KALITTA CLAIMS LONG-AWAITED EPPING VICTORY; SECOND TRIUMPH IN 2024
Toyota extends Top Fuel win streak to eight
EPPING, N.H. (June 2, 2024) – Following his No. 1 qualifier run earlier in the weekend, Doug Kalitta captured his second Wally Trophy of 2024 by defeating Tony Schumacher in Sunday afternoon’s New England Nationals finals. Kalitta’s triumph is the 54th of his legendary career, his first at New England Dragway, and extends Toyota’s Top Fuel win streak to eight. The reigning champion has now won on every track currently on the NHRA tour. With Kalitta making the Top Fuel finals, Toyota has also reached the final round in 30 consecutive NHRA events in either Top Fuel or Funny Car.
Shawn Langdon, one of those defeated by Kalitta on the way to victory, made the semifinals for the fourth time this season. Billy Torrence, along with his son, Steve, both reached the second round.
In Funny Car, J.R. Todd was the lead GR Supra, making his fourth semifinals of the 2024 season, ultimately defeated by event winner, John Force. His Toyota teammates, Ron Capps and Alexis DeJoria, bowed out in the early rounds on Sunday.
The NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series is right back in action next weekend at Bristol Dragway for the NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals.
Toyota Post-Race Recap
NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series
NHRA New England Nationals
New England Dragway
Race 7 of 20
TOYOTA TOP FUEL FINISHING POSITIONS
| Name | Car | Final Result | Round-by-Round |
| Doug Kalitta | Mac Tools Toyota Top Fuel Dragster | Winner | W (4.254) v. S. Farley (No Time) W (3.841) v. T. Stewart (3.848) W (3.848) v. S. Langdon (3.884) W (3.802) v. T. Schumacher (4.307) |
| Shawn Langdon | Kalitta Air Careers Toyota Top Fuel Dragster | Semi-finals | W (3.780) v. S. Reed (4.605) W (3.953 – holeshot) v. B. Torrence (3.942) L (3.884) v. D. Kalitta (3.848) |
| Billy Torrence | CAPCO Contractors Toyota Top Fuel Dragster | Second Round | W (3.793 – holeshot) v. J. Salinas (3.790) L (3.942) v. S. Langdon (3.953 – holeshot) |
| Steve Torrence | CAPCO Contractors Toyota Top Fuel Dragster | Second Round | W (3.882) v. S. Smith (4.796) L (3.835) v. C. Millican (3.841 – holeshot) |
| Justin Ashley | SCAG Power Equipment Toyota Top Fuel Dragster | First Round | L (5.202) v. J. Hart (3.848) |
| Antron Brown | Matco Tools Toyota Top Fuel Dragster | First Round | L (4.436) v. T. Stewart (3.973) |
TOYOTA FUNNY CAR FINISHING POSITIONS
| Name | Car | Final Result | Round-by-Round |
| J.R. Todd | DHL Toyota GR Supra Funny Car | Semi-finals | W (4.224) v. D. Richards (9.933) W (4.079) v. B. Tasca III (4.325) L (3.994) v. J. Force (4.050) |
| Ron Capps | NAPA Auto Care Toyota GR Supra Funny Car | Second Round | W (4.045) v. M. Hagan (4.185) L (7.690) v. D. Wilkerson (4.022) |
| Alexis DeJoria | Bandero Tequila Toyota GR Supra Funny Car | First Round | L (4.060) v. C. Green (3.976) |
*= Non-Toyota driver
TOYOTA QUOTES
DOUG KALITTA, Mac Tools Toyota Top Fuel Dragster, Kalitta Motorsports
TF Final Result: Winner
How does it feel to sweep the weekend and get this victory at Epping?
“Yeah, no, it’s incredible. We had a tribute to my cousin, Scott, yesterday and this was definitely true to him. Connie (Kalitta, team owner), Alan (Johnson, crew chief), Mac (Savage, assistant crew chief), the whole Mac Tools, Toyota, Revchem team. We’ve been digging hard. I’m just making sure I don’t screw up, up there. They give me such a good car. Awesome weekend and super excited!”
J.R. TODD, DHL Toyota GR Supra Funny Car, Kalitta Motorsports
FC Final Result: Semi-finals
Can you describe your day and weekend?
“It was a good weekend for the DHL GR Supra team. We qualified well and made it to the semis which means we get to race in the 2Fast2Tasty deal (Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge) at Bristol which is always the goal. We’re still behind those Force (John Force Racing) cars quite a bit so we have some work to do going into Bristol, but at the end of the day, it’s nice to be going rounds and earning points for DHL, Revchem and SealMaster.”
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