NHRA News: Grubnic to drive Stanley FatMax Top Fuel dragster at U.S. Nat'ls (8/31/2004)

Grubnic to drive Stanley FatMax Top Fuel dragster at U.S. Nat'ls

8/31/2004

Dave Grubnic

Kalitta Motorsports Top Fuel driver "Aussie Dave" Grubnic will find it easy to measure up to the competition at this weekend's 50th annual Mac Tools U.S. Nationals as he will unveil a special, bright-yellow Stanley FatMax paint scheme on his Kalitta Motorsports dragster. Stanley's FatMax product line started five years ago with a 25-foot tape rule, which will be prominently featured on Grubnic's 6,000-horsepower hot rod.

The Connecticut-based Stanley Works group, the parent company to event sponsor Mac Tools, has certainly aligned themselves with a great racecar and driver. Grubnic has driven to four final-round appearances in the last six races and is considered one of the favorites to win drag racing's most prestigious event.

"I think we have an excellent chance at claiming this race and making Indy our first win," said Grubnic, who is 0-6 with a trophy on the line. "John Force has won more races and championships then anyone in the sport but he started 0-9 way back when. Tony Schumacher started 0-8. It is what it is. Certainly we have a car that can win. Force told me the other day that when he finally gave up and quit worrying about winning was when he finally won.

Dave Grubnic's Stanley FatMax Top Fuel dragster.
Click for bigger image.

"To be honest, the performance and results of this team have absolutely overwhelmed me. To put a group of this caliber together in such a short amount of time this off-season speaks to the depths of talent within Kalitta Motorsports. I'm thrilled with what we've accomplished."

Grubnic, a 42-year-old journeyman Top Fuel driver, is in his first season behind the wheel of the third Kalitta team car. The fan favorite from Brisbane, Australia, has been driving nitro rails in the United States since 1995. He has been No.1 qualifier five times this season at consecutive events in Phoenix and Gainesville, at consecutive events in Atlanta and Chicago, and at the last tour stop in Memphis. He is currently fourth in the POWERade Top Fuel championship points.

"It's not just money and parts," Grubnic said. "The most important ingredient is people. This group, from top to bottom, is first rate. The sponsors we have in Mac Tools, Stanley, and Red Line Oil, they're all revved up and so positive about what we're doing together. The guys turning the wrenches are so committed. It's a real pleasure to be a part of it all. We have the right people in the right places."

Grubnic's Stanley FatMax dragster will accompany Kalitta Motorsports' two other Top Fuel entries, the Mac Tools dragster and the Mac Tools/Jesse James dragster, driven by cousins Doug and Scott Kalitta, respectively. This is a one-race deal for Grubnic as he will return to his Red Line Oil motif in two weeks at the 20th annual Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals in Reading, Pa.

"The Stanley FatMax car looks fantastic," Grubnic said. "We've been so fortunate this season to have developed some great sponsor partnerships and having Stanley and their FatMax brand on board with us in Indy is yet another fine example of that.

"It truly is a pleasure for me and my team to be able to race our car and represent a company of Stanley's caliber in the biggest race of the season. The CEO of Stanley, Mr. John Lundgren, will be at the race so we'd love to give him the Wally. That would be the perfect capper to the weekend."

Stanley Works is a worldwide manufacturer and marketer of tools, hardware and specialty hardware products for home improvement, consumer, industrial and professional use. Visit them on the Internet at www.stanleyworks.com.

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