Kalitta Chapter Closes for Jeff Arend
Canadian racer Jeff Arend was as surprised as everyone following the recent announcement from within Kalitta Racing which resulted in him losing his ride in the DHL Toyota Fuel FC…..
Just last week the Toronto native suddenly found himself on the outside of the racing team for which he has been part of since 2008. While initially very disruptive for the fan favorite Canadian racer — Jeff remains optimistic about his drag racing future – as he should.
“It was definitely a surprise that I didn’t see coming,” Jeff admitted. “I had met with the top guys from DHL a couple of months earlier and at the next race was told that DHL had resigned for 2 more years. I was told not to worry and that we were good for at least 2 more years — and I even got fitted for a new fire suit at the season ending NHRA finals.”
A rather shocking early off-season development finds Jeff Arend without a ride for 2013
“It seems that when Connie decided to hire Tommy and Glen from Matt Hagan’s car to tune Alexis’s car — the team got pretty top heavy with tuners,” he continued. “Then since Del Worsham had a contract and I didn’t — a decision was made to put Del in the DHL car which unfortunately left me out of a job.”
Being the true Pro he is however, Jeff is taking the developments in stride and is very thankful for his time with the Kalitta Racing team which helped to greatly escalate his career and allowed him to demonstrate his truly natural and highly competent driving skills.
“I had a great time driving for the Kalittas and even from the first race — they made my family and I feel like part of their family,” Jeff reflected. “Just to have the chance to drive for a legend like Connie Kalitta was an honor. I came in under the most difficult of circumstances but over the next 4.5 years we all made major strides on the performance of the car. Let’s face it, we took a car that probably DNQ at more races than it qualified and turned it into a safe, competitive car. We won 3 races together and had 4 runner-ups. We made the Top 10 Countdown the last 2 years and that is quite an accomplishment considering the competition. We parted on good terms and there is nothing I regret — except the fact that it ended too soon.”
Jeff’s racing chapter with the Kalittas first began at Indianapolis in 2008 just a few months after the stunning tragic death of Scott Kalitta at Englishtown. He earned his first with the team in 2009 (at Memphis). In 2010 he went to 3 more final rounds but didn’t record his next circuit victory until 2011 at Houston. He finished a career high 8th in NHRA Full Throttle Points in 2011 and that marked the first time a Kalitta team FC had finished within NHRA’s Countdown. Jeff’s most recent career win came during that super fast edition of the Route 66 Nationals at Chicago last June.
“Actually the 2012 season overall was very rewarding for me overall,” Jeff added. “We had the car running much more consistently – we made the Countdown again – raced in the inaugural Traxxas Shootout and I recorded my career best ET (4.036 secs) at the (Pomona) finals – all of which was pretty special.”
Jeff Arend recorded a career quick 4.036 secs during his final appearance in the DHL Funny Car last month.
So what does the future hold for Jeff Arend? It is certainly safe to say that there are more racing chapters to be written in his career. His reputation as one of the most competent drivers on the tour is now solidified and any team on the circuit would be well served and greatly benefit from any alliance with Jeff Arend.
“While I would love to be back behind the wheel for 2013 — things on the driving front don’t look all that good at this time as most of the big teams are already set for next year,” he added.” “The new reality in the sport is that without a driver being able to bring some kind of sponsorship with him to a team these days — it is very tough. But I will keep working at all that and who knows, if the right funding comes — I would love to drive again or maybe start my own team.”
Photos and Posting by: Bruce Biegler
Editors Note – In the interim and while still very far from being official or confirmed, Canadian racing fans can safely speculate about the possibility of a “homecoming” driving appearance within Canada next summer for Jeff Arend as being a real possibility – (hint-hint nudge-nudge) 🙂
