SCOTT KALITTA, 46, A NOTED DRAG RACING CHAMPION IN HIS OWN RIGHT, died Saturday afternoon during a qualifying round for an NHRA event in Englishtown, New Jersey.

It was the 4th and final qualifying round for Sunday’s main event at the Old Bridge Township Raceway Park.  As the 2-time champion’s car crossed the finish line, it exploded inside and became a rolling fireball.  The blast compromised the drag chute and left the car going full speed into the catch fence at about 300 mph where it crashed and triggered a second explosion.

Scott Kalitta’s “Funny Car” class dragster
speeds out of control after an onboard
explosion wracks the car.  (AP / Hodapp photo)

Scott was the son of legendary drag racer Connie Kalitta.  The 70-yr.-old patriarch of the racing family still owns and runs the Kallita Motorsports racing team based in Ypsilanti, Michigan.

Scott had recently returned to racing after a 3-yr. retirement from active driving.  Old Bridge is the same track where he began his racing career in 1982.

Scott Kalitta (NHRA photo)

The Detroit Free Press has a REPORT.

ESPN2 was televising the qualifying races and captured the crash:

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