Joliet: Hillary Will Saturday summary

Rain wins, Will qualifies No. 9 at Route 66

JOLIET, Ill. (June 6, 2006) -- Persistent rain has been the only winner during qualifying for the NHRA CARQUEST Auto Parts Nationals. After three qualifying sessions, NHRA made a decision to cancel the final qualifying session for all professional classes.

During the breaks from the rain there was some good drag racing.

Of her three qualifying sessions, Hillary Will, driver of the KB Racing LLC-owned, Kalitta Motorsports-managed Top Fuel dragster, was her usual consistent self for two of the three finishing qualifying in the No. 9 qualifying spot.

Will covered the Route 66 Raceway quarter-mile track in 4.539 seconds in Friday's opening session, her best of the three, followed by a tire smoking 11.058 second elapsed time in the late Friday evening session and ended today with a tune up for tomorrow's eliminations of 4.544 seconds.

When eliminations get underway tomorrow, weather permitting, Will pulls to the line against another rookie driver J.R. Todd, in the opening round. Todd qualified No. 8 on the final qualifying ladder with a pass of 4.529 seconds.

Will begins her quest for the CARQUEST Auto Parts Nationals Top Fuel title on Sunday, June 11, with eliminations for all classes beginning at 11 a.m. *All times are local Chicago time (CT) and subject to change at anytime. *

-kbr