Line makes steps in the right direction in Gainesville
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (March 16, 2014) – Summit Racing Pro Stock driver Jason Line was two rounds shy of where he wanted to be at the conclusion of the 45th annual Amalie Oil NHRA Gatornationals, but for Line and Team Summit, the final result belies the truth: the KB Racing team is making progress on the racetrack with every bite they take out of NHRA’s 2014 Mello Yello Drag Racing Series tour.
Line, of Mooresville, N.C., qualified his blue Summit Racing Chevrolet Camaro in the No. 8 position with a best time of 6.525 at 212.76. Qualifying started on a sour note for the team as a malfunction in the clutch halted progress before Line could even begin, but each run thereafter was a step up and in the right direction.
Line cleared the finish line in the second qualifying round with a 6.541, 213.20 and was 6.526 at 212.63 in the third session. He was prepared for raceday following one final qualifying pass that moved him up a notch in the line-up, a 6.525 at a solid 212.76.
On raceday, the 32-time Pro Stock winner drew Summit Racing teammate Jimmy Alund as a first-round opponent. Line got the nod when Alund left the starting line too soon and illuminated the red light. Line raced to a 6.567-second blast at 211.30 mph in the Summit Racing Camaro and advanced to a second-round meeting with Dave Connolly, the No. 1 qualifier.
The race with Connolly was decided at the starting line, as Line’s opponent was first to launch and carried the lead to a 6.584, 210.87 to 6.568, 211.39 win.
“The driver didn’t do a good job today, but the good news is that the Summit Racing Chevrolet Camaro got better and better over the course of the weekend,” said Line, who leaves the event positioned fourth in the Pro Stock series standings.
“We were respectable today, and even though we got off to a late start after losing that first run in qualifying, we made progress. The KB Racing team worked well together this weekend, and hopefully we can pick up momentum heading into the SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals in a couple of weeks in Las Vegas.”
