FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

KALITTA MOTORSPORTS / KB RACING, LLC
2008 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series
Event 18 of 24
Mac Tools U.S. Nationals
O’Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis
Indianapolis, Ind.
Aug. 27-Sept. 1, 2008

Media Contact: Todd Myers
tmyers@kalittaracing.com



Hillary Will focused and composed going into Indy


INDIANAPOLIS, (Aug. 26, 2008) – Hillary Will, driver of the 8,000-horsepower KB Racing, LLC Top Fuel dragster, is anxious to get her nitro-fueled racing machine on the track this weekend, Aug. 27-Sept. 1, for the annual running of the historic Mac Tools U.S. Nationals at O’Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis, but the rising Top Fuel star is quick to point out that her eagerness to compete in the world’s most prestigious drag racing event should not be confused with nervousness.

“I’m more relaxed than I’ve ever been going into Indy,” Will, a 28-year old native of Fortuna, Calif., said. “Our car has been running great all season and my team is the best out there, so there’s definitely a sense of a confident calm in me and my team right now, but we’re still going to Indy to try to run better than we have all year. Every team pushes themselves harder at Indy.”

Will will have even more “backbone” in her and her team’s efforts in Indy. Spinal technology company, K2M, Inc., a longtime supporter and associate sponsor of Kalitta Motorsports, along with FOCOS (Foundation of Orthopedics and Complex Spine) and CURE International will share special decal signage on Will’s KB Racing, LLC charge throughout the racing action at the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals.

Will is currently in 7th place in POWERade championship points and has secured a position in the 2008 Countdown to the Championship.

Will continued, “It does take quite a bit of the burden off of this race to know that we have locked ourselves into the Countdown. We missed it last year and that was a big letdown, so we’re very happy to be able to make a run at the championship this season. It’s going to be exciting for us, our fans, and everyone involved, but first things first – Winning in Indy.”

Beginning with the 13th event in Denver, the NHRA instituted a new racing distance for the nitro-fueled classes of Funny Car and Top Fuel dragster to 1,000 ft., as opposed to the traditional distance of 1,320 ft., or a quarter of a mile, as a temporary safety solution to help the drivers of the world’s quickest and fastest racing safely bring their cars to a stop more efficiently. The unprecedented action, which will be observed for the remainder of the 2008 season, is in response to the tragic death of Kalitta Motorsports’ Scott Kalitta, who died in a high-speed Funny Car qualifying accident in Englishtown, N.J., June 21.

Will became the fastest woman in the history of NHRA drag racing when she posted a 334.65-mph lap down the quarter-mile race track at the first of event of the 2008 season in Pomona, Calif. She became the first driver of either gender to go over 300 mph at the new 1,000-ft. finish line in Denver with a 302.21-mph mark in qualifying.

Will is currently the only female driver competing in the Top Fuel class.

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 later that year. She finished the season in 10th place in Top Fuel championship points in ‘06. Will picked up an emotional first NHRA national event title in Topeka, Kan., June 1, 2008.

Qualifying for the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals begins Friday for the nitro-fueled classes with one session at 6:30 p.m. (ET). Two more qualifying sessions take place Saturday at 1:45 p.m. and 6:30 p.m., followed by two more opportunities to qualify on Sunday at 12:45 p.m. and 3:40 p.m. The top 16 qualified cars will race Monday, Labor Day, in final eliminations beginning at 11:00 a.m.

All times and dates subject to change.


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. Connie’s nephew, Doug Kalitta drives the flagship Top Fuel dragster for Mac Tools. Native Australian Dave Grubnic drives the DHL Top Fuel dragster, Jeff Arend drives the DHL Toyota Solara Funny Car, and Hillary Will drives the Ken Black-owned and Kalitta Motorsports-managed KB Racing, LLC 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) and Glenn Mikres (DHL Funny Car). Connie serves as crew chief on the DHL dragster with assistance from co-crew chief James Riola. Jon Oberhofer and Nick Boninfante are co-crew chiefs on the Mac Tools dragster.

Associate sponsors on all Kalitta Motorsports’ race cars include Mac Tools, 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.