NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

For the first time in nearly 40 years, The Coca-Cola Company’s popular citrus-flavored soft drink brand, Mello Yello, will appear on an NHRA Funny Car. To celebrate Funny Car’s half-century of racing, Mello Yello is partnering with Kalitta Motorsports to co-brand the team’s DHL-sponsored Toyota Camry Funny Car at the Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals. The one-time custom-wrapped car will be driven by the reigning NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series Funny Car champion, Del Worsham.
 
“We’ve been steadfast supporters of NHRA’s Funny Car racing, and we wanted to do something special to celebrate its momentous 50th anniversary,” says Bobby Oliver, director, sparkling citrus brands, Coca-Cola North America. “When the Kalitta team takes to the track on Labor Day weekend, we’ll all be cheering for a great performance from the DHL/Mello Yello car.”
 
The NHRA is the largest motorsports sanctioning body in the world, and The Coca-Cola Company has been a proud sponsor of the NHRA for 15 years.

“We are thrilled to see Mello Yello and The Coca-Cola Company take this step to race a DHL/Mello Yello Funny Car at the historic U.S. Nationals,” said NHRA President Peter Clifford. “The car gets your attention immediately and to have Mello Yello on the racetrack this week with the defending Funny Car champion Del Worsham makes it even better.”
 
Worsham, driver of the DHL/Mello Yello Toyota Camry Funny Car, has been on a hot streak recently. The two-time NHRA champion has earned semifinal finishes or better at the last four races culminating in his first race win of the season at the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series’ last event in Brainerd, Minn.
 
“It is an honor to have Mello Yello and The Coca-Cola Company join DHL on our Toyota Camry for this weekend’s event,” said Worsham, who also competed in his 500th career start in Brainerd, Minn. “The U.S. Nationals is an iconic event, and to be able to carry Mello Yello for our biggest race of the season is very exciting. Our DHL Camry has been running very strong recently, and I plan on doing well for DHL, Mello Yello and all of the great guests at the race track this weekend.”
 
Worsham will make his first pass aboard the DHL/Mello Yello Toyota Camry Funny Car in Friday’s lone qualifying attempt. Qualifying continues on Saturday and Sunday with eliminations on Monday, Sept. 5. Eliminations will be broadcast live on FS1 beginning at 11 a.m. EST, before transitioning to FOX at 1 p.m. EST.