Will becomes 11th woman to win NHRA event with Top Fuel victory
NHRA Summer Nat'ls
TOPEKA, Kan. -- Hillary Will became the 11th woman in NHRA history to win a national event when she raced to the win in Top Fuel at the O'Reilly NHRA Summer Nationals.
John Force won for the first time this season in Funny Car and Ron Krisher took the Pro Stock at Heartland Park Topeka.
Will drove her dragster to a 4.744-second run at a top speed of 304.53 mph, beating No. 1 qualifier Larry Dixon for her first career win in Top Fuel.
Defending series champion Tony Schumacher kept his points lead over Antron Brown by 109 points.
Force, a 14-time series champ, won with a 4.996 run at 299.66 mph against Tim Wilkerson. It was Force's 126th career win and ninth at Heartland Park Topeka. It was also Force's first victory since his wreck in Dallas last year that sidelined the NHRA great for nearly five months.
Wilkerson kept his points lead with his runner-up finish and built a 81 point cushion over second-place Ashley Force. Ashley lost in the first round to her father.
Krisher drove his Chevy Cobalt past Larry Morgan for his first win of the season. Krisher's run of 6.758 at 204.70 mph was enough to give him his first win in over five years.
Kurt Johnson's second-round win was strong enough to push him to the top of the Pro Stock point standings and give him a 20-point lead over defending champion Jeg Coughlin.
Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press
