KALITTA MOTORSPORTS AND DAYCO ANNOUNCE PARTNERSHIP, DISTRIBUTOR AGREEMENT
YPSILANTI, Mich. (Feb. 13, 2024) — Dayco is the newest member of the Kalitta Motorsports family of corporate partners, and Kalitta Motorsports is the newest distributor of Dayco belts, the team announced today. The 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series begins March 8-10, 2024 at the Amalie Oil NHRA Gatornationals in Gainesville, Fla.
Through this new partnership, Dayco will have branding on J.R. Todd’s DHL GR Supra Funny Car, and Kalitta Motorsports is now the exclusive at-track distributor of Dayco 11 mm racing blower belts for nitro engines. Dayco and Team Kalitta will work together to expand the available Dayco blower belt offerings in the near future.
The Dayco 11mm blower belt is specially engineered for Top Fuel and Funny Cars with nitromethane engines. Featuring a hybrid carbon cord encapsulated in custom rubber compounds and patented low friction PTFE tooth fabric, the belt offers one of the highest load ratings in racing and has helped numerous teams cross the finish line first. That success is due in large part to the Dayco team’s utilization of real-world track data to enhance its belt designs. Additional information about Dayco’s commitment to motorsports is available here.
“We are excited to kick off this new partnership with Kalitta Motorsports for the 2024 season,” said Jay Buckley, Director of Marketing, Dayco North America. “Theirs is a phenomenal team, and we can’t wait to see how they perform with the Dayco 11mm belt installed on their Funny Cars.”
“This new partnership is great news for Team Kalitta,” General Manager Chad Head said. “We are so happy to partner with a company that’s Detroit based like we are. We strive to provide our race team with components that give our teams the best chance of reaching the finish line first. That’s really what drag racing is all about – running quicker and faster than the opponent, and we’re confident Dayco belts will make a positive impact on J.R. Todd’s DHL Funny Car. We look forward to a long relationship with Dayco that has potential to expand in the future.”
About Dayco:
Dayco is a global leader in the research, design, manufacture and distribution of essential engine drive systems and aftermarket services for automotive, truck, construction, agriculture and industrial applications.
Through its expertise in transferring power quietly and efficiently, Dayco has emerged as the leading global system solutions provider for hybrid electric vehicles. Dayco’s 100+ years of experience in drive systems allows the company to equip all customer applications around the world with the most effective drive systems to meet customer specific performance requirements. Dayco’s world class global distribution network services the aftermarket industry with a full offering of kits and products to meet each local market’s need. Dayco accomplishes this with a dedicated global team that respects one another, shows humility through continuous learning and acts like owners in everything they do.
Dayco has more than 40 locations in 22 countries and over 3,600 associates. For more information about Dayco, visit the company’s website at www.daycoaftermarket.com.
About Kalitta Motorsports:
Kalitta Motorsports is a three-car team competing in the 21-race NHRA (National Hot Rod Association) Mission Foods Drag Racing Series. Founded by team owner Conrad “Connie” Kalitta in 1959, Kalitta Motorsports fields two Top Fuel dragsters driven by 2023 NHRA Top Fuel champion Doug Kalitta and 2013 NHRA Top Fuel champion Shawn Langdon as well as a Funny Car driven by 2018 NHRA Funny Car champion J.R. Todd. Located in Ypsilanti, Mich., the team owns five World Championships and more than 100 national event wins through multiple sanctioning bodies. For additional information, please visit www.teamkalitta.com and follow the team on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook using @TeamKalitta.
