Conrad "Connie" Kalitta (born February 24, 1938, in Michigan) is the CEO of Kalitta Air and a retired American drag racing driver, once known as "The Bounty Hunter". He is also the owner of Kalitta Motorsports.[1]
Kalitta grew up in Mount Clemens, Michigan, and was a 1957 graduate of Mount Clemens High School.
He raced from the 1950s through the 1990s. He was the first driver to hit 200 mph in an NHRA sanctioned event. He also helped Shirley Muldowney get started (in the "Bounty Huntress" car). Kalitta won 10 NHRA national events between 1967 and 1994. Kalitta has won the U.S. Nationals in 1994 after losing in two prior finals to Don Garlits and Shirley Muldowney. He defeated Eddie Hill in the final round.
Kalitta was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 1992. On the 2001 National Hot Rod Association Top 50 Drivers, 1951-2000, Kalitta was ranked #21.[2] He was played by Beau Bridges in the Muldowney biography film Heart Like a Wheel.
He is the father of racer Scott Kalitta, killed in a fiery crash in Old Bridge Township, N.J.[3][4] in 2008, and uncle of racer Doug Kalitta.
On November 14th, 2016 Kalitta was honored at the season-ending Mello Yello Awards Ceremony with NHRA's Lifetime Achievement Award. This is the first time in NHRA history that this award has been given. [5]
Kalitta grew up in Mount Clemens, Michigan, and was a 1957 graduate of Mount Clemens High School.
He raced from the 1950s through the 1990s. He was the first driver to hit 200 mph in an NHRA sanctioned event. He also helped Shirley Muldowney get started (in the "Bounty Huntress" car). Kalitta won 10 NHRA national events between 1967 and 1994. Kalitta has won the U.S. Nationals in 1994 after losing in two prior finals to Don Garlits and Shirley Muldowney. He defeated Eddie Hill in the final round.
Kalitta was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 1992. On the 2001 National Hot Rod Association Top 50 Drivers, 1951-2000, Kalitta was ranked #21.[2] He was played by Beau Bridges in the Muldowney biography film Heart Like a Wheel.
He is the father of racer Scott Kalitta, killed in a fiery crash in Old Bridge Township, N.J.[3][4] in 2008, and uncle of racer Doug Kalitta.
On November 14th, 2016 Kalitta was honored at the season-ending Mello Yello Awards Ceremony with NHRA's Lifetime Achievement Award. This is the first time in NHRA history that this award has been given. [5]
2
