Line Shooting for the Top of the Mountain in Denver
Mooresville, N.C., July 17, 2012 – When it comes to racing at Bandimere Speedway in Morrison, Colo., site of this weekend’s Mopar NHRA Mile-High Nationals, Summit Racing Pro Stock Camaro driver Jason Line is a man of two minds. On one hand, he enjoys going to the scenic speedplant carved out of the side of the mountain, and appreciates the effort put forth by the Bandimere family and their employees in maintaining the facility and making sure every detail is attended to during the Full Throttle Drag Racing Series’ annual visit.
However, he is not a fan of the atmospheric conditions at the Centennial State quarter-mile, where the mile-high altitude significantly reduces the amount of oxygen available, choking the “factory hot rod’s” carbureted engines and robbing them of nearly 400 horsepower. As a result, a tuning package unlike that used at any other racetrack will be required, challenging teams to find a way to make the most of the trying conditions.
“The Bandimere family and their staff have a great racetrack in which they take a tremendous amount of pride,” stated Line. “It’s a very cool thing to see, making it one of the stops on tour that you always look forward to. However, it is a very tough place to race, and we will certainly have our work cut out for us this weekend.
“The tune-up required to run in Denver is way different from anything else we use the rest of the year. Although the off-brands have run well there recently, we have a few different things we’re going to try in our Summit Racing Camaros this weekend. It certainly won’t be easy, but I think we can give them a run for their money.”
As Line indicated, Mother Nature will be far from the only challenge facing the KB Racing team this weekend. Although he has mounted a solid defense of his 2011 championship with one win in four final round appearances, a showing that will allow him to lock into this year’s Countdown to the Championship simply by qualifying in Denver, heading into the second half of the season he believes further improvement will be necessary both in their equipment and their at-track performance.
“Racing in Pro Stock is extremely tough at the moment, with any mistake, no matter how small, potentially costing you the race,” said Line. “That’s why we’re constantly working to find whatever edge we can, including maximizing the performance of our Summit Racing Camaros. It’s a great looking piece, and even though we are not yet where we need to be with them, they have already shown themselves to be good race cars. We just need to get them in their happy spot, and we’re not going to stop trying until we do.
“We also need to do a better job as a team on race day, avoiding any mistakes, and that includes the driver. We’re fully capable of doing so, and we’re going to get there. Of course, of all the places to try and win, Denver is the toughest. Still, it’s time for us to get back on track and back in the winner’s circle, and the sooner we do it, the better.”