Searching for his 50th career victory, Top Fuel veteran Doug Kalitta powered to the provisional No. 1 qualifier on Friday at the 34th annual Flav-R-Pac NHRA Northwest Nationals at Pacific Raceway.
Bob Tasca III (Funny Car) and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) are also the provisional No. 1 qualifiers at the 11th of 21 races during the 2023 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season.
Kalitta put together a run of 3.753s at 327.66mph in his 11,000-horsepower Mac Tools dragster, putting him in line for his second top spot this season and 53rd in his career. The 49-time event winner will try to pick up his second win in Seattle as part of the second race in the NHRA’s three-race Western Swing and things appear on the upswing, with Kalitta advancing to the final round last weekend in Denver.
“I’m very proud of what we’ve accomplished to get to 49 wins and we’d love to get to 50, but you try not to make too big a deal out of it,” said Kalitta, who last won in 2020. “But it’s certainly getting to that point with it being (nearly) three years. We’ll just keep digging and hopefully all the stars align, and we get another win. It’s a humbling sport for sure and you’ve just got to take the good with the bad and take advantage of the opportunities.”
Clay Millican, who knocked off Kalitta in the final round in Denver, is currently second after go ing 3.779s at 322.88mph and Shawn Langdon is third with a run of 3.786s at 321.27mph. Points leader Justin Ashley is right behind with a pass of 3.801s at 319.45mph.
In Funny Car, Tasca is after his second straight No. 1 qualifier in Seattle and fifth this season after his run of 3.964s at 320.13mph in his 11,000-horsepower Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Mustang. Tasca is still seeking his first career victory in Seattle, but even with new crew chiefs, he performed at a high level during qualifying. Currently sixth in points, Tasca is after his sixth win this season.
“We did so good here during qualifying last year, and we got snake bit in the (second) round, but what I was really happy about this run is that I always ask the crew chiefs, what is it going to run? And Aaron (Brooks) goes ‘Around 3.96s,’ and you see John Force run (3.98s), you know 0.96 is going to be a great run out there,” Tasca said. “So good way to start.