NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

Doug Kalitta had always enjoyed four-wide racing, even if the results didn’t show ultimate success. But the reigning Top Fuel world champion checked off another milestone victory earlier this month, winning his first career four-wide race.
 
The standout veteran now has a chance to sweep the pair of unique races for the first time in his stellar career at this weekend’s NHRA 4-Wide Nationals at zMAX Dragway in Charlotte. It’s "the Bellagio of dragstrips” and the originator of four-wide racing, which has long been considered one of the wildest spectacles in motorsports.
 
Kalitta has enjoyed the special spotlight the distinctive four-wide racing has created but had never won a four-wide event until doing so less than two weeks ago in Las Vegas in his 11,000-horsepower Mac Tools dragster. Riding high off that victory, where Kalitta ran low e.t. of each of the three elimination rounds, the defending world champion is eager to quickly try and get a second victory in as many races in the four-wide format.

“We’re going to try to sweep [the four-wide races],” Kalitta said. “We’ve got some hungry guys on this team, and I’m just as hungry as they are, so we’ll see what happens. Charlotte is an incredible facility, and we’re looking forward to getting there. Bruton and Marcus [Smith] have put together some great facilities, and we’re just fortunate enough to get a chance to race there.”
 
Austin Prock (Top Fuel), Robert Hight (Funny Car), Deric Kramer (Pro Stock), and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) claimed victories in 2023, and this event will again be broadcast on FS1, including eliminations at 6 p.m. ET on Sunday. It is the fifth of 20 races during the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season, and Kalitta Motorsports couldn’t have asked for a much better start.
 
Coming off of Kalitta’s first world championship to close out 2023, the team has enjoyed a spectacular 2024 thus far. Top Fuel’s Shawn Langdon and Funny Car’s J.R. Todd both won in Gainesville, giving the team its first-ever double-up, while Kalitta’s victory in Las Vegas gave the team its fourth win already this year. All three drivers are in the top four in points in their respective classes, with Kalitta also earning the No. 1 qualifier spot in Vegas.
 
His success also ensures he’ll be part of Charlotte’s first Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge event. The specialty race brings competitive racing to Saturday qualifying, putting championship points and a bonus purse on the line.

 
It gets even more unique in the four-wide format, with eight drivers competing for the bonus race title at zMAX Dragway. One quad includes Tony Stewart, Justin Ashley, Clay Millican, and Antron Brown, with Kalitta, Steve Torrence, Brittany Force, and Josh Hart making up the other foursome. The two top finishers in each quad will advance to the finals, and the final Challenge round will feature a quad of racers running for the bonus purse and championship points.
 
“We’ve been really hungry to try and pull one of these four-wide wins off, and I’ve got to admit, my guys really had my car running well [in Las Vegas],” Kalitta said. “None of this is easy, but Connie has given us some great cars, and we’ve put together a heck of a team. We’re real fortunate to have had this success so far this year with all our cars. We’ll try to keep running strong and just try to make Connie real proud of all of us.”

NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series qualifying will feature two rounds at 4:30 and 7 p.m. ET on Friday, April 26 and the final two rounds of qualifying on Saturday, April 27 at noon and 2:15 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled for noon ET on Sunday, April 28. Television coverage includes qualifying on FS1 at 11 a.m. ET on Sunday and then eliminations action at 6 p.m. ET to follow.
 
To purchase tickets to the NHRA 4-Wide Nationals, please visit www.charlottemotorspeedway.com or call 800-455-3267.