Tim 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, SupernationalsRaceway Park hosting NHRA SuperNationals
As one of the National Hot Rod Association's (NHRA) original seven national events, Raceway Park is a major player in drag racing history.
Since the Old Bridge track first hosted an NHRAevent in 1968, the best racers in the sport have left their mark on the quarter mile drag strip. This weekend, when Raceway Park hosts the 39th annual Lucas Oil SuperNationals, racers will be looking to add to Raceway Park tradition.
There will be many...
Read the full story at the Examiner
Tags: Englishtown, Supernationals