CHEVROLET RACING IN NATIONAL HOT ROD ASSOCIATION
DENSO SPARK PLUGS NHRA NATIONALS
THE STRIP AT LAS VEGAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY

Chevrolet Records Fourth Consecutive Pro Stock Win to Start Season
· Jason Line earns 39th Pro Stock victory

· All-Chevrolet final for fourth race in a row as Bo Butner is runner-up

· John Force advances to semifinals in Funny Car

· Brittany Force and Robert Hight retain class points lead

LAS VEGAS (April 3, 2016) – Jason Line’s disappointment over losing in the final of the K&N Horsepower Challenge Pro Stock all-star event at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Saturday was replaced within 24 hours by a broad smile upon his second visit to the winner’s circle this season.

Line recorded his 39th career National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) Pro Stock victory, prevailing over Bo Butner in the fourth consecutive all-Chevrolet final to start the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series season. Line, the Pro Stock points leader, has won twice and KB Racing teammate Greg Anderson has won the other two races. Line, the top qualifier for the second consecutive event, is one victory behind Mike Edwards and Kurt Johnson, who are tied for fifth among Pro Stock winners.

“We’ve never had a start this good, even back in the heyday. It feels really, really good,” said Line, was has advanced to the final at each event. “It is tough. It is difficult, but everybody on our team works hard. Of course, we love Chevrolet. And all the fans for coming out. I want to say congrats to Bo for making the finals.”

Butner (Butner Auto Sales Chevrolet Camaro SS), the runner-up in the fall event at Las Vegas, was seeking his first Pro Stock national win. He has won four times in Las Vegas in Stock and Comp. Butner ran down Anderson (Summit Racing Equipment Chevrolet Camaro SS) in one of the semifinals, while Line (Summit Racing Equipment Chevrolet Camaro SS) defeated two-time defending Las Vegas winner Erica Enders in the other semifinal.

The previous day, Anderson won the K&N Horsepower Challenge for a record fifth time. Anderson, a two-time winner this season, also tied Warren Johnson for second on the all-time list for consecutive qualified races without a DNQ at 303. Funny Car icon John Force tops the list with 395 starts without a DNQ.

Force (PEAK Antifreeze Chevrolet Camaro SS), who won the spring 2015 Funny Car event at The Strip, won his first-round match with Matt Hagan. That set up a Round 2 showdown with his daughter, Courtney Force, who on Friday set the Funny Car track speed record of 326.08 mph and qualified No. 2 for the third consecutive race in the Traxxas Chevrolet Camaro SS.

John Force, who also faced his daughter in the semifinals at Phoenix last month, won this match with an elapsed time of 3.991 seconds to Courtney’s 3.996. Force then fell in the semifinals to eventual class winner Alexis DeJoria.

John Force Racing teammate Robert Hight (Auto Club Chevrolet Camaro SS), who has won at Las Vegas three times and was runner-up in 2014 and ’15, also won in the first round but fell in the second to DeJoria on a holeshot (4.004 to 4.005 ET). Hight remains atop the standings.
In Top Fuel, Brittany Force, who qualified fourth in the Monster Energy Chevrolet Dragster, won her first-round matchup with Terry McMillan – a rematch of the Gatornationals final in which Force prevailed for her first national event win. She fell in Round 2 to Troy Buff but retains the points lead in the class.

Dave Bridgewater (Rotolo Chevrolet/Bridgewater Chevrolet COPO Camaro) lost in the fourth round and Rodger Comstock (MTS/Hoosier/Lucas Oil Chevrolet COPO Camaro) fell in the second round of Super Stock eliminations. Bridgewater, who also qualified 56th in Stock Eliminator, fell in the first round.

The NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series season continues April 22-24 with the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals at zMAX Dragway in Charlotte, North Carolina.

ROGER ALLEN, CHEVROLET RACING NHRA PROGRAM MANAGER: “Congratulations to all the Chevrolet teams for their performance at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, especially Jason Line and KB Racing for continuing their strong showing to start the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series season with another Pro Stock victory. Also, congratulations to Greg Anderson for winning the K&N Horsepower Challenge for a record fifth time in the Summit Racing Equipment Chevrolet Camaro SS for KB Racing. Chevrolet drivers remain atop the standings in all three pro classes heading into the exciting four-wide racing event at zMAX Dragway later this month, which shows their consistently strong performances.”

AN INTERVIEW WITH PRO STOCK WINNER JASON LINE, KB RACING, SUMMIT RACING EQUIPMENT CHEVROLET CAMARO SS

IT HAS BEEN A FANTASTIC START WITH FOUR FINALS AND TWO WINS
“It has been fantastic to say the least. We probably whined the most when the rule changes came down. But, obviously it is benefited us. It’s been a fun ride. Yesterday was a tough day. It wasn’t the day I was looking for. I had my heart set on winning that K&N Trophy. It was a little bit devastating to be honest. Normally I don’t get too upset but it was one of those things that kind of bothered me a little bit. So it took 24 hours for that to get fixed. I really expected Greg (Anderson) to win today, and I actually feel bad that Bo (Butner) didn’t because he really had the best car and it is fun to help someone get their first win. I really felt like today was his day for sure. Big day for us for sure. Had DENSO on (car as sponsor) for the first time, so big deal to win at the DENSO race.
“Again, I said it before. It was so strange to go up there and Mark (Lyle, NHRA starter who passed away last week) … He always gave me a little gesture before I staged and I am definitely going to miss that.”

YOU DEFINITELY EXPECT A LOT FROM YOURSELF. HOW DO YOU WORK THROUGH TO DRIVE YOURSELF?
“Well, they aren’t paying me to stink up the joint. If you go to work every day and don’t do the job, who goes home and feels good about it? I certainly don’t, and we have a lot of folks depending on us. It is important, and when you don’t do a good job. I don’t hide my emotions that’s for sure- what you see is what you get.”

ON BRINGING KEN BLACK A TROHPY IN HIS HOMETOWN
“It is a big deal, any time you can win here is a big deal. One of our other sponsors that has been a major player for us for many years, Finley Chevrolet, they are here in Las Vegas as well.”

ERICA ENDERS HAD GOOD LIGHTS, WOULD YOU HAVE RATHER RACED HER IN FINAL EVEN AS GOOD AS BO’S CAR WAS?
“No, I would much rather race Bo. He is my teammate. I would have rather raced her early and hopefully dispatched her. She is a great driver. She’s been good everywhere. I root for my own teammate.”

MORE IMPORTANT? K&N RACE OR TODAY’S RACE?
“Well, I might get in trouble for this, but I have won Wallys before. I’ve never won the K&N race. K&N has been a big supporter of Pro Stock. I would have liked to have that trophy. It is one of the things I haven’t gotten to do, and would like to check it off the list. Will have to wait another year.”