Line Looks to Make 200th Start a Memorable One
Mooresville, N.C., July 4, 2012 – This weekend, Summit Racing star Jason Line will reach a significant milestone in his Pro Stock career. When he rolls to the starting line on Sunday for the start of final eliminations at the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals in Norwalk, Ohio, he will be making his 200th start in a “factory hot rod”.
Since making his debut nine years ago in Columbus, Ohio, Line has been the picture of consistency, winning two Full Throttle Championships, 28 national event wins (second only to his teammate Greg Anderson among all Pro Stockers and including at least one in every year of competition) in 59 final round appearances and 29 No. 1 qualifying performances. It is an impressive resume that he looks to embellish even further this weekend during his sponsor’s race.
“Two hundred starts is a lot, and more than I expected to make,” said Line. “It’s way cool, and to have done it with the same team and for the most part the same sponsor is a very big deal. Being part of the Summit and KB Racing family is certainly an honor and a privilege – everyone concerned have all been great to me, and the fact that they have allowed me to do this for so long is very special.
“In many ways, it’s appropriate that I will make my 200th start in Norwalk, in front of the people who have made it all possible. It would be nice to reward them for their support with our second win of the season.”
In addition to the normal rigors of racing in a national event, Line and his KB Racing crew will also share the title sponsorship not only of the race but also the racetrack, with many Summit employees expected to be in attendance throughout the weekend. Finally, the reigning Pro Stock champion will be the top qualifier in a select group of racers competing in Saturday’s K&N Horsepower Challenge, a three-round shootout where the winning driver will walk away with $50,000 while a lucky fan will drive away in a new truck.
“It says a lot about this Summit Racing team that for the second year in a row we are the No. 1 qualifier for the K&N Horsepower Challenge,” said Line. “It shows we’ve had good cars, good equipment and a great crew which we can hopefully combine into a win in the Challenge. I feel like I am over due to win it, and although I’ve thought that way in the past, maybe this year we can get it done in the Camaro.”
One factor adding to Line’s confidence heading into the weekend’s events is the rapid progress the team has made in adapting to their new race car. In only its second race, Line’s stunning blue Chevrolet Camaro was among the quickest cars in the class in Chicago, besting entries teams have used since last year. Despite this impressive showing, he is quick to point out how early they are in the learning process with the famed muscle car.
“We know this new Summit Racing Camaro is going to be a great car, but we still have a lot to learn about it,” said Line. “Even so, it has already been very good. It was a Top Three car in Chicago, and any time you have that you can win the race, which is amazing considering how few runs we have on it. It’s a great feeling heading into Norwalk.”
Finally, Line will be able to reach his career milestone in the company of some very important people as both his family and his team owner will be in attendance at Summit Motorsports Park.
“It’s always good when my family comes with me to the races,” said Line. “My kids are really looking forward to spending time at the waterpark, and I enjoy having them with me at the track, so it should be a fun weekend.
“We’re also lucky that Ken and Judy (team owners Black) will be with us in Norwalk. Any time they come out to the races, it’s a tremendous boost to everyone on the entire team, and we’re looking forward to having them with us in Ohio. Hopefully, we’ll be able to put a smile on everyone’s faces by parking that blue Summit Racing Camaro in the winner’s circle on Saturday and Sunday night.”