Let’s talk a bit about safety. What is your opinion about rebuilding a car that crashes like Robert Hight’s did or when Tommy Johnson basically burned his to the ground? Is that a safe thing to do?
CK: Don’t rebuild them when you crash one bad enough to bend the chassis, but on the other hand, rebuilding a burnt car is a different thing. A fire like Tommy’s doesn’t make enough temperature to hurt the metal. His fire was basically carbon fiber, oil, and nitromethane burning. To have an affect on the steel of the frame the fire would have to be sustained and have a lot higher temperature.
What about Hight’s crash?
CK: One of the problems, and we had this discussion with Graham (Light) was Hight hit the wall, he hit the wall on both sides. We've had this discussion about hitting the wall, and feel that if you hit the wall before getting to the finish line, you're out. If you hit the wall afterwards, it doesn’t make a difference. If the crew chief and the NHRA look at the car after it has hit a wall and they all say it is alright, then you have to go with what they say. But for me, if Scott hit the wall like Hight did, I'd go back to the shop and make sure the thing was safe before I raced it again.
What does your team do when one of your cars impacts the wall or really has bad tire shake or does a big wheelstand?
CK: We have a pretty good program in place. We shook the tires pretty hard on Davy's car recently. I have an inspection program where they look at every weld in the car with a magnifying glass, even if you don't shake the tires. When the car comes back to the shopthey spend an hour, hour and half with a magnifying glass going over every weld in the car. It's preventative maintenance.
One thing that NHRA and HDP keep talking about is that they want to take drag racing to the next level. Actually, Billy Meyer said that back in 1986 when he tried to buy the NHRA. My problem is, I don't know what the next level is and I can't find anyone to tell me what the next level is. Do you know?
CK: Yeah, it's money. It's how they promote it and what they get back…the racer is going to be the primary issue. NASCAR has grown because it's so wealthy. The NASCAR purses makes the NHRA look like paupers. Does it take $16-20 million to run an NHRA team like it does a NASCAR team? No, you can run an NHRA car and have fun for $2.5 million. So, saying all this, money is what's going to accelerate drag racing to another level.
Give us a brief idea about your air freight operation.
CK: I have an air freight operation with over 1200 employees. I'm currently operating 18 747's and I've got another one coming in September so that will be 19 and I've got negotiations going on another that I think it will get here in November. We deliver freight all over the world.
Okay, last question. Did you like the movie about Shirley Muldowney and you, Heart Like a Wheel?
CK: (Glancing at his watch) It was a lopsided movie. Shirley is the one that had all the input to it…hung all my laundry out on the line. She had a little halo around her, and you and I know that's fictitious.
Thanks, Mr. Kalitta.
CK: You’re welcome.
[Ed Note: Connie Kalitta’s brother, Doug, known as “Senior” had passed away the day before we had scheduled this interview. Despite that Mr. Kalitta insisted that since I had made the trip he would do the interview. My deepest personal appreciation to him for doing this interview. –JB]
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