Del Worsham wins NHRA World Championship

The DHL Toyota Camry Funny Car driver is the 2015 NHRA Mello Yello World Champion. His fourth win in the final race of the year closes a storybook season for the entire DHL team.

A fairy tale ending to a storybook season. Del Worsham, driver of the DHL Toyota Camry Funny Car, captures the 2015 NHRA Mello Yello world championship and added a feather to his cap with a win in the final race of the year: the Auto Club Finals in Pomona, California, this past Sunday. 

A crucial matchup
It actually came down to the semi-final round between Worsham and Jack Beckman. The winner of the pairing would win the championship. Beckman and Worsham were the class of the field the entire Countdown and that followed in the Auto Club Finals.

They left side-by-side, but Beckman had to pedal, while the DHL Toyota Camry was true down the track. Worsham’s 3.92 second run was more than enough to beat Beckman’s 4.088 and grab the title. 

Getting there was no walk in the park, but Worsham was stout through qualifying. He earned two bonus points and started third. The DHL team then picked up round wins over former champions Tony Pedregon and Robert Hight, securing the crucial matchup in the semi-finals with Beckman. 

However, the DHL Yella Fellas did not settle. Worsham ran a 3.908 in the final round to defeat Tommy Johnson Jr.  and earn his fourth win on the season.

“It is an amazing feeling. (…) It felt like it was 25 years ago, and I was making my first run.”

Del Worsham

“An amazing feeling”
This championship makes Worsham the third driver to win a championship in Top Fuel and Funny Car, while delivering Kalitta Motorsports their first title since the late Scott Kalitta won in back-to-back years in 1994 and 1995 in the Top Fuel class. 

This was Toyota’s first Funny Car championship since 2008 and only second overall; and with family and friends around, the championship win became very special for Worsham. 

“It is an amazing feeling. I have been here before, not that did me any good up there,” said Worsham. “It felt like it was 25 years ago, and I was making my first run. The team has been behind me, regardless of the situation. We are racing for Scott, Connie and the entire Kalitta Motorsports family. My teammates, sponsors, DHL, Toyota, Red Line, thank you for your support. Nicky Boninfante, Jon Oberhofer, Dave Boyer and the entire DHL team, the job they have did has been incredible. They have not made a mistake since September.”

This team means so much to team owner Connie Kalitta, as it was driven by the late Scott Kalitta. “Everytime I get inside this DHL Toyota Camry I see his (Scott Kalitta’s) name. I hop in and think about Scott, and his sons: Colin and Corey,” said Worsham. 

Read more about Del Worsham’s storybook season, and learn more about the dedicated Team DHL that helped him make it one to remember!

Congratulations Del Worsham, Team DHL and Kalitta Motorsports!

Auto Club Finals – Del Worsham 

• No. 3 Qualifier (3.896 sec., 326.32 mph) ***NEW CAREER BEST ET***
• E1: Worsham defeated T. Pedregon - 4.039 sec., 300.93 mph to 4.432 sec., 227.61 mph 
• E2: Worsham defeated Hight - 3.896 sec., 328.30 mph to 5.255 sec., 150.85 mph
• E3: Worsham defeated Beckman - 3.928 sec., 327.35 mph to 4.088 sec., 324.83 mph
• Final: Worsham defeated Johnson Jr. - 3.908 sec., 328.14 mph to 4.023 sec., 305.42 mph

Mello Yello Championship Points – Funny Car

1. 1. Del Worsham (2664)
2. 2. Jack Beckman (2608)
3. 3. Tommy Johnson Jr. (2548)
4. 4. Ron Capps (2490)
5. 5. Matt Hagan (2418)
6. 6. Robert Hight (2370)
7. 7. John Force (2332)
8. 8. Alexis DeJoria (2313)
9. 9. Cruz Pedregon (2286)
10. 10. Tim Wilkerson (2259)