Will hopes momentum from Memphis and Norwalk carries to Indy

CLERMONT, Ind. (August 28, 2006) – Fresh from a final round appearance at the last NHRA race in Memphis and a win at the just completed IHRA race in Norwalk, Ohio, Hillary Will, who drives the KB Racing LLC-owned, Kalitta Motorsports-managed Top Fuel dragster, tries to carry the momentum from that runner-up finish and win to O’Reilly Raceway Park when the 52nd annual NHRA Mac Tools U.S. Nationals takes center stage over Labor Day weekend.

Last year, driving a Top Alcohol Dragster (TAD), Will came close to taking home a Wally from the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals, the race called by many the most prestigious event on the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series schedule.

"Last year, in my family-owned, Bucky Austin-tuned TAD, we got so close to victory at Indy I could taste it,” reflected Will as she recalled the 2005 race. “We went to the final round which was a major accomplishment, and it just makes me want to win that much more.”

Will would like to join a who’s who of drag racing legends like Don “Big Daddy” Garlits, Don “The Snake” Prudhomme, her mentor Shirley Muldowney, and Kalitta Motorsports owner Connie Kalitta, who have collected the trophy emblematic of winning the biggest race on the circuit.

“My KB Racing Top Fuel team is very hungry for our first win and it would be very special if we could do it at Indy,” said Will, who enters the event No. 9 in the NHRA POWERade Top Fuel Point standings. “We know we have a good chance of making that happen. I’m hoping our final round appearance in Memphis will give us the momentum and confidence we need to propel us to victory."

The Mac Tools U.S. Nationals is not only the most prestigious race of the year, it has the most qualifying sessions of any event – five. Qualifying for Will and her KB Racing LLC-owned, Kalitta Motorsports-managed team begins with one nitro fuel sessions on Friday, Sept. 1, scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Two more sessions are scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 2 at 2:45 and 7:30 p.m. and concludes with two additional nitro fuel sessions on Sunday, Sept. 3, at 12:45 and 4:10 p.m. Will begins her quest for the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals Top Fuel title on Labor Day, Sept. 4, with eliminations for all classes beginning at 11 a.m. All times are local Indianapolis time (ET) and subject to change at anytime.