Defending Houston event champion Kalitta has potential for major career milestone
Houston Highlights: Defending event champion; Only driver in Top Fuel history with back-to-back wins at Houston; Three wins (2016, 2015, 2003); Three no.1 qualifiers (2013, 2003, 2002)

Last Event Recap (Las Vegas): Qualified third; Semi-finalist (Defeated Steve Chrisman in the first round and Clay Millican in the quarter-finals, lost to Tony Schumacher in the semi-finals)

2016 SpringNationals Recap: Qualified second; Race Winner (Defeated Terry Haddock in the first round, Kebin Kinsley in the second round, Leah Pritchett in the semi-finals and Steve Torrence in the final)

Quotable: “Houston has been a good place for us the past couple of years. The weather conditions are usually really good and I’m really looking forward to getting back down there. It would be real cool to win three straight races at the same track. It’s awfully hard to do these days, but my Mac Tools Toyota team is really doing a hell of a job, week in and week out. We’ll go in there with that goal and see if we can pull it off again.”

Career Stats: 438 starts, 596 round wins (10th all-time), 42 wins (Fifth all-time in Top Fuel), 88 finals, 47 no.1 qualifiers (13th all-time)

2017 Season Stats: One final (Pomona-I); 7 round wins; fourth in the standings

2016 Season Stats: Four wins (Houston, Atlanta, Topeka, Pomona-II); Four no.1 qualifiers (Phoenix, Atlanta, Norwalk, Charlotte-II); Two finals (Pomona-I, Charlotte-II); 44 round wins; second in the final standings

Noteworthy: If Kalitta earns two round wins, he would pass Bob Glidden for ninth all-time in total round wins; With a race win, Kalitta would become the ninth driver to hit 600 round wins; also will reach 1,000 career rounds competed early this year (currently at 992)