CHEVROLET AT BRAINERD
What:
35th Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals
When:
Friday, Aug. 19-Sunday, Aug. 21
Where:
Brainerd International Raceway, Brianerd, Minnesota
TV:
FOX Sports 1: Top Fuel and Funny Car finals postponed Aug. 7 – 3 p.m. ET Saturday (live)
FS1: Qualifying – 10 p.m. ET Saturday (taped highlights)
FS1: Eliminations and finals – 2 p.m. ET Sunday (live)
Chevrolet Aiming for Additional Success in the Land of a Thousand Lakes
Seven Chevrolet drivers have secured spots in the Countdown to the Championship
DETROIT (Aug. 18, 2016) – Spectators at Brainerd International Raceway this weekend will need a program to distinguish between the Line competitors in the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals.
The National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) event in Minnesota will have a definite familial atmosphere, with NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series Pro Stock points leader Jason Line of Wright, Minnesota, joining five family members who are driving in the Stock Eliminator class in addition to seeking his eighth Pro Stock victory of the season.
Line, who will be competing in his 301th race, has a 47-9 elimination-round record this season in the Summit Racing Equipment Chevrolet Camaro SS. But none of his 44 career wins have been attained in front of family and friends at his home track.
Last year, Line fell in the final round on a holeshot. The previous year, he won the race but not at the Brainerd racetrack.
“I have never actually won at BIR before,” Line said. “In 2014, a rain delay forced us to run the final round in Indy. I really want to win in Brainerd with my family and friends.”
KB Racing teammate Greg Anderson, a native of Duluth, Minnesota, is a three-time Pro Stock winner and two-time runner-up at Brainerd International Raceway and also is looking forward to the weekend.
“When I first decided I was going to go racing for a living, everyone thought I was nuts and were probably in disbelief. It was a pretty bold statement to make, but I have no regrets,” said Anderson, who has seven victories this season in the Summit Racing Equipment Chevrolet Camaro SS to run his career total to 85. “I am proud to come back home and show them what I have become.
“It is cool to go back now and see all my family, friends and buddies from school. It is the only time every year that I get to see everyone.”
Line, Anderson and Bo Butner (Jim Butner Auto Chevrolet Camaro SS) have clinched spots in the NHRA Mello Yello Countdown to the Championship, while four other Chevy drivers have an opportunity this weekend to secure a playoff position.
Vincent Nobile (Mountain View Tire Chevrolet Camaro SS) is fifth in the standings, and will garner additional points in two weeks when he faces Aaron Strong (A&J Furniture Construction Chevrolet Camaro SS) in the Pro Stock final round of the Seattle event Aug. 7 postponed by inclement weather.
Drew Skillman (Ray Skillman Racing Chevrolet Camaro SS), Shane Gray (Valvoline/Nova Services Chevrolet Camaro SS), and Chris McGaha (Harlow Sammons of Odessa Chevrolet Camaro SS) also seek to wrap up berths in the six-race championship round.
Brittany Force (Monster Energy Chevrolet dragster), who is fourth in the Top Fuel standings, also has clinched a spot in the championship chase. She is a two-time winner this season.
John Force Racing teammates Robert Hight (Auto Club Chevrolet Camaro SS), John Force (PEAK Antifreeze Chevrolet Camaro SS) and Courtney Force (Traxxas Chevrolet Camaro SS) all have tickets to the playoff round, too. John Force, a seven-time Funny Car winner at Brainerd, is coming off two victories on the three-race “Western Swing.” Hight picked up his first victory of the 2015 season at Brainerd.
Courtney Force, who advanced to the final round and semifinals in two races on the NHRA’s recent trek to Colorado, California, and Washington, is second in the Funny Car standings. In a first-round elimination matchup two weeks ago at Seattle, her car made heavy left-side contact with a concrete barrier. Force exited her Funny Car under her own power and was transported to a local hospital for evaluation. She was released later that day, and has been attending physical therapy to rehab her knee.
“After how I last left the track (in Seattle), I am definitely ready to get back in the car and go down the racetrack,” she said. “I definitely feel good enough to be back in the race car. That’s my throttle leg so I will be ready to pound on the throttle for sure.”
Dean Mesenbring of Rochester, Minnesota, will compete this weekend in Super Stock in the Adam Mesenbring Chevrolet COPO Camaro. Dan Fletcher, a winner earlier this year in the PEAK/K&N/Denso Chevrolet COPO Camaro, L. Scott Libersher (COPO Parts Direct Chevrolet COPO Camaro), and Al Corda (Scoggin-Dickey Parts Center Chevrolet COPO Camaro) will compete in Stock Eliminator.
At 3 p.m. ET Saturday, FOX Sports 1 will telecast the Top Fuel and Funny Car final rounds from Seattle that were postponed because of inclement weather. FS1 also will telecast taped qualifying highlights at 10 p.m. ET Saturday and will telecast three hours of live eliminations and finals starting at 2 p.m. ET Sunday.
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.
CHEVROLET RACING ENGINEERING PREVIEW – LUCAS OIL NHRA NATIONALS
ROGER ALLEN, CHEVROLET RACING NHRA PROGRAM MANAGER: “With two events left before the Countdown to the Championship, Chevrolet drivers have clinched spots in Top Fuel with Brittany Force, in Funny Car with John and Courtney Force and Robert Hight, and in Pro Stock with Greg Anderson, Jason Line, and Bo Butner. Four other Pro Stock drivers could secure playoff spots this weekend at Brainerd International Raceway, which hosts the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals. We expect another exciting weekend of racing, with all the Chevrolet teams aiming to claim victory before the Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals in two weeks in Indianapolis.”
CHEVROLET FROM THE COCKPIT – LUCAS OIL NHRA NATIONALS
TOP FUEL:
BRITTANY FORCE, JOHN FORCE RACING, MONSTER ENERGY CHEVROLET TOP FUEL DRAGSTER: “I am just so proud of this Monster Energy team. We almost got the win in Brainerd last year, but we just had to wait a little bit. Brainerd has been a fast and quick track and I think you’ll see great numbers there this weekend. We set the national ET record earlier this season and I think you could see record numbers at Brainerd International Raceway this weekend.”
FUNNY CAR:
JOHN FORCE, JOHN FORCE RACING, PEAK ANTIFREEZE & COOLANT CHEVROLET CAMARO SS: “I have had a lot of success at Brainerd and I love racing there. I get a lot of energy and motivation from the fans at every track, but the fans in Brainerd are awesome. I am looking forward to getting up there and racing this PEAK Antifreeze & Coolant Chevy Camaro. We have been putting up so great numbers on the track and I know we’ll have good conditions in Brainerd. This PEAK Chevy team will be ready to hurt some feelings.”
COURTNEY FORCE, JOHN FORCE RACING, TRAXXAS CHEVROLET CAMARO SS: “This is a huge turnaround from where we were last year. I think this is the best shot at the championship we have ever had. We are hopefully going into the Countdown in the No. 2 spot. We are trying to hold onto that position right now with two races left. Being in that spot would give us a lead going into the last six races of the rest of the Top Ten for the championship. This is definitely a huge difference from where we were a year ago. I love the team that I with and the crew chiefs I am working with. The car they have given me definitely feels like the most consistent race car I have ever had in my five years of racing Funny Cars. I am thrilled about that as a driver. This is the best time for me to really be on my game with reaction times. I have really been trying hard to be the most consistent that I have ever been before. If we can get everything right, we definitely would have the full package. I think we have a great shot of going after the championship this year. I am not going to let that slip away.”
ROBERT HIGHT, JOHN FORCE RACING, AUTO CLUB CHEVROLET CAMARO SS: “You see the performance numbers and you have to shake your head. In Seattle, we ran a 3.8 and didn’t have lane choice in the first round. Last year in Brainerd you saw a ton of low numbers and I think you will see more of that this weekend. These Funny Cars a handful now to drive. They carry the front end and it is a lot of fun. The competition is very tough, too. You have to have a total package to get a round win. You need a quick car, a great reaction time and you have to keep it in the groove.”
PRO STOCK:
VINCENT NOBILE, MOUNTAIN VIEW RACING, MOUNTAIN VIEW TIRE CHEVROLET CAMARO SS: “My team had this Chevrolet Camaro running so well in Seattle, I’ve been so eager to get back to the track. The goal is to keep the momentum going and now is the time. Unfortunately, we will finish Seattle in Indy against Aaron Strong but our plan is to repeat what we did in Seattle, in Brainerd.”
JASON LINE, KB RACING, SUMMIT RACING EQUIPMENT CHEVROLET CAMARO SS: “I love being here with everyone in Brainerd. It’s fun to be out here racing with all my family. I try to come back here every chance I get. There is no place like home.”
GREG ANDERSON, KB RACING, SUMMIT RACING EQUIPMENT CHEVROLET CAMARO SS: “When I first decided I was going to go racing for a living, everyone thought I was nuts and were probably in disbelief. It was a pretty bold statement to make, but I have no regrets. I am proud to come back home and show them what I have become.”
SHANE GRAY, GRAY MOTORSPORTS, VALVOLINE/NOVA SERVICES CHEVROLET CAMARO SS: “We’ve really gotten into a good rhythm with Dave (Connolly’s) tuning calls and the crew getting into sync with what he’s doing. A big part of anyone’s success is the chemistry the team has, and when you see the guys not only working hard for one another but doing it with smiles on their faces, you know things are going well. I’m super comfortable behind the wheel because my confidence in the car they are giving me is sky high.”
DREW SKILLMAN, RAY SKILLMAN RACING, RAY SKILLMAN CHEVROLET CAMARO SS: “Brainerd will be a big race for us as it relates to the Countdown to the Championship. We have Brainerd, then we’ll go test and have Indy, so we have three more times in the car before we start the Countdown. We have a game plan now and I think we’ll do well.”