CHEVROLET AT NEW JERSEY
What:
47th NHRA Summernationals
When:
Friday, June 10-Sunday, June 12
Where:
Old Bridge Township Raceway Park, Englishtown, New Jersey
TV:
FS1: Qualifying – 1 a.m. ET Saturday (taped highlights)
FS1: Eliminations and finals – 4:30 p.m. ET Sunday (taped)
Chevrolet Aims to Continue Success in All Three Pro Classes
NHRA Summernationals is the second event in four consecutive weekends of racing
DETROIT (June 8, 2016) – Recording back-to-back victories at New England Dragway and Old Bridge Township Park Raceway in consecutive years would be a “cool stat,” says Greg Anderson, who has the opportunity to accomplish the feat this weekend in the 47th National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) Summernationals.
A fifth victory in 10 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series events, though, is foremost on Anderson’s mind as he attempts to further cut into the Pro Stock points lead of KB Racing teammate Jason Line. Anderson, driving the Summit Racing Equipment Chevrolet Camaro SS, defeated Line in the semifinals on his way to winning the NHRA New England Nationals in Epping, New Hampshire, earlier this week.
Now the focus turns to the racetrack in Englishtown, New Jersey, where Anderson has six wins to match Joe Amato, Larry Dixon and Don Prudhomme for the most in NHRA history.
“(Old Bridge Township Park Raceway) just fits in with my driving scheme and the way the car acts,” said Anderson, whose 82 career victories is three behind Bob Glidden for second-most in Pro Stock history. “I love racing (in Epping), I love racing in Englishtown and these two weeks are probably a couple of my favorite race weekends of the year.”
Anderson defeated Allen Johnson in the finals at both events in 2015, and outran the veteran driver in the final to win the NHRA New England Nationals.
“It’s been a great start to the year,” said Anderson, who has advanced to four consecutive final rounds. “My race team is on fire right now and it’s just a dream to drive that race car.”
Fellow Pro Stock competitor Vincent Nobile of Dix Hills, New York, will have a large following at his home track. Nobile, who drives the Mountain View Tire Chevrolet Camaro SS, is coming off a season-high No. 3 qualifier spot at New England Dragway.
“It means a whole lot to have my whole family out there, but it’s not that hard to separate,” Nobile said. “You just have to treat it like any normal weekend and don’t try to do anything special. They know I need to focus. That first year racing here, I was super nervous. I wanted to do really good. But as I’ve grown and experienced it, I think I’ve gotten better. But it is like crunch time for us. We’re not where we want to be.”
Chevrolet drivers occupy the top three spots in the Pro Stock standings and seven of the top 10. Bo Butner (Butner Auto Sales Chevrolet Camaro SS), the No. 2 qualifier the past two events, is third, and Drew Skillman (Ray Skillman Chevrolet Camaro SS) is fifth. Chris McGaha in the Harlow Sammons of Odessa Chevrolet Camaro SS is sixth, followed by Nobile (Mountain View Tire Chevrolet Camaro SS) and Alex Laughlin (Gas Monkey Garage Chevrolet Camaro SS). Shane Gray (Valvoline/Nova Services Chevrolet Camaro SS), who has advanced to the semifinals the past two events, is one point out of 10th.
Courtney Force continues to pace the Funny Car standings in the Traxxas Chevrolet Camaro SS. Force, who has one victory and has reached the semifinals in three of the past four events, has 15 round wins, which is three times as many as she had after nine races last season.
John Force Racing teammates Robert Hight (Auto Club Chevrolet Camaro SS) and John Force (PEAK Antifreeze Chevrolet Camaro SS) are eighth and ninth, respectively, in Funny Car points. Force has reached the final round at Englishtown 10 times, including his initial visit in 1979, and has four wins. Both Force and Hight will drive the new Chevrolet Camaro SS.
Brittany Force, a two-time winner this season in the Monster Energy Chevrolet dragster, is fourth in the Top Fuel standings. Force, the No. 3 qualifier last weekend at New Hampshire, was a finalist at New Jersey last year.
In addition, a season-high 13 Chevrolet COPO Camaro drivers will compete in Stock Eliminator, including Dan Fletcher of Churchville, New York, who won earlier this season. Four Chevrolet COPO Camaro drivers will compete in Super Stock this weekend.
Chevrolet also will welcome fans to its Chevrolet Performance Display during the weekend. It will include a number of Chevrolet’s award-winning production vehicles, examples of Chevrolet engines, and a selection of performance parts and accessories that are available for fans to purchase from their local Chevrolet dealer.
FOX Sports 1 will telecast taped highlights of first- and second-round qualifying at 1 a.m. ET Saturday. FS1 will telecast taped eliminations and finals at 4:30 p.m. ET Sunday.
CHEVROLET ENGINEERING OUTLOOK FOR NHRA SUMMERNATIONALS
ROGER ALLEN, CHEVROLET RACING PROGRAM MANAGER, NHRA: “Chevrolet teams have a quick turnaround to prepare for the NHRA Summernationals following the rain day last weekend, but they are in tune with their cars and will be ready for that first qualifying session that sets the stage for a successful event. Greg Anderson, driving the Summit Racing Equipment Chevrolet Camaro SS, earned his fourth Pro Stock win of the season — and 82nd of his career — at New England Dragway to extend KB Racing’s winning streak to nine. He’s won six times at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park, which is an event steeped in history and one that drivers and team members look forward to every June. We’re looking forward to Team Chevy drivers continuing their on-track success in all three pro classes this weekend.”
CHEVROLET FROM THE COCKPIT – NHRA SUMMERNATIONALS
TOP FUEL:
BRITTANY FORCE, JOHN FORCE RACING, MONSTER ENERGY CHEVROLET TOP FUEL DRAGSTER: “Getting the first win of my career in Gainesville earlier this year was amazing. It took me 75 races and then to get another win at the Four-Wide Nationals two races later I just couldn’t believe it. I have to thank my Monster Energy team and especially Brian Husen and Alan Johnson. I have the best crew out here and they give me a great race car every run.”
FUNNY CAR:
JOHN FORCE, JOHN FORCE RACING, PEAK CHEVROLET CAMARO SS: “I have a lot of history at Englishtown. I used to match race there with Vinnie Napp and I won a lot there in the ‘90s. I love going to that track and seeing all the fans and all the history. I have a great hot rod right now and we are running with the competition. I set career best numbers in Epping and I am ready to get back to the track in Englishtown. I have been on the road for almost two months and that is what I love about my job.”
COURTNEY FORCE, JOHN FORCE RACING, TRAXXAS CHEVROLET CAMARO SS: “I’m thrilled to keep our rhythm going by heading straight into the second race of a four-race swing. We are leaving Epping having learned some things about our car in the heat early and managed to hold on to our points lead heading into this weekend. Although we haven’t had the best luck at this track in the past, I feel that we have a better car now more than ever to be able to go rounds here. We qualified in the top half here last year, but had an early exit in the first round. This year I think we will be coming in with a pretty consistent running race car so I can’t wait to get to the track to see what we can do.”
ROBERT HIGHT, JOHN FORCE RACING, AUTO CLUB CHEVROLET CAMARO SS: “I love the new Camaro. It looks great but I also can see so much better out of it. I think (crew chief) Mike Neff and this team will give me a great race car and I just have to do my job. This weekend is the second race of four in a row and I am looking forward to getting back behind the wheel.”
PRO STOCK:
JASON LINE, KB RACING, SUMMIT RACING EQUIPMENT CHEVROLET CAMARO SS: “(At New England Dragway) the car was good; it’s always good. It was just one of those times where we didn’t have the outcome we wanted. We had a heck of a run going though. Our team has done a heck of a job. My Chevy Camaro is great. I’m not trading it with anybody else’s. (Englishtown) is a good racetrack and a fun place to go.”
GREG ANDERSON, KB RACING, SUMMIT RACING EQUIPMENT CHEVROLET CAMARO SS: “(Englishtown) is one of my favorite tracks and always has been. It just fits in with my driving scheme and the way the car acts. It loves those kind of conditions. It’s a good racetrack; it has good air (like the June 3-5 event at New England Dragway). I have to try to make the most of it.”
VINCENT NOBILE, MOUNTAIN VIEW RACING, MOUNTAIN VIEW TIRE CHEVROLET CAMARO SS: “We know we’ll get it eventually and it’s not for a lack of effort. There’s a bunch of smart guys on this team and everyone is still pushing hard. It’s a lot of hours and non-stop thinking, but we’re going to get it.”
DREW SKILLMAN, RAY SKILLMAN RACING, RAY SKILLMAN CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (about moving to Gray Motorsports before the New England Nationals): “For that team to do what we did in 72 hours I was impressed. We just have to learn how to walk again. We’re running a different clutch program and all kinds of things we’ve never run before. It’s a lot of things to gather up in one weekend, but I see a lot of promise for the program.”
SHANE GRAY, GRAY MOTORSPORTS, VALVOLINE/NOVA SERVICES CHEVROLET CAMARO SS: “I’ve been real pleased with the performance the last couple of races. We’ve known all along that we’ve had pretty good horsepower, and it showed up in these last couple of races. The guys in the team and the guys in the engine shop have been working really hard to make us better, and we’ve been right there the last couple of races.”