NHRA
Denver: Dave Grubnic preview
Grubnic maintains Kalitta team focus as NHRA's season enters second half Denver, Col., July 14, 2004 -- "Aussie Dave" Grubnic, driver of the jet black, Connie "the Bounty Hunter" Kalitta-tuned Kalitta Air Top Fuel dragster, sees things as going ...
Edited: Jul 16, 2004, 12:22 AM
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Grubnic maintains Kalitta team focus as NHRA's season enters second half
Denver, Col., July 14, 2004 -- "Aussie Dave" Grubnic, driver of the jet black, Connie "the Bounty Hunter" Kalitta-tuned Kalitta Air Top Fuel dragster, sees things as going fairly well according to plan in his inaugural season at Kalitta Motorsports. His teammate Doug Kalitta, driver of the Mac Tools Top Fuel hot rod, is leading the class in NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series points, and he is fresh off his first final round appearance in three years at the previous event in St. Louis as he sits sixth in points with half of the schedule to go.
This weekend the series heads for the mountains to Denver's scenic Bandimere Speedway for the 25th annual Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals, July 16-18, to begin the first of three consecutive events in the NHRA's legendary, if not infamous, Western Swing. Events in Seattle, Wash., and Sonoma, Calif., will be contested in the next two weeks respectively.
Grubnic, a 41-year-old journeyman rail pilot and native of Brisbane, Australia, knows his role in the Kalitta Motorsports team dynamic, which is the only full-time, three Top Fuel dragster effort (Scott Kalitta is Grubnic's other teammate in the Mac Tools/Jesse James dragster) on the NHRA tour.
"So far, so good," Grubnic said. "Our goal for our Kalitta Air car this season was to do whatever we could to help one of my teammates win the championship. Doug is leading right now, so we are doing our job I guess. We've qualified No. 1 a few times, won some rounds, made a final and ran pretty well most of the first half. Maybe it will work out that my team can pick up a trophy this year too, but if not, it will still be a great season if it finished just like it is now."
Grubnic has three career final round appearances (Houston, 1998, and Sonoma, 2001).
Grubnic's 7000+ horsepower machine is helmed by co-crew chief Jon Oberhofer, brother of the Mac Tools/Jesse James dragster's co-crew chief Jim Oberhofer. Jon is in his first season at the position.
The Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals will be the 13th of 23 national events in the $50 million NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series.
Qualifying for Sunday's 16-car Top Fuel final eliminations field begins with two sessions Friday for the professional classes and two more again Saturday.
Please visit www.kalittaracing.com for more information about Kalitta Motorsports.
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