In 1998, 1994 USAC Midget Rookie of the Year and 1995 USAC Sprint Car champion Doug Kalitta made his NHRA Top Fuel debut, joining the nitro ranks with his uncle and team owner, Connie Kalitta, and his cousin, the late Scott Kalitta. Over the last quarter-century, the Michigan native has added to the Kalitta family’s legacy in the sport by winning more than 50 Wallys behind the wheel of his Mac Tools Top Fuel dragster. Last season, after six championship runner-up finishes, Kalitta finally secured his first career NHRA Top Fuel world championship. He became the seventh different driver to win a Top Fuel title with Alan Johnson as his crew chief.
[Editor’s Note: This story originally appeared in DI #190, the State of Drag Issue, in September/ October of 2024.]
Kalitta, Johnson, and the Mac Tools/Kalitta Motorsports team have kept the momentum going into the 2024 season. Kalitta won the preseason, $250,000-to-win PRO Superstar Shootout at Bradenton Motorsports Park in February, and as of this writing, he has three wins in five final-round appearances on the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series tour. His teammate, past world champion Shawn Langdon, is also having a strong season, with new crew chief Brian Husen guiding him to two wins in five finals. After the two-race Western Swing, Kalitta and Langdon are No. 1 and 2 in points, respectively.
During a busy week between races, the reigning NHRA Top Fuel world champion and owner of Kalitta Charters sat down with Drag Illustrated for a look at his championship defense season.
I don’t know that there was anyone who wasn’t thrilled and happy for you when you finally won your first championship last November. What did it mean to you personally to have that kind of response and support?
Yeah, after 26 years, I’ve had a lot of people over the years that have worked with me and yeah, it was a cool feeling to accomplish something that I had a lot of support with over the years. People definitely were as excited as I was. Some of them (laughs). But it was a huge relief, as you can imagine, for me.
You won the inaugural PRO Superstar Shootout to start the year. How big of a deal was that to come out swinging and kind of tell everyone, “Hey, we’re not letting up?”
That was a fun event for sure. It was kind of a testing thing and then the race, so it was kind of a lowkey deal, but it was a good way to start out the season, with a win. My guys, we’ve pretty much all stayed together through the winter, so I had the same guys, and obviously Alan Johnson continuing to tune my car with another gentleman that’s working with him this year, Mac Savage.
We actually ended up taking Brian Husen, who had been working with Alan for 20 years or so, and we put him in charge of Shawn Langdon’s car, our team car. It was actually a good balance to try to get both our Top Fuel cars running towards the front.
One thing about drag racing is everybody has to do their job and do it well. That car’s gotta be put together the same way each time or the inconsistencies of tuning this thing will just drive you crazy. The guys are doing a hell of a job. It continues to be a very big team effort, and I’m real proud of these guys for what they’re doing.
You have continued to do really well this year, getting your first four-wide win among others. You’re currently the points leader. What has it taken to continue to stay out in front of the Top Fuel field?
It’s a loaded field, that’s for sure. Everybody is super hungry. We’re just trying as hard as we can and trying to stay ahead of these guys. It’s not easy. Connie Kalitta provides us with the equipment, everything that we’re doing. Chad Head is the general manager of our group. He’s constantly just making shit happen day in and day out to try to improve what we’re doing. We’ve got the number one on our car and we’re definitely not taken lightly when we roll up against somebody. We’ve definitely got a target on our backs, which is good as far as I’m concerned.
I think a lot of people expected immediate success when Alan Johnson joined Kalitta Motorsports at the beginning of the 2022 season. What’s it been like working with him and learning his approach to running one of these cars?
I was really hoping I’d get that [first] win. That first win with him was huge for me because it was over a year before we’d won our first race and I’m like, “Man, I definitely don’t want to be the one driver who doesn’t win a race with Alan Johnson as their crew chief.” But after that, it just all started flowing.
He’s very meticulous and very passionate about tuning these cars and making all the parts that he makes for all the teams. He really understands the technology of these engines and the fuel system and everything about them. Not that other people don’t, but he’s just one of those guys who has a lot of experience and he wants to win like the rest of us. It’s been a hell of an opportunity for me to be able to work with him.
What is it that motivates you at this stage in your career?
It’s been trying to get that championship, and now trying to defend the championship. You certainly don’t want to win a championship and then quit. My cousin, Scott Kalitta, won two back-to-back championships in Top Fuel, so I guess I could say that my immediate goal is to match up with what my cousin, Scott Kalitta, accomplished.
You’ve won nearly 60 races, nearly 60 No. 1 qualifiers, and now a championship. Are there any other major goals or firsts that you’re still chasing?
The NHRA has been in our family a long time. I want to do whatever it takes to keep this thing going. We have quite a legacy with the NHRA with Connie starting this [team] out. If I’m driving or not driving or whatever, I’m all about trying to promote the sport and just carry on with what we’re doing. Hopefully I can keep it in the family. Keeping this effort out here and trying to win these races is just something we do.
Do you feel like you’ve learned anything in winning that first championship last year that can help you mentally as a driver as you chase another title?
You’ve just gotta want it worse than the next guy. That hasn’t really changed much with me over the years. In order to run at the level we’re trying to run here, you definitely have to want it worse, but you also have to have a great team. I guess the thing that I probably learned the most is you’ve gotta keep that team behind you. It’s just what it takes. Then obviously our sponsors, without them, we couldn’t do what we’re doing either. All around, it’s just a process. We have to collect enough money to do this, then run well enough for everybody to want to stay with you. It’s a real fortunate opportunity. Obviously, Connie Kalitta has been a big part of it. He owns all three of our teams. We’re just out here trying to make him proud.
This story was originally published on October 16, 2024.
The post DI Interview: Doug Kalitta Discusses Championship Defense Season first appeared on Drag Illustrated.