World-renowned custom hot rod builder and TV personality Chip Foose, Mac Tools and Kalitta Motorsports will once again bring their high-horsepower partnership to the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series. The partnership will come together April 12-15, during the SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals, at one of the NHRA’s premier quarter-mile facilities, The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
For the third time in the past two NHRA seasons, Foose and Foose Designs will team up with Mac Tools and Team Kalitta to renovate the body design of the 8,000-horsepower Top Fuel dragster. Driven by Doug Kalitta, the exclusively-designed Foose paint scheme will cover the 330-mph, nitro-fueled rocket on wheels that normally displays the Mac Tools branded “Big Red” design. In the automotive industry, the name Chip Foose is well known for his legendary one off automobiles like the Foose Coup and the Grandmaster. Chip is well on his way to being a legend on and off the track.
“Chip is a great friend and partner” proclaims Tony Merritt, sports marketing manager of Mac Tools, “and we are proud to have him as a part of our team.”
“Having Chip return to the race track with us is great for us and for our fans,” Doug Kalitta, Driver of the Foose custom-designed dragster said. “Chip’s hot rods and designs are admired by people all over the world, so to have him join our team for these special paint schemes is truly an honor for me and our race team.”
Foose, Mac Tools and Kalitta initially teamed up in 2006 for special-edition paint schemes at the spring Las Vegas NHRA event and again at the world’s most prestigious drag racing event; the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis, IN. Mac Tools has introduced several Chip Foose themed products since the development of their partnership. Continuing the tradition on this first anniversary of the Chip Foose, Mac Tools and Kalitta Motorsports dragster partnership, Mac Tools is proud to introduce, simultaneously with this new Foose dragster, the coordinating new Chip Foose MB1350 1969 Chevy Camaro Toolbox. The triple palms, signature of Foose designs, are represented on both the dragster and the Tool Box while both sustain the classic Foose color scheme of orange, black and champagne.
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 has driven his Mac Tools sponsored dragster to 29 Top Fuel national event titles. These titles tie him for sixth place 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 Doug’s 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, MI, 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 crew chiefs 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, visit www.kalittaracing.com.
For more information on MAC Tools, visit www.mactools.com.
