For the first time in his 26-year NHRA career, Top Fuel racer Doug Kalitta will start the Mission Foods Drag Racing Series as the defending champion.
Last November, the Michigan native crossed a long-awaited item off his bucket list when he won a thrilling, winner-take-all final round during the NHRA Finals at the In-N-Out Burger Drag Strip in Pomona, Calif.
That means, the Kalitta Motorsports driver will display the No. 1 on his dragster this season, starting with the Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals this weekend at Florida’s Gainesville Raceway.
“It’s kinda nice,” Kalitta said. “Obviously, a lot of people are proud we pulled this (title) off, and it’ll be fun to see the fans at all the places we go and have some fun being the champ coming in.”
The ever-humble racer is brimming with a new sense of confidence, bolstered by the continued efforts of Alan Johnson, who remains his crew chief.
“We’re hoping to pick up where we left off. That’s what I’m thinking. Fortunately, with all the changes we made on both our dragsters, Alan (Johnson) is definitely the right guy for the job in tuning these things,” Kalitta said.
His title defense will be one of many storylines to keep an eye on this NHRA season.
A Long List Of New & Returning Faces
There are many new faces and new full-time drivers appearing at the Gatornationals who will be hoping for a smooth start to their year.
- Three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Tony Stewart will strap into a Tony Stewart Racing Top Fuel dragster, previously piloted by wife Leah Pruett, to make his first competitive runs at a national event.
- Former Top Fuel driver Buddy Hull will make his Funny Car debut with Jim Dunn Racing.
- After spending the last few years racing here-and-there, Billy Torrence is back for a full schedule on the NHRA Top Fuel circuit. He became the oldest winner in Top Fuel history in 2021 when he triumphed at the Pep Boys NHRA Nationals.
- Daniel Wilkerson and Dave Richards are kicking off their first full seasons in the Funny Car class. Both will be driving for the newly-formed SCAG Racing operation.
- Shawn Reed is also commencing his inaugural full-time campaign in the Top Fuel class. He has 40 national event starts to his credit already.
- Though he’s by no means a newcomer to NHRA, Jeg Coughlin Jr. is returning to the Pro Stock class to run a full campaign with Elite Motorsports this year.
Phew, that might be all of them.
News Nuggets
- The Pep Boys Top Fuel Callout, paying $130,000 to the winner, will take place on Saturday. The top eight seeds are Steve Torrence, Kalitta, Brittany Force, Mike Salinas, Justin Ashley, Antron Brown, Shawn Langdon and Josh Hart. Pruett was originally slated to compete in the Top Fuel Callout, but opted out in late February. She was replaced by Hart, who was next in line.
- Reigning Funny Car champion Matt Hagan is hunting his third consecutive win at the Gatornationals. There are only five other drivers who have accomplished that feat — John Force, Don Prudhomme, Warren Johnson, Jason Line and Eddie Krawiec.
- Six-time champion Erica Enders, who will start her Pro Stock title defense against a loaded field at Gainesville Raceway, has yet to win at the Gatornationals.
- SCAG Racing will be making its debut as a “factory NHRA team,” with drivers Ashley (Top Fuel), Wilkerson (Funny Car) and Richards (Funny Car) representing the operation on the drag strip.
- Before qualifying opens on Friday, NHRA will take a moment on Thursday night for inductions into the International Drag Racing Hall of Fame. Two-time Top Fuel champion Scott Kalitta, who died in a 2008 racing accident at New Jersey’s Old Bridge Township Raceway Park, will be inducted.