Doug Kalitta was the No. 4 Top Fuel seed at the start of the NHRA’s six-race Countdown, but he jumped to the points lead in the opening playoff race at Reading, Pa., and never relinquished it.
And in the relentless rain Saturday at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip, without a single pro-class car ever having a chance to hit the racetrack for the In-N-Out Burger Finals, Kalitta claimed his second Top Fuel championship in three seasons.
For a second straight day, racing was canceled because of rainstorms that socked Southern California all weekend and promise to disrupt Sunday’s eliminations that are scheduled to start at 10 a.m. PDT.
At the venue that’s considered the cradle of drag racing – and a place where Kalitta has won three times at the Finals and four times at the Winternationals – the Mac Tools dragster driver fulfilled a longtime dream of matching cousin Scott Kalitta as a two-time Top Fuel champion. Scott Kalitta earned the crown in back-to-back years (1994-95).
Doug Kalitta’s latest title gave his crew chief, Alan Johnson, a 14th Top Fuel title in 28 years as a tuner. Johnson led Tony Schumacher to five consecutive championships (2004-08), Gary Scelzi to three before that (1997-98, 2000), two for Kalitta (2023, 2025), and one apiece for Larry Dixon (2010), Del Worsham (2011), Shawn Langdon (2013), and Brittany Force (2017).
Coincidentally, this is the 30th anniversary of the Finals at which Alan Johnson guided brother Blaine Johnson to his first Top Fuel victory (1995).
“Yeah, this is definitely a lot easier” than 2023, Kalitta said. “It’s always seemed to come down to the last race, last day, but we had a nice string of runs throughout the Countdown. Alan and my whole team have had my car going down the track. It’s been real nice, and just not doing something stupid on the track and getting good, solid runs.
“Alan is always throwing down and always has something up his sleeve. So, I’m just really proud of him and my whole team. It’s a huge relief to be able to win the championship before the last round at the last race, and we’re all just super happy.”
For Kalitta, the wait is over. But three other racers – Austin Prock (Top Fuel), Dallas Glenn (Pro Stock), and Richard Gadson (Pro Stock Motorcycle) – must wait to see what Sunday brings in terms of weather and results.
Elimination fields for the pro classes were determined based on championship standings at the conclusion of the Nevada Nationals two weeks ago at Las Vegas.
Funny Car leader and reigning champion Prock will start from the No.1 spot and needs to defeat Hunter Green in the opening round to secure back-to-back titles. No. 2-ranked Matt Hagan will need a first-round Prock loss plus an event victory to record his fifth championship.
In Pro Stock, top-seeded Dallas Glenn can earn his first championship if he wins his opening-round matchup against David Cuadra. That would hold off six-time and current kingpin Greg Anderson, his KB Titan Racing teammate.
Teammates also are having a battle in the Pro Stock Motorcycle class. Vance & Hines is certain to get its 16th championship in 28 years, and it will go to either points leader Richard Gadson for the first time or to Gaige Herrera for the third consecutive season.
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