KB Racing LLC: Will plans to charge in Seattle
*FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE KB RACING LLC NHRA POWERADE DRAG RACING SERIES KB RACING LLC-owned, KALITTA MOTORSPORTS-managed TOP FUEL DRAGSTER HILLARY WILL (www.hillarywillrace.com) -- DRIVER JIM OBERHOFER (JIM O) -- CREW CHIEF MEDIA CONTACT: MICKEY SCHULTZ PHONE: 920-733-2330 E-MAIL: PR4KBRacingLLC@earthlink.net 20TH ANNUAL NHRA SCHUCK'S AUTO SUPPLY NATIONALS PACIFIC RACEWAYS -- SEATTLE JULY 20-22 Will plans to charge in Seattle* KENT, Wash. (July 17, 2007) -- CHARGE! That's what Hillary Will plans to be doing in Seattle this weekend, but not with a credit card. Will, driver of the Kalitta Motorsports-managed Top Fuel dragster owned by KB Racing LLC, needs to make a move over the final four races of the Countdown to the Championship if she plans to be one of the eight drivers that will advance to the second segment in a quest for the Top Fuel NHRA POWERade Championship. Will is currently 11th in points and currently needs to make up 85 points before the Countdown ends at Reading, Penn., in August. The charge will be starting here at Pacific Raceways which hosts this weekend's 20th annual NHRA Schuck's Auto Supply Nationals The Seattle race marks the fifth of six races in a row and eight in nine weeks. Next it's on to Sonoma, in the heart of California's Napa Valley wine country, for the FRAM Autolite Nationals, July 27-29. The NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series then takes a week off before heading for the final two races in the first segment of the Countdown to the Championship -- Brainerd, Minn., and Reading, Penn. But for now, the focus is on Seattle. "We are two-thirds of the way through our six-race swing," said Will. "My team left the shop on July 4th and won't return home until the first of August. I think it's tough on them to be away from their families for so long, however, I know that for my team, when times get tough they work harder. "Our KB Racing Top Fuel team had a team meeting last week and I can tell that no one shows signs of being weary. No one on the team is slowing down. I think morale is up. We talked about how we have been through a lot together this year and last year and it is our turn to go out and win. "We know that we are in striking distance of the top eight for the Countdown and we know that we have to strike now. It's time to charge. Our team is still confident that we can do so. "I have extra confidence going into this race because I have some familiarity with the track. My family and I used to make the 12 hour drive from our home in Northern California to Pacific Raceways. Over the years, I have raced there in Super Gas, Super Comp, Top Alcohol Dragster and last year in Top Fuel." COUNTDOWN TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP: In its simplest form, the Countdown breaks the $50 million, 23-event NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series season up into three distinct segments: the 17-race Countdown to 8, the four-race Countdown to 4 and the two-race Countdown to 1. After the 17 regular season races, all teams will continue vying for points, with full fields, but only the top eight drivers continue to vie for the championship in the four-race second segment. The top four drivers after the four-race playoff -- Indy, Memphis, Dallas, and Richmond -- then move to the third and final segment that will be run over the final two races -- the NHRA ACDelco Las Vegas Nationals in Las Vegas and the NHRA Auto Club Finals in Pomona. While all teams will continue vying for points, with full fields, only one of the four in each of the four professional classes -- Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock Cars, and Pro Stock Motorcycles -- can be crowned the 2007 champion. Also of special note is that after the first segment the top eight drivers in each of the four professional classes will have their points adjusted in 10-point increments with No. 1 receiving 2,000 points and No. 8 receiving 2,070 points. After the second segment the top four drivers in each of the four professional classes will have their points adjusted again in 10-point increments with No. 1 receiving 3,000 points and No. 4 receiving 3,030 points. QUALIFYING: Nitro fuel cars begin qualifying for the 20th annual NHRA Schuck's Auto Supply Nationals on Friday, July 20, with two sessions at 3:30 and 6:30 p.m. (Funny Car is up first, followed by Top Fuel.) Qualifying for nitro fuel cars then concludes on Saturday, July 21, with two sessions at 12 noon and 3 p.m. (Top Fuel starts the sessions, followed by Funny Car.) Final eliminations for the Schuck's Auto Supply Nationals begin for all teams at 11 a.m. on Sunday, July 22. All qualifying and eliminations times are local Seattle time (PT) and subject to change. TELEVISION: Qualifying highlights for the NHRA Schuck's Auto Supply Nationals can be seen on ESPN2 / ESPN2 HD on Saturday (July 21) beginning at 11:30 p.m. and concluding at 1:30 am, early Sunday morning. ESPN2 / ESPN2 HD will also air same-day coverage of eliminations on Sunday (July 22) from 7-10 p.m. The elimination show repeats early Wednesday morning, July 25, from 4-6 a.m. Also, be sure to tune into NHRA Race Day, the show which provides the drag racing fan with the latest information about the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series. The Schuck's Auto Supply Nationals installment of NHRA Race Day can be seen on Sunday (July 22) on ESPN2 / ESPN2 HD from 11-11:30 a.m. Television times are ET and subject to change without notice. Check your local listing. 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 Pontiac GTOs, one driven by Greg Anderson, a native of Duluth, Minn. who now lives in the Charlotte, N. C. area, and the other by Jason Line, a native of Wright, Minn. who now lives in the Charlotte, N. C. area, and a Top Fuel dragster, managed by Kalitta Motorsports, and driven by Hillary Will, a native of Fortuna, Calif. who now resides in Ypsilanti, Mich. Anderson won three consecutive POWERade Pro Stock Championships (2003-2005) and finished second in the point standings in 2006. Line, who finished second in points in his rookie season in 2004 and third in 2005, is the reigning 2006 POWERade Pro Stock Champion. Line was honored with the 2004 Automobile Club of Southern California Road to the Future Award, presented to the outstanding rookie in a professional category. Will finished No. 10 in her rookie season in Top Fuel in 2006 and was nominated for the Automobile Club of Southern California Road to the Future Award. The Pro Stock shop of Anderson and Line is in Mooresville, N. C. and the Kalitta Motorsports racing operation is in Ypsilanti, Mich. KALITTA MOTORSPORTS (www.kalittaracing.com), owned by the legendary drag racer and successful businessman Connie Kalitta, fields, in addition to Will's Top Fuel dragster, three additional nitro fuel cars -- two Top Fuel Dragsters and a Funny Car. -- in the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series. Doug Kalitta, Connie's nephew, drives the Mac Tools Top Fuel Dragster, Australian Dave Grubnic handles the driving duties on the Zantrex-3 Top Fuel Dragster and Scott Kalitta, Connie's son and Doug's cousin, is behind the wheel of the DHL Funny Car. ####