Doug Kalitta is so hot right now, he might have won Sunday’s NHRA top-fuel event driving the Budweiser Clydesdale wagon that paraded down the Heartland Park Topeka track at the Summer Nationals.

Instead, Kalitta saddled up in his 7,000-horsepower dragster and delighted an overflow crowd of about 25,000 by blazing past Brandon Bernstein for his third top-fuel victory in the last four weeks.

With the first victory of Kalitta’s nine-year career at Heartland Park, he became the series’ first three-time winner in 2006 and pulled within 96 points of Melanie Troxel for first place in the standings.

Bernstein, the 2004 champion at Heartland Park when he beat Kalitta in the final, also was on a bit of a roll, winning last week’s NHRA event in Columbus, Ohio, and defeating Troxel, the No. 1 qualifier, in the second round.

Kalitta, meanwhile, took out teammate and 2005 Topeka champion David Grubnic in the second round and Morgan Lucas in the semifinals. His pass of 310.98 mph in 4.675 seconds was too much for Bernstein’s 307.09 mph and 4.691 seconds.

“Finally getting a win at Topeka was awesome,” said Kalitta, a runner-up three times at Heartland Park. “We’ve got some momentum going. We’re hungry to win.”

Kansas City Star

Funny Car points leader Ron Capps made it a perfect 3-for-3 in 2006 final rounds against John Force, speeding past the tire-spinning NHRA star in the final round Sunday in the O’Reilly Summer Nationals.

Capps, who extended his lead to 109 points, was joined by Top Fuel winner Doug Kalitta and Pro Stock racer Dave Connolly in the winner’s circle at Heartland Park Topeka in the $1.9 million event.

Although Force holds a hefty 37-15 lead in lifetime head-to-head races against Capps, he’s 7-5 against Capps when a trophy is on the line, including the dismal 0-for-3 mark this year.

“It’s fun running so tight against Force,” said Capps, who became the first driver to win in the new Dodge Charger body. “When we get to the final it always seems like it’s him in the other lane. It’s hard to build a cushion. You get to a final and you end up hoping you don’t lose the race and give him back 20 points. It’s so brutal.”

SI.com