FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
KALITTA MOTORSPORTS / KB RACING, LLC
2008 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series
Media Contact: Todd Myers
tmyers@kalittaracing.com
NHRA star Hillary Will to make special visit to children in New York
YPSILANTI, Mich., (June 17, 2008) - Hillary Will, the world’s fastest
female and driver of the 8,000-horsepower KB Racing, LLC Top Fuel dragster, will
join other NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series stars Wednesday, June 18, in
Brooklyn, New York at Metro Ministries / Chances for Children in their inaugural
NHRA-themed event for underprivileged children. Will along with Jack Beckman,
Mike Edwards, Tom Hammonds and others will visit with over 500 children and
young adults with a full day of interaction.
The event will begin at 11:30 a.m. with the drivers visiting the children in
their respective homes. At 5:00 p.m., the drivers will get an opportunity to
speak to the entire group of attendees about setting goals and following their
dreams to accomplish whatever the want in life.
“I visited Metro Ministries by myself back in 2006 in my rookie Top Fuel
season,” Will, a 28-year old native of Fortuna, Calif., said. “I was so moved by
what I saw. Pastor Bill Wilson has built and maintained an amazing organization.
I'm so thankful I get to go back with more NHRA drivers. I look forward to
meeting with and talking to some of the young people and everyone there.”
Will and the rest of the stars of the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series will be
competing this weekend, June 19-22, in Englishtown, N.J., at Old Bridge Township
Raceway Park for the annual running of the Lucas Oil NHRA SuperNationals.
Will picked up an emotional first NHRA national event title in Topeka, Kan.,
June 1, 2008. In doing so, she became only the 11th woman to win an NHRA event
title and only the 7th woman to win in Top Fuel, NHRA’s quickest and fastest
class.
Will is currently in 4th place in POWERade Top Fuel championship points, the
highest points placement of her three-year Top Fuel career.
A former standout in the Top Alcohol Dragster class, Will moved up to the Top
Fuel class 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 2006 season in 10th place in Top Fuel championship points.
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.
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 DHL 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 DHL dragster with
assistance from co-crew chief James Riola.
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.