NHRA driver Scott Kalitta killed in crash | Gather

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Jun 22, 2008 NHRA&s Scott Kalitta was killed on Saturday during the final round of qualifying for the Lucas Oil NHRA super nationals. It happened at.

Jun 22, 2008 NHRA&s Scott Kalitta was killed on Saturday during the final round of qualifying for the Lucas Oil NHRA super nationals. It happened at.

Jun 22, 2008 NHRA&s Scott Kalitta was killed on Saturday during the final round of qualifying for the Lucas Oil NHRA super nationals. It happened at.

Don&t have time to check every car news source? Want a full briefing in under 5 minutes? Fast Lane Daily is the car news show you&ve been waiting for. Fast and fresh. Every day. Got a hot tip for Fast Lane Daily?

Hey all!

It was so fun having DW’s brother telling stories last night on the air – prior to the ARCA Sim benefit race. I figured I’d send you a blog today on a number of things from here at my studio in Charlotte, NC.

ARCA Sim Racing Last Night -CBLBLOG UPDATE
Fundraiser for Motor Racing Outreach Last Night Racing On Line!

On “Dialed In’ yesterday, Darrell Waltrip’s brother, Bobby Waltrip (he so sounds exactly like DW doesn’t he?) and DW’s nephew Lee Bob Waltrip talked about their participation in last night’s LIVE on line charity sim racing event to benefit Motor Racing Outreach. Here’s a listener email:

What racing software are they using?
Irvin

Answer:
The software they raced was Arca Sim Racing 08′ from the Sim Factory. It
can be purchased at www.theSimFactory.com

This software is also featured and run at www.DMP-Racing.com which is Dale
Jr’s league. They race every other Monday, Live at www.OnlineRacin.com
(Dale Jr, AJ Allmendinger, TJ Majors, Martin Truex Jr all race there). Next
race is June 30th at 9:30 pm est at the famed Milwaukee Mile! (Joey Logano
helped them set that track up last year in development by the way)

Also, it is featured in Daytona’s 500 Experience center, which opened
yesterday (tuesday).

Here’s an update on last night’s sim racing:

Sim Racing Update: June 24, 2008
The SIM race itself last night went well, a few more cautions than expected, but since
these guys had not races together before, it kind of was not a total surprise. 43 cars
started and I think 33 were in the running at the end. A few self spins
early, the majority of the field was in contention with 20 laps left. This
caused for some extra laps at the end (Arca has unlimited
Green-White-Checkers), and ultimately a last lap move to the front by Josh
Parker and eventual race winner! Money raised for MRO was about $450 in
purse, and several drivers are donating 1/2 or all their race winnings as
well. A rebroadcast is available for offline post race viewing at:
www.PSRTV.com (MRO)

A few highlights of sim racing in ARCA sim:

You can have up to 43 cars participate at once (and 43 Live spotters)
Tracks raced are SuperSpeedway, Speedway, Short Track, Dirt oval and
soon even a Road Course!
Simulation has all 5 major manufacturers represented (Toyota, Ford,
Dodge, Chevy and Pontiac)
Scoring can be done in Arca format or Sprint Cup
Drivers seen in online races: Allmendinger, Truex, Dale Jr, McDowell,
Brad Coleman, Colin Braun, Logano, and many more
Software is currently used in preparation and as a traing tool for many
drivers not only in ARCA, but all the major motorsports

** really cool video of AJ racing at Pocono at the Myspace page ( first
one: www.myspace.com/arcasimracing )

Thanks to Bobby Waltrip and Lee Bob for hanging out on “Dialed In” with me last night. They are a hoot aren’t they?

MADISON INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY ALL STAR CHALLENGE
Tuesday Night, June 24 -RESULTS

Here’s an update on racing last night at Madison International Speedway in Oregon, Wisconsin as the All Star Challenge featured NASCAR superstars Kyle Busch, Matt Kennseth and Tony Stewart. Here’s the finishing order:

SWISS COLONY ALLSTAR CHALLENGE
Madison International Speedway

(Starting position in parentheses)

(2) Steve Carlson
(3) Matt Kenseth
(7) Andrew Morrissey
(11) Nathan Heseleu
(22) Travis Sauter
(5) Rich Bickle
(13) Chris Wimmer
(14) Steve Rubeck
(1) Tim Schendel
(15) Dave Feiler
(17) Steve Holzhausen.
(10) Kyle Busch
(20) Chad Wood
(18) Frank Kreyer
(24) Andy Monday
(9) Tony Stewart
(4) Dan Lensing
(16) Jonathon Eilen
(21) Dan Jung
(6) Nick Hammer
(12) Jeremy Lepak
(8) Bobby Wilberg
(19) Zach Riddle
(23) Eugene Gregorich Jr.

Here’s a link to my buddy Dave Kallmann (Milwaukee Journal Sentinal) who covered the event last night:
http://blogs.jsonline.com/racing/archive/2008/06/24/carlson-first-kenseth-second.aspx

_____________________________

I know that a lot of folks in and around racing have been talking about the Scott Kalitta NHRA tragedy- and you know when we first saw the tape over the weekend we were all shocked – everyone in racing that I know -in NASCAR in the garage– mentioned that it was clear that Kalitta did not have room to stop before his vehicle hit the retaining wall.

The shutdown area seemed insufficient even to those who are not experts – even to casual race fans of another series. I have received a great deal of email on this. This has touched people even if they don’t follow NHRA racing or know Kalitta- because any death in racing in any series is a travesty and also really bad for racing in general.

This death, even as I head to New Hampshire to cover NASAR which has become increasingly safer over the past few years, thank God, saddens all of us. Here is the information regarding Scott’s memorial and where donations can be made. Some of you have asked for this information.

Memorials for NHRA Racer Scott Kalitta
A public memorial service to celebrate the life of Scott Kalitta will be held this Thursday, June 26 at 7 p.m. at Ernsthausen Performing Arts Center, 350 Shady Lane Drive, Norwalk, OH 44857. The Kalitta family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to these charities close to Scott’s heart:

Saint Stephen’s Episcopal School
Attn: Development Office
315 41st Street West
Bradenton, FL 34209
(His sons attend this school)

B.R.A.K.E.S. (Be Responsible and Keep Everyone Safe)
c/o Doug Herbert Performance Parts
1443 E. Gaston St.
Lincolnton, NC 28092 www.putonthebrakes.com

Cards for Scott’s family can be sent to:
Kalitta Air
818 Willow Run Airport
Ypsilanti, MI 48198

Email condolences can be sent to:
champion@kalittaracing.com

Prayers from here for his family.

Take care…more later. I sure appreciate all your IM’s and email and calls into the show. It means a lot to get to know you all!

Claire B.

that the sport we love is a deadly one. This weekend we were all sadly reminded of that once again.

Before I go into one of my signature “state of racing” rants this week, I feel it necessary to pause a moment for two men who lost their lives this past weekend behind the wheel of their race cars. While they died “in the moment” doing what they loved, that doesn’t take away the heartache their friends, fans, colleagues, teammates and family are all feeling in the aftermath of these tragedies.

I would also be remiss if I didn’t send a quiet thank you out into the universe for all the lives that are spared around the world, every weekend, year after year, so that we may be thrilled and entertained.

Rest in peace gentlemen

Scott Kalitta – Drag Racer ( Died June 21, 2008 )

Dino Crescentini-Vintage Racer ( Died June 22, 2008 )

You both will be deeply missed.

In Remembrance, I have placed upon this page the words from The Prophet, by Kahlil Gibran

THEN Almitra spoke, saying, We would ask now of Death.

And he said:

You would know the secret of death.

But how shall you find it unless you seek
it in the heart of life?

The owl whose night-bound eyes are
blind unto the day cannot unveil the mystery
of light.

If you would indeed behold the spirit of
death, open your heart wide unto the body
of life.

For life and death are one, even as the
river and the sea are one.
In the depth of your hopes and desires
lies your silent knowledge of the beyond;

And like seeds dreaming beneath the snow
your heart dreams of spring.

Trust the dreams, for in them is hidden
the gate to eternity.

Your fear of death is but the trembling
of the shepherd when he stands before the
king whose hand is to be laid upon him in
honour.

Is the shepherd not joyful beneath his
trembling, that he shall wear the mark of
the king?

Yet is he not more mindful of his trem-
bling?

For what is it to die but to stand naked
in the wind and to melt into the sun?

And what is to cease breathing, but to
free the breath from its restless tides, that
it may rise and expand and seek God unen-
cumbered?

Only when you drink from the river of
silence shall you indeed sing.

And when you have reached the moun-
tain top, then you shall begin to climb.

And when the earth shall claim your
limbs, then shall you truly dance.

Funny Car driver Scott Kalitta was killed this weekend during a qualifying race in New Jersey. The 46 year old Kalitta was a two-time former champion with 18 career wins. His Toyota Solara was going about 300 mph when it started to burst into flames and then crashed into a wall. His death is obviously totally unfortunate, but I won’t call it tragic; the drivers all know the risks when they get into their cars. The Boston Globe and the AP got an amazing shot of the car as it burst into flames, because it is essentially the picture of Kalitta’s unfortunate demise, I’m posting it below the jump for those of you who don’t want to see it. It isn’t graphic in any manner besides there being a car/man totally engulfed in flames, but if you’re interested/equally ghoulish, check it out, it is a remarkable picture.

Sad day for NHRA drag racing

*EDIT* Looks like the NHRA/ESPN pulled the video from YouTube. You can see the video on ESPN video, it’s about half way through the segment.

El Campeón Americano de “speed car dragsters” Scott Kalitta muere después de que su coche explotara en plena carrera. Triste fin a una brillante carrera profesional automovilística.

Funny Car driver Scott Kalitta, 46, died June 21 from multiple injuries suffered after his car went out of control and crashed in a high-speed racing accident at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park during the fourth and final round of qualifying at the Lucas Oil NHRA SuperNationals. Kalitta was extracted from his car by NHRA emergency services officials and transported to Old Bridge Township Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.

Kalitta, a two-time NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series Top Fuel champion and one of only 14 drivers in NHRA history to earn victories in both premier nitro categories, earned 18 victories during his career, his last coming in Chicago in 2005 in Top Fuel.

Kalitta earned most of his racing success in Top Fuel, where he claimed back-to-back world championship titles in 1994 and 1995. He retired from racing in 1997, sitting out most of two seasons before returning for a 10-race campaign in 1999. He sat out three more seasons following that brief stint and then returned again in 2003, joining cousin Doug as a second driver for the family’s two Top Fuel dragsters.

Kalitta started his pro career in Top Fuel in 1982, running limited events for four seasons before moving to Funny Car in 1986 for his first full season of competition. He returned to that category full time in 2006. He posted a runner-up finish two weeks ago in Chicago, his 36th career NHRA final-round appearance.

Kalitta is survived by his father, legendary NHRA racer and team owner Connie Kalitta; wife, Kathy; and sons, Corey, 14, and Colin, 8.

Truly sad!

El piloto estadounidense Scott Kalitta falleció tras sufrir un grave accidente a más de 480 kilómetros por hora mientras participaba en los entrenamientos, en Englishtown (Nueva Jersey), valederos para una prueba perteneciente a la Asociación Nacional de “Hot Rod”.

El vehículo de Kalitta, de 46 años, se incendió en plena carrera para explotar antes de impactar con el muro y, pese a su rápido traslado a un hospital, éste falleciera una vez ingresó en en el centro médico.

Scott había sido campeón de la especialidad en dos ocasiones (1994 y 1995), además de contar con 18 victorias en su palmarés.

Fuente: Marca