Line Charged Up for Round One at Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind., September 6, 2015 – Qualifying is complete and Summit Racing Pro Stock driver Jason Line has a clear vision of what he intends to be the outcome on Monday at the 61st annual Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals. Line, of Mooresville, N.C., has never before won the most prestigious race on the tour in Indianapolis, but he intends to change that at the 2015 rendition of the venerable event. Starting from the No. 7 position, Line will begin the charge with a first-round meeting with Deric Kramer.

Last season, Line won at Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis – but it was in the rain-delayed Brainerd final that was contested during qualifying. As the No. 1 qualifier at the 2014 U.S. Nationals, Line had a great shot at the title but fell in the semifinals. The Indy trophy is still strikingly missing from his collection.

“Tomorrow, the plan is to let my foot off before everybody else. We can absolutely win,” said Line. “We went a little bit backwards on the last run here in qualifying, but all of the other passes were forward moves. We will do better for tomorrow, and we’re going to contend for that trophy. I feel good about it.”

In his first two passes down the dragstrip at Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis, Line powered to a 6.634-second run at 208.78 mph in the blue Summit Racing Chevrolet Camaro followed by a 6.580, 209.95. With sweltering conditions and a hot racetrack, the 37-time Pro Stock national event winner and two-time NHRA Pro Stock champion came to the table with a 6.582, 210.14 followed by a 6.617, 209.56. Line’s track record of 6.538-seconds set in 2011 will stand.

“We’ve struggled with my engine tune-up for sure, but we’ve got some new pieces and parts and just haven’t gotten it right yet,” said Line, who will race Kramer for the first time since their first-round meeting in Houston earlier this year, when Line got the nod. “But that’s part of it. It’s part of the fun and part of the challenge. Tomorrow, we’ll take what we have and make the best decisions.

“It’s pretty cool to race at the Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals. To see all the people sitting in the stands and to be at this race that has so much history. It’s a cool feeling. The fans are excited, and that makes it a very enjoyable race for us. It’s definitely one you want to win.”