Summit Racing–Anderson Generating Steam as NHRA Series Departs Seattle

Anderson Generating Steam as NHRA Series Departs Seattle
 
KENT, Wash., August 4, 2013 – Summit Racing Pro Stock driver Greg Anderson is picking up steam as NHRA’s strenuous Western Swing, the three-race summer stretch, is winding down. For the second weekend in a row, Anderson reached the semifinals in his bright white Summit Racing Chevrolet Camaro, and as the series takes a weekend off before the next event, Anderson is aiming to restock the arsenal and come back as a heavy hitter.

Anderson made good use of the only two qualifying sessions available after Friday’s racing was canceled due to wet weather, and he earned a start from the No. 7 position based on a best time of 6.563 at 210.57 mph. First-round opponent Rodger Brogdon knew he had his work cut out for him and cut it close at the starting line, logging a .006-second reaction, but Anderson had the horsepower to recover for a 6.571, 210.50 victory over his challenger’s 6.618, 210.24.

In round two, Anderson wheeled his Summit Racing mount to a 6.608 over a tire-rattling Rickie Jones to advance to a semifinals meeting with young Vincent Nobile. Anderson was shut out from a return to the final round – he was a finalist in Chicago just a handful of races ago – when Nobile clocked a 6.592 to his 6.621.

“Every weekend it seems that we’re improving. We did a little better this weekend than we have all season, but we have high expectations over here in the Summit Racing camp,” said Anderson. “It’s not good enough yet. We made minor strides, but we want to make major strides. Inch by inch we are gaining, though, so we’ll keep digging in search of that big breakthrough.

“We made a good run in the first round, and we thought we would be in good shape the rest of the day. Unfortunately, Vincent just had a great car and outran us in the semifinals. He went on to win the race, and as for us, we’re going home to test and find a way to get smarter before the next race.”

Although Team Summit did not generate a win on the Western Swing, they enjoyed a productive outing as both Anderson and Summit Racing teammate Jason Line secured a berth in NHRA’s Countdown to the Championship. Along the way, they accumulated a variety of useful data, and Anderson is eager to return to the KB Racing shop in Mooresville to utilize the fresh knowledge before the next event on the tour, the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals in Brainerd, Minn.

“It will be good to get home and go to a test track so that we can get back to working on our program,” said Anderson, currently seventh in the Pro Stock standings. “It’s hard to learn when you’re out on the West Coast for this three race swing, but we somehow managed to learn a few things, and we’ll pack up and calculate everything, and we think that’s going to help us as we go forward to be even better. We’re improving every weekend, and we believe we can get to Brainerd with an even better package than we have as we are leaving Seattle.”