2007 NHRA NATIONAL EVENT SCHEDULE
Listen to Trackside Interviews with Champions, Drivers and Crew Chiefs
Robert Hight
Hillary Will
Bob Vandergriff
Dave Connolly
Ed Iskenderian
Cory McClenathan
Robert Hight
Jim Yates
Tony Bartone
Hillary Will
Whit Bazemore
Byron Hines
| Tobler steps down as crew chief of
the Mac Tools Top Fueler driven by Doug Kalitta Ypsilanti, Mich., (March 27, 2007) - Effective immediately, Rahn Tobler has resigned his duties as crew chief of the Mac Tools dragster driven by perennial championship contender Doug Kalitta in the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series. The Mac Tools team will compete in this weekend’s, March 30-April 1, NHRA national event, the O’ Reilly NHRA Spring Nationals at Houston Raceway Park in Baytown, Tex., just a few miles east of downtown Houston. Kalitta Motorsports’ collection of nitro crew chiefs, Jim Oberhofer, crew chief of the Hillary Will-driven KB Racing LLC Top Fueler, Jon Oberhofer, crew chief of the Zantrex-3 Top Fueler driven by Dave Grubnic, and Glenn Mikres, crew chief of the Scott Kalitta-driven Kalitta Air Toyota Solara Funny Car, will combine their efforts to guide the 8,000-horsepower, bright red Mac Tools dragster entry until a permanent crew chief replacement is made in the near future. “We certainly regret that this surprising action has happened,” Kalitta Motorsports general manager Jim Oberhofer said. “We wish Rahn nothing but the best in all of his future endeavors and thank him for his years of service with our organization.” Since winning the NHRA’s equivalent of Rookie of the Year, the Automobile Club of Southern California’s Road to the Future Award, after the 1998 drag racing season, Kalitta, a 42-year old resident of Ann Arbor, Mich., has driven his dragster to 29 Top Fuel national event titles, which already ties him for sixth in career wins for the sport’s quickest and fastest class. In the past four NHRA seasons, Kalitta has solidified his place among the best Top Fuel pilots of all-time. Last season was arguably the best of his straight-line career. He won a career-high five national events in 2006 and led the POWERade points for almost the entire second half of the season. After finishing just 14 points shy of his first NHRA championship, Kalitta garnered his third career runner-up points finish in 2006. He was also points runner-up in 2003 and 2004. About Kalitta Motorsports Based in Ypsilanti, Michigan, Kalitta Motorsports is a Top Fuel and Funny Car drag racing team in the NHRA (National Hot Rod Association) POWERade Drag Racing Series. The racing operation was started in 1959 by now legendary drag racer and team owner Connie “the Bounty Hunter” Kalitta. His son Scott Kalitta drives the Kalitta Air Funny Car. Scott’s cousin, Connie’s nephew, Doug Kalitta drives the flagship Top Fuel dragster for Mac Tools. Native Australian Dave Grubnic drives the Zantrex-3 Top Fuel dragster, while Hillary Will drives the Kalitta Motorsports-managed and Ken Black-owned Top Fuel dragster. Connie serves as head tuner for all Team Kalitta entries. He is assisted by Jim Oberhofer (Hillary Will-driven dragster) and Jon Oberhofer (Zantrex-3 dragster). Connie serves as crew chief on the Kalitta Air Funny Car with assistance from co-crew chief Glenn Mikres. Associate sponsors on all Kalitta Motorsports’ race cars include Red Line Oil, Summit Racing Equipment, Technicoat Companies, and Toyota. For more info about Doug Kalitta and the Mac Tools team, please visit www.kalittaracing.com. |
