NHRA Full Throttle Lucas Oil
NHRA Driver
Doug Kalitta
Kalitta
  • Date of birth:
    August 20, 1964
  • Hometown:
    Ann Arbor, Mich.
  • Sponsor/Car:
    Kalitta Motorsports dragster
  • Crew Chief:
    Jim Oberhofer
  • Career Wins: 32
    TF: 32
  • Career Final Rounds: 63
    TF: 63
  • Career Best E.T.:
    3.809
  • Career Best Speed:
    322.34
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Career Highlights
  • 2009: Opened season with a win at Pomona 1; Reached two more final rounds; Advanced to Countdown to 1 for second straight year
  • 2008: Advanced to the Countdown to 1 playoffs for the first time; Posted runner-up finish at Indianapolis
  • 2007: Kalitta earned his only win of the season in Richmond, one week before a runner-up finish in Las Vegas; Extended streak of seasons with at least one win to 10
  • 2006: Led the POWERade Series standings for last 11 races of season; Raced to five victories in five final rounds; Matched his career best points finish of second (also 2003 and ’04); No. 1 qualifier two times; Posted ninth consecutive POWERade Top 10 finish
  • 2005: Led the POWERade point standings after 10 events; Raced to five victories in seven final rounds; Won at Sonoma for the fifth time; No. 1 qualifier three times; Posted eighth consecutive POWERade Top 10 finish
  • 2004: Finished second in POWERade point standings for second consecutive season; Qualified No. 1 a category-leading seven times; Won four of eight final round appearances; Led POWERade point standings for first time in his career; Clocked fastest speed in NHRA history, a 335.57 mph blast at Las Vegas 1; Runner-up at 50th Mac Tools U.S. Nationals; Recorded quickest run in NHRA history, a 4.420 second performance at Chicago 1
  • 2003: Posted a career-best 2nd place points finish, his sixth straight top-10 finish; led category in No. 1 qualifying positions with nine; set national speed record with 333.25 mph effort at Pomona 2; won $100,000 Budweiser Shootout for the second time in his career; qualified No. 1 at first five races, tying category record set by Gary Beck in 1983
  • 2002: Finished fourth in POWERade standings with three victories
  • 2001: Won three events; Finished third in the point standings; Was runner-up in the Budweiser Shootout at Pomona
  • 2000: Finished fifth in the standings for second consecutive year and won third consecutive Sonoma race
  • 1999: Qualified for all 22 national events; Won at Sonoma for the second straight season; Was runner-up in Budweiser Shootout, his second straight final round in the bonus program
  • 1998: Replaced cousin Scott Kalitta, a two-time NHRA Top Fuel champion, and went on to win Automobile Club of Southern California Road to the Future Award; Won $100,000 Budweiser Shootout for select Top Fuel drivers at Pomona 2
  • 1994: USAC National Sprint Car champion

Personal
  • Wife: Josie; Son: Mitchell (2/13/01); Daughter: Avery (7/15/03)
  • Height/weight: 5-foot-11, 180 pounds
  • Hobbies: Boating, fishing, and hunting
  • Notable: President of Kalitta Charters; Earned his Lear jet license at age 21; Former USAC National Sprint Car champion (1994)

 
Fan PollFast Talk
Which of the Countdown's top seeds has the best chance of winning a championship?
Larry Dixon (TF)
John Force (FC)
Mike Edwards (PS)
Andrew Hines (PSM)