 |
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Gatornationals
Technicoat Companies, led by Team Kalitta fixtures "the Cowboys", Bob Coffman, President, and Glen Williams, C.O.O, and their trademark cowboy hats are not only quarter-mile partners with Kalitta Motorsports, but they are also business associates with team owner and drag racing legend Connie Kalitta and his air cargo company, Kalitta Air. Technicoat Companies recently completed an 85,000-sqare-foot flooring project for a new aircraft hangar at Kalitta Air's maintenance facility in Oscoda, Mich. "It's great to have 'the Cowboys' be involved with us at this level for the Gators," Grubnic, a 45-year old resident of Ennis, Mont., said. "They are always a blast to have around, and they've done so much for our entire Kalitta Motorsports team over the years. I can't think of anything better than to repay their devotion to us than to put the Technicoat Companies Top Fuel dragster in the winner's circle in Gainesville." "Bob and Glen are a part of our Kalitta family," team patriarch Kalitta added. "We have enjoyed a great relationship with them at the race track, in business, and in life. It's an honor for us to be able to team up with them in this way." "Bob and I have been fortunate enough to be associated with Connie, Kalitta Motorsports and the Kalitta family for six years now," Williams said. "Our relationship with Team Kalitta and the Kalitta family is something we both hold very strongly on both a professional and personal level. We want to say thank you to Connie and the whole team for everything they do for us and for Technicoat." Grubnic won the Top Fuel title trophy at the Gatornationals, one of the 24-event NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series' most prestigious events, in 2006 when he defeated Melanie Troxel in the final round of eliminations. He also holds the track record at the legendary Gainesville Raceway for elapsed time - 4.481 seconds (2005). Grubnic is currently in 3rd place in 2008 POWERade Top Fuel championship points. Technicoat Companies has also pledged to lend further support to the Kalitta Motorsports four-car operation in 2008 with additional primary sponsorship signage on the team's nitro-fueled entries at events that have yet to be determined. In early 2004, Grubnic was hired to drive for legendary team owner Connie "the Bounty Hunter" Kalitta and Kalitta Motorsports. In the fall of '04, Grubnic won the lucrative and coveted Budweiser Shootout in Las Vegas, becoming only the fourth driver in the special event's history to win its $100,000 prize in his first attempt. Grubnic picked up an emotional first NHRA national event win in May, 2005 in Topeka, Kans., to become the first non-native North American to win a Top Fuel trophy. The ACDelco NHRA Gatornationals begins Friday for the nitro-fueled classes with two qualifying sessions at 1:00 p.m. (ET) and 3:30 p.m. Two more qualifying opportunities take place Saturday at 1:00 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. The top sixteen qualified cars will race Sunday in final eliminations beginning at 11:00 a.m.
|
