NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

In Texas, they call oil “black gold,” and the Texas NHRA FallNationals Top Fuel field will have a lot of that as both reigning world champ Doug Kalitta and red-hot class rookie Tony Stewart will be running special back and gold liveries saluting Mobil 1’s 50th anniversary, a fitting tribute to a Texas-based company at an event set for the heart of the Lone Star State. 

Kalitta and the Mobil 1 team were part of a 50th anniversary commemoration on Wednesday at the ExxonMobil corporate headquarters in Houston. The Mobil 1 Toyota team started the Top Fuel dragster’s engine and performed the equivalent of a pre-run warm up for the lunchtime crowd of Mobil 1 executives and employees. 

The event featured Kalitta autographs, food trucks, and photo opportunities. Mobil 1 personnel enjoyed unprecedented access to the car and the team hauler while learning the ins and outs of the NHRA Top Fuel dragster. Team Kalitta joins other race teams in Formula 1, NASCAR, Moto GP, and Formula E among others in celebrating the Mobil 1 50th anniversary with special livery this season. 

Celebrating the Mobil 1 50th Anniversary at ExxonMobil, pictured left-to-right, are Tomek Young, Global Motorsports Technology Manager, Katy Howell, Global Sponsorship Manager, Jei Gort, Global Sponsorships, Mobil 1 50th Anniversary Top Fuel Driver Doug Kalitta, Cliff Salvesen, Global Motorsports Engineer and Bennett Hanson, Director Global Lubricants. (Photo Courtesy: Kalitta Motorsports)

“We are thrilled to bring this special paint scheme to life for such a historic anniversary of the Mobil 1 brand,” said Katy Howell, Global Sponsorship Manager on behalf of Mobil 1. “This livery exemplifies our collaborations in lubricant innovation in the world of motorsports. Together, we’ve crafted livery designs that not only pay homage to the 50-year legacy of the Mobil 1 brand, but also capture the essence of speed, performance, and teamwork.”

“Mobil 1 always has our backs with everything they do on and off the track,” Kalitta said. “We are honored to be a part of their 50th-anniversary celebration, but really, we are just fortunate to have Mobil 1 behind us supporting Kalitta Motorsports and Kalitta Air. It’s always great to be in their backyard in Texas, and we’d love to deliver an anniversary victory for them Sunday at Texas Motorplex.”

Stewart, who previously wore the black and gold livery earlier this season at the NHRA Winternationals in California, is ninth in the Top Fuel standings heading into Dallas, 194 points behind Brown, and while he needs a big weekend in points, he’s excited about representing the Mobil 1 brand.

“I’m extremely passionate about having a partner like Exxon Mobil and the Mobil 1 brand,” he said. “Being able to be a part of celebrating their 50th anniversary is something that truly means a lot to me personally. I know the last couple years, I’ve tried to explain to everyone on our team what Mobil 1 means to me. To be part of their anniversary and be able to drive that beautiful black and gold car again is something I’m very excited about. Hopefully, we can have some good results and get them a lot of airtime and get them out in front of our fans. This is a big deal for Mobil 1 and their 50th anniversary, and we want to do everything we can to represent them well, so I’m looking forward to it.”