Line Rebounds to Claim Provisional Pole in Atlanta

Line Rebounds to Claim Provisional Pole in Atlanta  

Event:  32nd annual Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals

Location: Atlanta Dragway, Commerce, Georgia

Day/Date: Friday, May 4, 2012

Jason Line and the Summit Racing team experienced both ends of the competitive spectrum during the opening day of qualifying for the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals in Atlanta, Ga.  After posting impressive numbers early in his first attempt at Atlanta Dragway, Line was suddenly slowed by a mechanical malfunction, one that required the team to swap motors in the brief period between rounds.

Undaunted, the entire KB Racing crew jumped into action, finishing the exchange and rolling their car into the staging lanes with moments to spare.  Their hard work was rewarded a few minutes later when Line powered through the quarter mile in 6.612 seconds with a top speed of 208.68 mph to claim the provisional No. 1 position.    

“We had some problems on our first run and damaged the engine, so we had to change it before the second session,” said Line.  “We didn’t even have time to start the thing before we went to the lanes, so I think there’s some room left.  My hat’s off to our engine guys because we were able to just plug an engine in from under the bench and go to the pole.  It’s a very reassuring feeling.

“My Summit Racing Pontiac is really, really good, and made a nice run tonight.  Again, we are missing a little bit, but I think it’s more tune up than anything else.  The car did a great job, we were good enough to be on the pole tonight, so I’m pretty happy.

“AJ (Allen Johnson, who held the top position after the opening session) is tough to beat, especially in these conditions, and he’s right there, with (Mike) Edwards and Greg (teammate Anderson) all capable of getting the job done.  It feels good to be No. 1 tonight, but with a morning session tomorrow, it’s not over, so we’re ready to do whatever is necessary to stay on top.”