Anderson Gains Comforts of Home as NHRA Tour Arrives in Brainerd
Mooresville, N.C., August 13, 2014 – Pro Stock driver Greg Anderson is extremely focused heading into this weekend’s 33rd annual Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals at Brainerd International Raceway. The 74-time NHRA Pro Stock winner is going home and back to his roots with an obvious yet critical agenda: to win the race. There would be no better way to earn the milestone 75th national event trophy of his long and storied career than surrounded by family and friends at the racetrack where he cut his teeth as a drag racer.
For Anderson, the pressure is on. He moved into the top 10 at the event in Seattle two weeks ago, but he is by no means ready to cool his heels. Quite the contrary; the Duluth, Minnesota-native arrives in Brainerd with a serious surge of adrenaline coursing through his veins.
“This is it,” said Anderson. “We have two races to go before the Countdown to the Championship playoffs start, and I absolutely have to win. I have to. I may be able to keep my position in the top 10 without a win, but that’s not how I want to do this. I need to win for my own peace of mind and for the Summit Racing team. They deserve it. They’ve worked very hard to help me get to where I need to be, and I want to put the Summit Racing Chevrolet Camaro in the winner’s circle this weekend. Period.”
Last year in Brainerd, Anderson shined. He earned his best start of the season as the No. 2 qualifier and raced to the semifinals. The four-time Pro Stock world champion has an outstanding record at BIR and has so far accumulated three wins in six final rounds at his home track, with trophies earned in 2003, 2009, and 2011.
Anderson is on target for achievement in 2014; his performance so far this year has been remarkable, with three final rounds logged in 11 races contested. Just two weeks ago in Seattle he narrowly missed the trophy in an all-Summit Racing final that saw KB Racing teammate Jason Line get the win by a sliver of a second.
“There is no more time to come up short,” said Anderson. “I have two races to get it done, this weekend at Brainerd and then at the U.S. Nationals two weeks later in Indianapolis. I’d like to get it done this week because that is just such a special track for us. It’s where it all started, and to win with so many people right there supporting you and cheering for you, well you just couldn’t ask for much more. The goal is always to put a Summit Racing Camaro in the winner’s circle, but this weekend it’s more important than ever. All of my focus is on getting it done.”