Kalitta to reward longtime associate sponsors with a free primary ride

Modern drag racing in the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series depends on the support of the corporate community. That support can range from a full-blown primary sponsorship package to an associate sponsorship agreement that allows a company to be involved with a professional drag racing team to meet both their marketing needs and their budget. Relationships built between race teams and associate sponsors are just as important as those with bigger primary sponsors and consistently share the same endurance through years of success on and off of the track.

To repay the loyalty of three of their devoted associate sponsors, Kalitta Motorsports and the Kalitta Air Funny Car team, based in Ypsilanti, Mich., announced Wednesday they will turn the tables of racecar sponsorship and will give steadfast backers Technicoat Companies, Fischer Honda, and Red Line Oil primary sponsorship signage on the Scott Kalitta-driven, 7,000 horsepower, nitro-fueled flopper free of charge for one event each during the upcoming NHRA Western Swing in Denver, Seattle, and Sonoma, Calif.

Technicoat Companies, Fischer Honda, and Red Line Oil will each be given predominant exposure on the racecar, and team members will wear custom designed crew uniforms for each group at that sponsor’s event. The Kalitta Air Funny Car will also be renamed for each event accordingly: The Technicoat Companies Funny Car will compete in Denver at Bandimere Speedway in the Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals, the Fischer Honda Funny Car will compete in Seattle at Pacific Raceways in the Schuck’s Auto Supply NHRA Nationals, and the Red Line Oil Funny Car will compete in Sonoma, Calif., at Infineon Raceway in the Fram Autolite NHRA Nationals.

“We’re very happy to be able to do this for the folks that have given us such great support over the years,” team patriarch Connie Kalitta said. “Hopefully, our racecar will run great for each of them and we can really give them all something to cheer for.”

A special logo has also been designed to commemorate the Associate Sponsor Appreciation Swing. Harkening back to “the Bounty Hunter” days of drag racing legend Connie Kalitta, each time the Team Kalitta Funny Car completes a Swing event, a check mark will be amended next to that event’s respective sponsor’s name on a special decal on the hood of the race car.

Technicoat Companies, based in Las Vegas and Westminster, Calif., specializes in hi-tech performance coatings and floorings, wearing surfaces for pedestrian traffic and vehicular traffic, as well as new and existing roofs. Technicoat’s President Bob Coffman and C.O.O. Glen Williams, a.k.a. “the Cowboys,” are fixtures in the Team Kalitta pit area at most NHRA national events with their trademark cowboy hats. Technicoat Companies joined Kalitta Motorsports in 2003.

Fischer Honda, based in Ypsilanti, Mich., is one of Eastern Michigan’s leading Honda dealerships. Owner Rick Fischer attends every NHRA national event and serves as the dragster and driver presentation specialist on the Mac Tools Top Fuel dragster team. Fischer is rarely seen without a cigar in his mouth and a white towel in his hand ready to polish the bright red entry driven by Doug Kalitta. Fischer Honda joined Kalitta Motorsports in 1994.

Red Line Oil joined Kalitta Motorsports in 2001. Red Line Synthetic Oil Corporation, based in Benicia, Calif., manufactures over 80 quality products, including motor oils, gear oils, assembly lubes, fuel additives, and its popular WaterWetter cooling additive for the automotive, motorcycle, marine, and industrial markets. Red Line Oil President Tim Kerrigan and Director of Marketing Cameron Evans are dedicated drag racing enthusiasts and are often seen at NHRA events cheering for all of the hot rods that utilize their products.