
Melanie Troxel and Gary Scelzi will not be racing on Sunday, as both were disqualified for having loose ballast in their cars. NHRA disqualified both drivers from the event when the loose weight was discovered after their qualifying runs in the first session.
Qualifying results and Sunday's first round elimination pairings are:
Position Driver E.T. MPH
1 Robert Hight 4.882 309.77
16 Mike Neff 5.200 224.43
2 Ron Capps 4.909 297.42
15 Jerry Toliver 5.085 278.12
3 Tim Wilkerson 4.910 304.32
14 Tommy Johnson Jr. 5.064 288.95
4 Bob Tasca III 4.932 303.64
13 Tony Bartone 5.007 260.11
5 Jack Beckman 4.965 300.26
12 Cruz Pedregon 4.995 296.83
6 Tony Pedregon 4.975 276.35
11 Jim Head 4.994 295.34
7 Del Worsham 4.977 302.14
10 John Force 4.988 274.11
8 Ashley Force 4.980 290.07
9 Gary Densham 4.983 297.29
Timing and scoring data courtesy of NHRA.
Tags: NHRA, Norwalk, Robert HightMemorial Service for Scott Kalitta on Thursday
June 23, 2008 by Robert
Filed under NHRA, Racing News
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As published on the Kalitta Racing site and NHRA.com, a public memorial service for NHRA Funny Car driver Scott Kalitta will be held Thursday, June 26 at 7 p.m.
Ernsthausen Performing Arts Center,
350 Shady Lane Drive, Norwalk, OH 44857
The Kalitta family has asked that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to these charities close to Scott's heart:
Saint Stephen's Episcopal School
Attn: Development Office
315 41st Street West
Bradenton, FL 34209
B.R.A.K.E.S.
(Be Responsible and Keep Everyone Safe)
c/o Doug Herbert Performance Parts
1443 E. Gaston St.
Lincolnton, NC 28092
*All donations to BRAKES will be used for the expressed purpose of saving lives and keeping our children safe. B.R.A.K.E.S. was created by Doug Herbert to memorialize his sons, Jon and James Herbert, and to help save the lives of teenage drivers.
Cards and letters of support for Scott's family or Connie Kalitta can be sent to:
Kalitta Air
818 Willow Run Airport
Ypsilanti, MI 48198
For additional information, please visit the Kalitta Racing site or Scott Kalitta's tribute page at NHRA.com
Tags: Scott KalittaTim Wilkerson continues winning season at Englishtown and racing community mourns the loss of a driver
Tim Wilkerson continued his hold on the number one position in Fuel Funny Car championship points with his latest win at the Lucas Oil NHRA SuperNationals in Englishtown, NJ. Wilkerson defeated Mike Neff by 0.010 seconds in the final round.
The win was bittersweet for Wilkerson, who in the winner’s circle, expressed the need to make the cars safer to protect the drivers and lamented the loss of Scott Kalitta on Saturday.
During the coverage of Sunday’s race, ESPN2 devoted a great deal of time to eulogizing Scott Kalttita, who lost his life in a crash during the final round of qualifying on Saturday. The outpouring of support for the Kalitta family was tremendous, as drivers paid their condolences and messages of concern. Each car featured a Scott Kalitta remembrance decal. NHRA has creeated a tribute to Scott Kalitta at NHRA.com and notes that fans may send their condolences to the Kallita family using the email address champion@kalittaracing.com. The loss of Scott was also remembered at the beginning of the NASCAR race at Sonoma.
Robert Hight’s first round pairing would have matched him up against Scott Kalitta. The members of the Kalitta racing teams stood together at the starting line of the lane that Scott Kalitta would have made his run against Hight and covered there ears in anticipation of the thunderous roar of Hight’s car taking the green light. When the green light illuminated, Hight idled his car down the entire length of track in tribute Scott. It was a very touching tribute that brought tears to the eyes of many. A fitting reminder of the mourning and sense of family felt throughout the drag racing community.
Tags: Englishtown, Mike Neff, Robert Hight, Scott Kalitta, Tim WilkersonScott Kalitta killed in tragic crash at Englishtown race
June 21, 2008 by Robert
Filed under NHRA, Racing News
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Funny Car driver Scott Kalitta, age 46, passed away this afternoon as a result of a tragic crash at the Lucas Oil NHRA SuperNationals in Englishtown, NJ. The crash occurred during the fourth round of qualifying at the track where Scott started his drag racing career. Near the end of the run, he had a huge, fiery engine explosion, blowing the body off of the car. The car then went off the end of the track, hit the safety net, then burst into a large fireball, possibly striking the camera crane.
Scott Kalitta was transported to Old Bridge Township Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.
The remaining racing was canceled for the rest of the day. ESPN2 continued their scheduled final round qualifying coverage with NHRA drivers eulogizing Scott Kalitta.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Kalitta family, friends and everyone at Kalitta Racing during this tragic experience.
Updated 9:31 PM, 6/21/08
Scott is survived by his wife Kathy, sons Corey, age 14, and Colin, age 8, and father Connie Kalitta.
You can review Scott's NHRA career on his page at NHRA.com
Lucas Oil NHRA SuperNationals – Friday report
OLD BRIDGE TOWNSHIP -- If you could have put $100 on un sponsored veteran driver Jim Head outrunning John Force and the rest of the Funny Car field at Raceway Park, you could be arranging a very nice vacation today.
Head shocked the fans and his fellow competitors by taking the provisional top spot in Funny Car with a 4.803-second run in qualify ing yesterday for the 39th annual Lucas Oil Supernationals at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park...
Read Bill Huneke's full Friday recap in The Times
Mr. Huneke does a great job of capturing the changes in qualifying during Friday's sessions in all of the pro classes. All the drivers interviewed expressed how happy they were with the track and the conditions too. It should be a great weekend of racing.
Tags: Englishtown, Jim Head, SupernationalsDrag racing circuit takes steps toward mainstream
June 18, 2008 by Robert
Filed under NHRA, Racing News
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Great news for drag racing! Checkout this article from Cox News Service:
Anticipating NASCAR-like growth spurt, sport markets itself to broader audience
The National Hot Rod Association appears to be positioning itself for a growth period similar to the one NASCAR enjoyed in recent years as that sport broadened its fan base from mostly automotive enthusiasts to mainstream America.
The NHRA itself has taken several key steps recently — the hiring of the giant sports-marketing firm IMG and adding the powerhouse ad agency Edelman to help steer its public-relations campaign. And a new track is ...
Read the full article by Rick Minter at Ohio.com
Creasy Cruises to First Win in 2008
Mechanicsville, Md. (June 15, 2008) – Last season Dale Creasy Jr. was a regular visitor to the winner’s circle at IHRA Nitro Jam events. He won six times during the 2007 season in easily cruising to his second consecutive world championship.
This season things have not come quite as easily for the Beecher, Ill. resident. Through three national events heading into the President’s Cup Nationals, Creasy had failed to...
Read the full article at IHRA.com
Jack Wyatt Looks towards Nitro Funny Car Future
After DNQ at President’s Cup Nationals, Iowa-based racer gets ready for match race at home track
Jack Wyatt is nothing if he’s not persistent. After finishing second the last two season in IHRA’s Nitro Funny Car national points standings the Corydon, Iowa resident entered the 2008 season without a firm major sponsor in place and a plan to approach the season on a race-by-race basis. If he had enough money in place he would head to the next event on the IHRA schedule. If not he would...
Read the full article at IHRA and find out how to sponsor Jack Wyatt's car