Seattle: Doug Kalitta final report

Doug Kalitta, Mac Tools Top Fuel dragster, No. 10 qualifier -- defeated in round one

Doug Kalitta and the Mac Tools team slighted by Seattle shiver

KENT, Wash., (July 22, 2007) -- During the opening round of final eliminations Sunday at the Schuck's Auto Supply NHRA Nationals at Pacific Raceways in Kent, Wash., just outside of the Seattle city limits, Doug Kalitta, driver of the "Big Red" Mac Tools Top Fuel dragster, was scarcely denied a possible march to the Seattle Top Fuel title.

Kalitta, the No. 10 qualifier, raced No. 7 qualifier Brandon Bernstein in the opening salvo of eliminations. Kalitta held a slight advantage as the two race cars launched from the starting line, but he had to quickly get out of and then back into the throttle pedal after his Mac Tools dragster suffered a slight tire shake in the big Goodyear rear "slicks". Kalitta's swift footwork was exceptional, but Bernstein had no problems in his lane and went on to get the win, 4.686 seconds, 303.30 mph to 4.540 sec., 328.62 mph.J "The track conditions were tricky out there," Kalitta, a 42-year old resident of Ann Arbor, Mich., said. "But, we really didn't expect our Mac Tools car to do that.

"There is such a fine line between over-powering and under-powering the car for the race track. We just barely missed it. We'll head to Sonoma (next event) and get it figured out."

This season the NHRA instituted the new Countdown to the Championship points system. Only the top eight in POWERade points after the first 17 national events will be allowed to vie for the season championship. This weekend's event was the 14th of the season.

Kalitta is now 12th in POWERade championship points. He is 66 points shy of 8th place.

-credit: km