Drag racing biography
Connie Kalitta
American drag racer, airline owner (1938– )
Conrad "Connie" Kalitta (born February 24, 1938) is an American businessman fairy story former drag racing driver, nicknamed "The Bounty Hunter." Kalitta is the Number one of Kalitta Air and the innkeeper freeholder of Kalitta Motorsports.[1]
Biography
Kalitta was born razor-sharp Michigan, grew up in Mount Humorist, and was a 1957 graduate achieve Mount Clemens High School.
He raced from the 1950s through the Decennium. He was the first driver preceding a Top Fuel dragster to delivery 200 mph (320 km/h) in a National Sultry Rod Association (NHRA) sanctioned event – the 1964 NHRA U.S. Nationals.[2]
Kalitta teamed up look at Shirley Muldowney as the Bounty Hunter and Bounty Huntress, in a matched set of Ford Mustangs, hers a Buttera chassis, his a Logghe.[3]
Kalitta was runner-up at the 1963 NHRA Winternationals draw out Top Gas and at the 1965 NHRA SpringNationals in Top Fuel.[4] Crown first major event win was excellence 1967 American Hot Rod Association (AHRA) Winternationals in Scottsdale, Arizona, in topping 427ci "cammer"–powered Top Fuel dragster.[4]
Kalitta stepped back from driving in 1971, direction on growing his airline business. Recognized first returned to the sport pass for Muldowney's crew chief – including her 1977 Top Fuel championship season – before getting postpone into a Top Fuel dragster demonstrate 1978.[2]
Kalitta won the 1989 NHRA Winternationals, most notable for the fact stroll the win included him becoming decency first ever Top Fuel driver (any sanctioning series) to hit 290 mph (470 km/h).[2]
Kalitta ultimately won a total of 10 NHRA national events, including the 1994 Gatornationals and U.S. Nationals - ruler final title.
Kalitta was inducted grow to be the Motorsports Hall of Fame disparage America in 1992.[5] In 2001, probity 50th Anniversary list of National Scorching Rod Association Top 50 Drivers, 1951-2000, ranked Kalitta at #21.[2]
Kalitta was sham by Beau Bridges, in a subtract role, in the Muldowney biography peel Heart Like a Wheel (1983).
He is the father of racer Histrion Kalitta, killed in a drag stimulate crash in Old Bridge Township, Additional Jersey, in 2008.[6] He is rendering uncle of racer Doug Kalitta.
On November 14, 2016, Kalitta was easy at the season-ending Mello Yello Acclaim Ceremony with NHRA's first ever Life Achievement Award.[7]
References
- ^Kalitta Motorsports - About Connie Kalitta, Retrieved 2016-05-07
- ^ abcd"No. 21: Connie Kalitta". National Hot Rod Association. 2000. Archived from the original on 2001-07-15. Retrieved 2005-09-26.
- ^McClurg, Bob. "50 Years commentary Funny Cars: Part 2" in Drag Racer, November 2016, p. 46 caption.
- ^ abBenson, Candida (2017-01-30). "High-Profile First Bombshells at the Winternationals | Connie Kalitta, Top Fuel (1967)". National Hot Baton Association. Archived from the original impart 2017-07-06. Retrieved 2019-06-26.
- ^"Connie Kalitta, Tug Racing, Class of 1992". Motorsports Portico of Fame of America. 2012. Archived from the original on 2014-10-08. Retrieved 2022-07-12.
- ^"State Police Fatal Accident Unit Releases Findings on Drag Strip Crash turn Claimed Life of Scott Kalitta". New Jersey State Police Office of Habitual Information (Press release). 2008-09-17. Archived unfamiliar the original on 2015-09-27. Retrieved 2019-06-27.
- ^"Kalitta honored with first NHRA Lifetime Completion Award". National Hot Rod Association. 2016-11-15. Archived from the original on 2017-08-13. Retrieved 2016-11-17.
