Line Going After the Title at Inaugural New England Event
Event: Inaugural NHRA New England Nationals
Location: New England Dragway, Epping, N.H.
Day/Date: Saturday, June 22, 2013
Jason Line has great expectations for his Summit Racing Chevrolet Camaro on raceday at the very first New England Nationals at New England Dragway. The 30-time national event winner has claimed victories all along the Mello Yello Drag Racing Series trail, but he has yet to earn a title at an inaugural event. After an effective group of qualifying passes, the Mooresville, N.C., resident is situated in a good position to make his goal a reality.
Line clocked a 6.576 at 212.49 mph to jump right into the No. 4 position in the first session of qualifying. The Summit Racing team went back to the pit area, wrenched a little more, and returned to the starting line to lay down an improved 6.565, 212.36 to close out the first day of the inaugural event in the No. 5 position.
The second day of the New England Nationals brought about warmer track temperatures and conditions that increased the challenge for the crew chiefs, but Line managed a solid 6.608 at 211.59 in the earlier session, followed by a 6.643 at a whopping 211.86 mph that was fastest speed of the final round before Sunday.
“I think the biggest challenge has just been the starting line,” said Line. “Each track has its own personality, and that particular area is the challenge here. We definitely don’t feel like we have it completely figured out yet, but it’s the same for everybody. There is a lot of experience in the KB Racing camp and we know that we can come out on Sunday with a good package for our Summit Racing Camaros.”
Line was ultimately christened the No. 5 qualifier at the first of what is suspected will be many New England Nationals. He will be challenged by Larry Morgan in the first round of eliminations.
“This is a nice racetrack, and I’ve already enjoyed racing here this weekend,” said Line. “The people have been great, and it’s very refreshing to have these very enthusiastic fans cheering you on and waiting to greet you when you come back from a run. They’ve been starved for racing up here, so it makes it a lot of fun to get to come up here and put on a show.
“We definitely left some out there today, and we feel like we could have run faster – but all in all, it’s been a decent weekend so far on the racetrack for the blue Summit Racing Camaro. I think we’ll have a good car for raceday. Somebody is going to win the inaugural race here, and it would be very cool to be the driver who gets to do that.”
