NHRA Top Fueler Dave Grubnic Races To Phoenix Energized By Early Efforts
Chandler, Ariz.
Feb 21, 2007
kalittaracing
Native Australian Dave Grubnic, driver of the 330-mph black and electric blue Zantrex-3 Top Fuel dragster, hopes to continue his season-opening momentum this weekend, Feb. 23-25, at the Checker Schuck’s Kragen NHRA Nationals at Firebird Int’l Raceway just outside of Phoenix in Chandler, Ariz.
“Starting off the year with a semi-final finish in Pomona (Calif. ) was absolutely fantastic, †Grubnic, a 44-year old resident of Ennis, Mont., said. “It always feels good to go some [elimination] rounds. We’d have been happier with getting a win of course, but we’ll definitely take it.
“Our Zantrex-3 car put up some great numbers in Pomona and I don’t see any reason for that to change this weekend in Phoenix. The weather in Phoenix is looking pretty good for us this weekend so I’m hoping for even more good, clean passes down the quarter-mile. 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.
Grubnic’s team owner and drag racing legend Connie Kalitta will celebrate his 69th birthday Saturday, February 24.
The Checker Schuck’s Kragen NHRA Nationals begins Friday, Feb. 23, for the Top Fuel class with one qualifying session at 2:00 p. m. (MT), and then another qualifying session at 4:30 p. m. Two more qualifying sessions follow on Saturday at 12:30 p. m. and 3:00 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 Checker Schuck’s Kragen NHRA Nationals is the 2nd of 23 national events in the 2007 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series.
