Energetic NHRA Top Fueler Dave Grubnic Looks To Start 2007 Season With A Win
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Pomona, Calif
Feb 07, 2007
Native Australian Dave Grubnic, driver of the black and electric blue Zantrex-3 Top Fuel dragster, is ready to race in some familiar colors again this weekend, Feb. 8-11, at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series 2007 season-opener, the CARQUEST Auto Parts NHRA Winternationals, at historic Auto Club Raceway at Pomona in Pomona, Calif.
Zantrex-3 returns in 2007 as the primary sponsor on Grubnic’s 8,000-horsepower, nitro-fueled race car after also adorning the 330-mph dragster in Grubnic’s 2005 NHRA campaign. Grubnic is thrilled to welcome back his friends from Zantrex-3 and looks to the upcoming season with high hopes of giving them and drag racing fans a lot to cheer about.
“Our car is all set and I’m really excited about this year, †Grubnic said. “I have some very fond memories with Zantrex-3 on board with us, like the first time we debuted the car and paint scheme in 2004 at the fall race in Las Vegas. We had a lot of the VIPs from the company there with us, and we won the Budweiser Shootout for them. It was awesome. Zantrex-3 was on board when we won our first national event too, so I can’t wait to get back out there in my blue blazer.
“I really think we’re going to see some great runs from our car and all the other teams this year. I think fans are in for a real treat at the drag strips in 2007. â€
In early 2004, Grubnic was hired to drive for Kalitta Motorsports. Since joining the Ypsilanti, Michigan-based multi-car nitro team, Grubnic has posted consecutive top-five championship points finishes. In the fall of 2004, he won the lucrative and coveted Budweiser Shootout in Las Vegas, becoming only the fourth driver in the special event’s history to win its $100,000 prize in his first attempt, and he picked up an emotional first NHRA national event win in May, 2005 in Topeka, Kans., to become the first non-native North American to win a Top Fuel trophy.
The CARQUEST Auto Parts NHRA Winternationals begins Thursday, Feb. 8, for the Top Fuel class with one qualifying session at 2:30 p. m. (PT). The next qualifying attempt will be made on Friday at 2:30 p. m. Two more qualifying sessions follow on Saturday at 12:30 p. m. and 3:30 p. m. The top sixteen qualified cars will race Sunday in final eliminations beginning at 11:00 a. m.
All times and dates subject to change.
The CARQUEST Auto Parts NHRA Winternationals is the 1st of 23 national events in the 2007 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series.
About Kalitta Motorsports
Based in Ypsilanti, Michigan, Kalitta Motorsports is a Top Fuel and Funny Car drag racing team in the NHRA (National Hot Rod Association) POWERade Drag Racing Series. The racing operation was started in 1959 by now legendary drag racer and team owner Connie “the Bounty Hunter†Kalitta. His son Scott Kalitta drives the Kalitta Air Funny Car. Scott’s cousin, Connie’s nephew, Doug Kalitta drives the flagship Top Fuel dragster for Mac Tools. Native Australian Dave Grubnic drives the Zantrex-3 Top Fuel dragster, while Hillary Will drives the Kalitta Motorsports-managed and Ken Black-owned Top Fuel dragster.
