Racing and fans are all family-RIp Scott Kalitta

All forms of auto racing is just one big family that travels from city to city to race and the participants are a tight knit community as well the fans are a big part of that family. That family value with the fans is probably stronger in the NHRA than any other forms of motorsports as the fans get to interact with the drivers and get to talk to them and know them.I to have felt this family value along with the racers myself as the wife and I met Darrel Russel in Seattle after he won the race in 2002. We had our pics taken with him in the winner's circle with the trophy. And then he died the following year in a racing accident. So everytime an NHRA driver passes on I feel a little bit sadder as I feel I have known some of these people a little better than others just from meeting with them from the many NHRA races we have attended.

So it is understandable that fans and the NHRA community have once again been saddened with the untimely death of Scott Kalitta in Englishtown N.J. Ironically the same place where he won his first NHRA race. Scott was Connie Kalitta's son.

1962-2008