MAHLE Aftermarket Introduces Team MAHLE And Announces Extended Partnership With Kalitta Motorsports

Kalitta Motorsports, now celebrating a 60 year milestone of exceptional motorsports history under the leadership of owner Connie Kalitta, represents a commitment to racing excellence and theideal team with which to launch Team MAHLE. This year Kalitta Motorsports celebrated Doug Kalitta’s successful season bracketed by wins at the season opening Winternationals and season finale, the Auto Club Finals as well as a historic first win at the U.S. Nationals on the way to a runner-up NHRA Top Fuel championship finish. Todd and Langdon also collected three Funny Car wins during the season.

Kalitta Motorsports teams have trusted MAHLE Performance Rings and Clevite® Performance Engine Bearings to drive home wins in NHRA Funny Car and Top Fuel for years. With the formation of Team MAHLE, that partnership will expand to drive technical development in race engine technology, ultimately leading to improving on the already industry leading strength of MAHLE Performance components.

Jon Douglas, President of MAHLE Aftermarket Inc. stated, “MAHLE is very proud of its decades’ long history of partnering with the very best in motorsports from Formula 1 to NASCAR and NHRA, including other venues like Off Road and Drift. Launching Team MAHLE is a momentous occasion for us, as it provides a home to all of our elite motorsports partners, and being able to kick it off with a Championship Team like Kalitta Motorsports is only the beginning.  Kalitta Motorsports is consistently a champion or top contender in NHRA and their team drivers push the envelope and fight aggressively to win week after week and year after year.”

“We have won a lot of races using MAHLE Performance Rings and Clevite® Performance Engine Bearings,” said Chad Head, General Manager Kalitta Motorsports. “The relationship has been ongoing for a number of seasons with a lot of success. We are looking forward to expanding this relationship and bringing more trophies to Team MAHLE.”

Team MAHLE racers work closely with MAHLE Aftermarket throughout the year to test products on the track, off-road and dyno providing valuable R&D for new product development and test information and many often serve as brand ambassadors.

Clevite performance engine bearings have long been trusted by top racers, engine builders and performance enthusiasts to hold up under the most grueling and harsh load conditions. Using a cast copper-lead manufacturing process Clevite TriMetal® bearings deliver 20% more fatigue strength than top competitor brand.

MAHLE Performance brand piston rings minimize friction to deliver “free” horsepower. Ultra-flat ring sides and a precision finish promotes better sealing and are available in PVD coatings for extreme applications.

About MAHLE

MAHLE is a leading international development partner and supplier to the automotive industry as well as a pioneer for the mobility of the future. The group’s product portfolio addresses all the crucial issues relating to the powertrain and air conditioning technology—both for drives and combustion engines and for e- mobility. In 2018, the group generated sales of approximately EUR 12.6 billion with more than 79,000 employees and is represented in more than 30 countries with 160 locations.

About MAHLE Aftermarket

MAHLE Aftermarket, the business unit specializing in spare parts, uses the expertise from the series production of original equipment in its automotive aftermarket product range and supplies trade, workshop and engine repair partners. The portfolio also includes products developed by MAHLE Service Solutions for workshop equipment, as well as comprehensive services and customized training programs. The full extent of this expertise is found in the MAHLE BEHR, BRAINBEE, CLEVITE, IZUMI, KNECHT FILTER and METAL LEVE brands.

MAHLE Aftermarket is represented at 25 locations and other sales offices worldwide, with around 1,700 employees. In 2018, the business unit achieved a global sales volume of EUR 928 million.