Memphis: Hillary Will preview

Hillary Will energized and intrepid as the NHRA Countdown rolls into Memphis

MILLINGTON, Tenn., (Sept. 23, 2008) -- With only 16 elimination rounds remaining in the 2008 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, Hillary Will, driver of the 8,000-horsepower KB Racing, LLC Top Fuel dragster, finds herself just shy of eight rounds, 154 points, away from the POWERade championship points lead as she and her team enter this weekend's, Sept. 26-28, annual running of the O'Reilly NHRA Mid-South Nationals at Memphis Motorsports Park in Millington, Tenn., just a few miles north of the Memphis city limits.

Will, the world's fastest female, is currently in 5th place in points. With only four events remaining this season, she knows that this weekend's trip to the Volunteer State will be critical to her team's hopes in the NHRA Countdown to 1 postseason of this year's Countdown to the Championship.

"The Countdown is so exciting, not just for the fans, but for all the drivers, too," Will, a 28-year old native of Fortuna, Calif., said. "The pressure is on and we need to take advantage of every chance we get to make points. That doesn't just mean winning rounds. Qualifying better means we get more points so we've got to go for the throat on every single lap and get everything we can. It all just makes the most exciting racing in the world even that much more captivating. It's a lot of fun to be a part of it."

Will qualified in the No. 3 position and raced her KB Racing, LLC machine to a quarter-final finish at the previous event in Dallas last weekend.

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

-credit: km/kbr