Worsham joins Kalitta Motorsports as Funny Car crew chief

NHRA team Kalitta Motorsports on Wednesday announced that Del Worsham has joined it as the crew chief for Alexis DeJoria and the Tequila Patr¢n-sponsored Toyota Camry Funny Car team. Former Funny Car and Top Fuel driver Worsham–who won the 2011 Full Throttle Series Top Fuel championship for Al-Anabi Racing–retired from driving earlier this month after claiming his one and only NHRA professional title after 21 years behind the wheel.

"I started working on Funny Cars before I was 10 years old," Worsham, now 41, said. "My dad [Chuck] and I tuned our family-owned Funny Car from 1990 until I joined the Al-Anabi team in 2009. Dad and I won 22 races together, so hopefully I can draw from that experience and knowledge in this next phase of my career.

"I'm really excited to be working with Alexis. She's an extraordinary talent with a great desire to win. When she got her license to drive nitro cars, she did it in my car, and I could tell right away that she was going to be a winner in the nitro Funny Car class. Technically she's a rookie, but she already drives likes she's had years of experience with these cars and a tremendous amount of respect for the car and its power, and that's very important.

"I wouldn't take this position with Kalitta Motorsports and the Tequila Patr¢n Funny Car team if I didn't think it's going to be a winning combination. I think Alexis is going to be a winner and ultimately an NHRA champion someday. I'm also really looking forward to working with Connie [Kalitta, team owner and drag-racing legend]. Connie knows more about nitro motors than anyone on the planet, and getting to work with him is truly an honor."