ANN ARBOR, MI– Clevite Nitro Club Members Scott Kalitta and Tommy Johnson Jr. scored big wins at the NHRA season-opening 45th annual CARQUEST Auto Parts Winternationals. Fellow Nitro Club members Doug Herbert and Phil Burkart Jr. were runners-up.
Kalitta of Kalitta Motorsports had some of the day’s most impressive runs with four consecutive 4.4-second quarter miles. Johnson of Snake Racing scored his first win in four years – giving team owner Don “the Snake” Prudhomme his 99th overall victory. his was Johnson’s sixth win overall, but his first win after an 89 race drought.
Herbert of the Snap-on team had his career-best start to an NHRA season. In order to make it to the final round of the season-opening Winternationals, Herbert beat several veteran drivers including defending Top Fuel champion Tony Schumacher. Burkart won the day’s closest race and took out Gary Scelzi with a .096 to .154-second reaction time advantage.
Currently, Clevite Nitro Club members Kalitta and Herbert lead in the points standing – 116 for Kalitta and Herbert with 92. Clevite Nitro Club members will join the rest of the NHRA POWERade Series at Firebird International Raceway for the CSK Nationals in Phoenix, Feb. 25-27.
The Nitro Club is a great option for NHRA teams without product sponsorships, giving them the ability to buy premium parts at discounted prices.
For more information, go to: www.engineparts.com.
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