RACHEL D E LAGO
T TOOK ONE R ACE FOR R ACHEL DEL AGO TO GET
hooked on drag racing. But after moving back to Michigan when
her son was born, she had to figure out how she was going to stay
involved in it.
Living just 25 miles from Kalitta Motorsports, DeLago found her
answer. After working at Mac Tools for five years upon graduating from the
University of Toledo in 2001, DeLago already had a strong relationship with
the team. That relationship paid off and DeLago found a spot on the team.
Now she’s the general manager at Kalitta Motorsports, a job title she
earned before the 2018 season, and has been an imperative part of the
team for more than a decade, offering versatility and expertise in almost
every aspect imaginable.
“From that moment to where I am now, I try to pitch in and help where I
can, but my main focus has been and still is the marketing and sponsorship
pieces,” says DeLago, who also earned her master’s degree in communication
management from USC last year. “That’s been exciting and I really try to
take everything as a learning experience.”
DeLago had never experienced a drag race before starting work at Mac
Tools, but she’s proven to be a natural in the sport, whether it is finding
new sponsors, building long-lasting relationships with current backers like
DHL and Mac Tools, or searching for different ways to attract partners
to the sport.
She has witnessed a great deal of change over the past 10-plus years in
how sponsorships work and how businesses spend their marketing dollars.
Gone are the days of simply slapping a logo on the car. The layers must
go far deeper than that, but judging by Kalitta Motorsports’ track record,
DeLago has found a way to make it work.
“My platform is keeping up with the trends outside of drag racing,” DeL-
ago says. “There’s this other arena where we need to introduce the sport
to new fans, and communication and marketing is a way to reach those
people. But everything is constantly changing and evolving. Things are
so complex now.
“You really have to be true business partners with companies. They are
looking for more than just branding. They need something that’s going to
impact their bottom line immediately.”
DeLago said the team’s focus in recent seasons has been their busi-
ness-to-business portfolio, an area that has provided tremendous success
for Kalitta. DeLago has had a great deal to do with that, but she credits
team owner Connie Kalitta, whom she calls a “brilliant fighter.” He has
created a unique persona for a unique team, and DeLago has been mas-
terful in telling that story.
It wasn’t a path she ever expected, but more than 10 years into it, DeLago
couldn’t imagine doing anything else.
“The dynamics are changing all the time, so it’s always about making
sure things are constantly fresh and you can never be complacent,” DeLago
says. “It’s all gone so fast and you never know where life is will take you.
But I’m very grateful and this is where I’m supposed to be. It’s just been
amazing.” - JOSH HACHAT
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WHERE SHE’S
MEANT TO BE