KALITTA MOTORSPORTS / KB RACING, LLC
2008 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series
Event 8 of 24
O'Reilly NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals
Bristol Dragway
Bristol, Tenn.
May 16-18, 2008
Media Contact: Todd Myers
tmyers@kalittaracing.com
Top Fueler Hillary Will hopes to maintain momentum in the mountains of Bristol
BRISTOL, Tenn., (May 13, 2008) – The fastest female in the history of the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, Hillary Will, driver of the 8,000-horsepower KB Racing, LLC Top Fuel dragster, will try to continue her and her team’s progressive pace of the 2008 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series this weekend, May 16-18, at the annual running of the O'Reilly NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals at picturesque Bristol Dragway in Bristol, Tenn.
In the previous three events this season, Will has raced to consecutive quarter-final finishes and a semi-final showing at the most recent event in St. Louis two weeks ago. Will and her KB Racing, LLC team have won seven elimination rounds so far this season, compared to only two round wins at the same point in 2007.
“I’m so proud of my team and what we’ve accomplished so far this year, but we think the best is yet to come,” Will, a 28-year old native of Fortuna, Calif., said. “There’s no doubt that we have one of the most competitive car in the series, so hopefully everything will come together for us in Bristol so we can get our first Wally (trophy).
“It’s such a great place to race. Not only is it pretty to look at, but the track is always awesome, and we see some great performances. I’m sure we can expect the same excitement this year.”
At the first two events of this season’s 24-event NHRA national event schedule, Will set the track record for speed, for either gender, at both of the quarter-miles at Phoenix Int’l Raceway (334.32 mph) and at the Auto Club Raceway at Pomona (Calif.) (334.56 mph). Will’s speedy blast in California established her as the fastest woman ever in drag racing. She and the KB Racing, LLC team were also the fastest of the racing weekend (tie) at the third event in Gainesville, Fla., with a 330.63-mph lap. They were again the fastest team of the fifth event in Las Vegas, 331.85 mph.
Will is currently in 6th place in POWERade Top Fuel championship points.
A former standout in the Top Alcohol Dragster class, Will moved up to the quickest and fastest NHRA professional class, Top Fuel, in 2006 behind the wheel of a newly formed team owned by Las Vegas businessman Ken Black and managed by Kalitta Motorsports, the multi-car team founded and owned by drag racing icon Connie “the Bounty Hunter” Kalitta. She won her first Top Fuel event trophy in Norwalk (IHRA) in her rookie season and made her first NHRA final-round appearance in Memphis. She finished the season in tenth place in Top Fuel championship points in ‘06.
The O'Reilly NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals begins Friday for the nitro-fueled classes with two qualifying sessions at 4:30 p.m. (ET) and 7:00 p.m. Two more qualifying opportunities take place Saturday at 1:00 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. The top sixteen qualified cars will race Sunday in final eliminations beginning at noon.
All times and dates subject to change.
The O'Reilly NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals is the 8th of 24 national events in the 2008 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series.
About Kalitta Motorsports
Based in Ypsilanti, Michigan, Kalitta Motorsports is a Top Fuel and Funny Car drag racing team in the NHRA (National Hot Rod Association) POWERade Drag Racing Series. The racing operation was started in 1959 by now legendary drag racer and team owner Connie "the Bounty Hunter" Kalitta. His son, Scott Kalitta, drives the DHL Toyota Solara Funny Car. Scott's cousin, Connie's nephew, Doug Kalitta drives the flagship Top Fuel dragster for Mac Tools. Native Australian Dave Grubnic drives the Kalitta Motorsports Top Fuel dragster, while Hillary Will drives the Ken Black-owned and Kalitta Motorsports-managed Top Fuel dragster.
Connie serves as head tuner for all Team Kalitta entries. He is assisted by crew chiefs Jim Oberhofer (KB Racing, LLC dragster), Jon Oberhofer (Mac Tools dragster co-crew chief), and Richard Hogan (Mac Tools dragster co-crew chief). Connie serves as crew chief on the DHL Toyota Solara Funny Car with assistance from co-crew chief Glenn Mikres and as the crew chief on the Kalitta Motorsports dragster with assistance from co-crew chief James Riola.
Associate sponsors on all Kalitta Motorsports' race cars include Red Line Oil, Summit Racing Equipment, Technicoat Companies, K2M, and Toyota.
For more info about Kalitta Motorsports, please visit www.teamkalitta.com.
About KB Racing, LLC
KB Racing, LLC is owned by Las Vegas businessmen Ken Black and his son Kenny Black. In the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, KB Racing, LLC fields two Summit Racing Equipment Pro Stock entries, one driven by Greg Anderson and the other by Jason Line, and a Top Fuel dragster, managed by Kalitta Motorsports and driven by Hillary Will.