Photo Courtesy: Kalitta Motorsports
YPSILANTI, Mich. (Feb. 6, 2025) — Kalitta Motorsports is paying
tribute to the late Scott Kalitta with throwback livery at this
weekend’s race in Bradenton, Fla., the team announced today. The 2025
NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series begins March 7-9, 2025 at the
Amalie Oil NHRA Gatornationals in Gainesville, Fla.
Todd’s Team Kalitta GR Supra Funny Car will sport the bright red Kalitta
Flying Service livery of the Funny Car Scott Kalitta raced to his first
NHRA national event win in 1989 at this weekend’s SCAG PRO Superstar
Shootout. Kalitta won the NHRA Top Fuel championship in 1994 and ’95 and
is one of only 19 drivers to win races in both Top Fuel and Funny Car.
After finishing second in the final season standings in 1993, Kalitta
became the first Top Fuel driver to win four-straight races in 1994
reaching the winner’s circle at Columbus, Ohio, Topeka, Kan., Denver and
Sonoma, Calif. He won five races that season on the way to his first
NHRA Top Fuel title. The next season, he won six races and his
second-consecutive season championship and followed the championships
with a runner-up finish in 1996.
“It means a lot to me to run a Scott Kalitta tribute car,” Todd said.
“Scott’s family lives in the area, and I’m sure they’ll be at the race
again this weekend. It’s a big deal – I’ve always wanted to run a
throwback car since I started with Kalitta Motorsports. I ran the
“Bounty Hunter” car in my first race driving for Connie (Team Owner
Connie Kalitta), and now to drive a throwback to Scott and Scott’s Funny
Car that I have the honor to drive means a lot.
“I’m sure the fans will like it – any time you have any sort of
throw-back, it draws a big reaction from the fans. When (Ron) Capps
rolled out the Snake (Don Prudhomme) tribute cars the last two years at
Indy, it went over really well with the fans. I’m really looking forward
to it – I was at the shop and got to see the body. It looks sweet, and
so does the throwback t-shirt design so I think it’ll be really well
received by everybody.”
“Throwbacks are always really popular with the fans, and we’re all
looking forward to seeing this car on the track,” Team Kalitta General
Manager Chad Head said. “We did this for Connie. He leads Kalitta Air
and Kalitta Motorsports – this throwback is a tribute to Scott, but it’s
for Connie more than anything else – we just wanted to find a meaningful
way to thank him for what he does. He didn’t know about until he saw it
today – he loved it. Mission accomplished.”
Photos Courtesy: Kalitta Motorsports