Line and Team Summit’s Adrenaline-Packed Countdown Draws to a Close in Pomona
Pomona, Calif., November 16, 2014 – NHRA’s 2014 Mello Yello Drag Racing Series Countdown to the Championship was a thrilling affair for Summit Racing Pro Stock driver Jason Line and the KB Racing team. Line entered the Countdown as the points leader and went to the final round at the first race of the playoffs, and at the next race, he powered his way to the final round once more. Ultimately, the intense battle for the championship came down to the very last round of the very last race of the season in truly stunning fashion that demanded attention. The 50th annual Auto Club NHRA Finals will certainly stand out in memory for a very long time.
Line was the No. 1 driver in the field throughout the Countdown and only forfeited the points lead in Las Vegas two weeks prior. He entered the last race of the season, held at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona, just 17 marks away from earning the third Pro Stock championship of his career. During qualifying, Line earned valuable bonus points and was able to keep the distance between his team and the big trophy down to just a single round while racing to his third low qualifier award of the season and 38th of his career. On the opposite side of the ladder was Erica Enders-Stevens, who had wrestled the points lead from Line in the waning hours of the Countdown.
Amazingly, through each round of eliminations, both Line and Enders-Stevens advanced. Line moved ahead of a fouling Jeff Isbell in the opening act and recorded a powerful 6.496-second pass at 213.06 mph in the decisive win. In round two, the charging pilot of the blue Summit Racing Camaro cut an exceptional .008-second reaction time to Dave Connolly’s .022 to get the win light on a holeshot, 6.519, 212.46 to 6.518, 212.43.
With lane choice and a fast hot rod, Line had an advantage over Jeg Coughlin before their semifinals match was even contested, and when Coughlin jumped the gun and left the starting line .023-second too soon, Line powered ahead with a 6.511, 212.93 and never looked back. Coughlin clocked in with a 6.521. Fate was in his own hands. Line would race Enders-Stevens in the final.
“I was calm,” said Line. “I just went up there and said, I have to be .00 (near perfect) when I leave the starting line. If you go out there and go .80 on the tree, you might as well go home – you aren’t going to beat anyone like that. Unfortunately, it didn’t turn out as we had planned.”
Line illuminated the red light when he left the starting line .011-second too soon. Enders-Stevens also fouled, but by a lesser margin (.002) and was awarded the win light.
“Of course we’re disappointed,” said Line. “The Summit Racing team worked very hard and we almost had what would have been the seventh championship for KB Racing. But wow, what a way to end the day. To race for the championship in the last round of the last race of the year was really something big that brought a lot of attention to Pro Stock. I would say I’m proud to be part of that, for sure. We battled some adversity and gave up more points in the Countdown than we should have, but we still battled back and salvaged a pretty good season.
“All in all, it was a super cool day for Pro Stock and anyone that’s a fan of good racing. Congratulations to the whole Elite team and Erica – they had a great car all year long. Of course, I would have liked to win, but it’ll just make us work harder over the winter. I don’t want to feel this way at this time next year, but it’s all good. That’s what keeps you going. It’s part of competition.”