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NHRA: Team Kitty Hawk Ready to Take Flight in Texas

18 October 1998

YPSILANTI, Mich. - Doug and Connie Kalitta may have more in common with Orville and Wilber Wright than they might think. When they come to the Lone Star State for two of the last three events in the NHRA Winston Drag Racing season, the modern day aviators will be doing their version of flying down the quarter-mile.

While the Wright Brothers were concerned with getting a craft to fly in the air for the longest amount of time possible, the Kalittas are concerned with getting their Top Fuel dragsters from the starting line to the finish line in the least amount of time possible. And while the Wright Brothers traveled to Kitty Hawk, N.C., to achieve their goal, the Kalittas are achieving their goal with the help of Kitty Hawk.

Doug, the able rookie, and Connie, the crafty veteran, will both be looking for their first wins at the Revell Nationals at the Texas Motorplex in Ennis (October 23-25) and the Matco Tools Super Nationals at Houston Raceway Park in Baytown (October 30-November 1). Along for the ride on both entries will be Dallas-based air cargo carrier Kitty Hawk.

Doug, 34, of Ann Arbor, Mich., began his racing career at the age of 9 on a motorcycle. After several years of motorcycle and go-cart racing he took a break from the seat. He spent most of the 1980s as a crewman for Connie, his uncle, and knew then that he wanted to drive the dragster one day. While waiting for that day, Doug took the wheel of the Kalitta Flying Service midget entry in 1990; he won two races and was named ARCA/WWAR Rookie of the Year. The following year he began competing in both a USAC midget and sprint car. He finished third in sprint car points and was named USAC National Midget Rookie of the Year. In 1994 he won the USAC National Sprint Car Championship. Doug scored 14 midget wins and seven sprint car titles in his round-track career.

Since Doug started driving the American International Airways/Kitty Hawk dragster in January he has qualified for all but one of the 19 events contested and has a career-best elapsed time of 4.561 seconds. He was runner- up at the Castrol Lone Star Nationals held at the Motorplex in May and was the winner of the Autolite Nationals in Sonoma, Calif., in July.

The vice president of Central and South American operations for American International Airways, Doug is also a pilot. He received his Learjet rating in 1985 at the age of 21, making him one of the youngest persons to achieve that goal. He is also rated for DC-8 and Hawker aircraft.

Connie, 60, of Ypsilanti, Mich., used airstrips to his advantage in the early 1960s. His racing career got started on the abandoned ones while he used the active ones to launch an aviation empire. Retiring in April as president of American International Airways, which merged with Kitty Hawk late last year, Connie returned to competition in August after a 16-month hiatus. A member of the Kitty Hawk board of directors, Connie has not had much luck as a driver on the Texas tracks but he has enjoyed much success as a team owner.

When Connie choose to sit out the 1990 Revell Nationals he enabled his son Scott to earn a place in the history books. Scott, 36, of Chelsea, Mich., drove his Funny Car and his dad's Top Fuel entry that weekend to became only the third person in NHRA history to qualify both a Funny Car and a Top Fuel entry for the same event. In 1994 the now retired Scott clinched his first Winston Top Fuel Championship at the Motorplex. In 1995 he clinched his second title there as well to become only the third driver in NHRA history to win back-to-back titles. (Scott also won this event in 1995 and was the runner-up in 1993 and 1996.)

Also a winner at the Revell Nationals was Ed "the Ace" McCulloch. Now serving as Doug's crew chief and an advisor to Connie's team, McCulloch won the Funny Car title in 1987 and 1988 and was the Top Fuel winner in 1992. The drivers will have their first chance at qualifying for the Revell Nationals on Friday, October 23 with sessions scheduled for 2 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. Qualifying continues at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. on Saturday. Final eliminations will begin at 11 a.m., Sunday, October 25.

The Nashville Network (TNN) will televise two hours of final round coverage on Sunday, October 25 beginning at 5:30 p.m. (EST). TNN will also show one hour of first round coverage Sunday at 12:30 p.m. (EST).

Qualifying for the Matco Tools Super Nationals will begin with two sessions on Friday, October 30 at 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. Qualifying will continue on Saturday with sessions at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Final eliminations will begin at 11 a.m., Sunday, November 1.

TNN will also carry coverage of the Super Nationals. First round coverage can be seen on Sunday, November 1 beginning at 11 a.m. (EST) while final round coverage can be seen beginning at 6 p.m. (EST).