Doug Kalitta wins Top Fuel final in Countdown opener

Doug Kalitta wins Top Fuel final in Countdown opener

Published Sep. 17, 2017 9:28 p.m. ET

CONCORD, N.C. (AP) Doug Kalitta won the Top Fuel final Sunday in the Countdown to the Championship-opening NHRA Carolina Nationals at zMAX Dragway.

The points leader won for the first time at the track, beating teammate Richie Crampton in the final round with a 3.775-second pass at 318.39 mph. Kalitta has 43 career victories.

''Getting this win gives us great momentum with only five races to go,'' Kalitta said. ''With the team I have with me, I'm full of confidence. It's huge for me to get my first win at this great facility, because we have been coming here for a lot of years and I couldn't be happier with how it turned out.''

Robert Hight won in Funny Car, Tanner Gray in Pro Stock, and Eddie Krawiec in Pro Stock Motorcycle.

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Hight raced to his third victory of the season, beating Courtney Force with a 3.943 at 328.86 in a Chevrolet Camaro SS. He has 40 career victories, five at zMAX Dragway.

Gray, from nearby Mooresville, won for the fifth time in his rookie season, topping Greg Anderson with a 6.614 at 208.07 in a Chevrolet Camaro. Krawiec beat teammate Andrew Hines with a 6.850 at 196.87 on a Harley-Davidson for his fourth victory of the season and 40th overall.

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