CHEVROLET RACING IN NATIONAL HOT ROD ASSOCIATION
NHRA SUMMERNATIONALS
OLD BRIDGE TOWNSHIP RACEWAY PARK AT ENGLISHTOWN, NEW JERSEY
POST-RACE DRIVER QUOTES
SUNDAY, JUNE 11, 2017
An interview with Pro Stock winner GREG ANDERSON, KB RACING, SUMMIT RACING EQUIPMENT CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (No. 5 qualifier; second win of the season; record eighth win at the racetrack and 88th of his Pro Stock career):
Q: WHAT IS IT ABOUT THIS PLACE THAT SUITS YOU?
GREG ANDERSON: Everything. It’s the perfect racetrack and the perfect fans; they love Pro Stock here and we love them back.
Q: THEY CROWD MIGHT HAVE BEEN LEANING TOWARD VINCENT (NOBILE) IN THE OTHER LANE IN THE FINAL.
GREG ANDERSON: As well they should. Hometown boy and they have to be proud of him. He is a heck of a drag racer. He got me on the starting line but my crew did the job. Vincent beat me, but my crew beat that crew. I got the checkered flag and Vincent will have to wait till next year.
Q: THIS WAS A LITTLE BIT OF A SURVIVAL RACE FOR PRO STOCK WITH THE TRACK CONDITIONS TODAY (130 degrees Fahrenheit track, 90 degrees ambient).
GREG ANDERSON: It was a struggle out there today. When it gets this hot and the starting line gets greasy for these Pro Stock cars, we leave the starting line with such energy that it’s hard to get them hooked up. When you don’t hook a Pro Stock car up they don’t run. My guys did the best job out there today and my guys did the best job out there.
TOP FUEL:
BRITTANY FORCE, JOHN FORCE RACING, MONSTER ENERGY CHEVROLET DRAGSTER (No. 5 qualifier; fell in semifinals): “I look at the weekend overall as a positive. We’ve turned this car around, and we won last weekend. We qualified well here and went to the semis – that’s pretty outstanding. We really struggle running in the heat, and it was warm Saturday night when we ran a 3.76, so that’s pretty good for us. Now, we’re going into these hotter races where the track temps are going to be through the roof. That’s where we need to focus and figure out how to make the car run. My confidence level has definitely risen since the win in Epping. And not just for me, but the whole team. It gives us that fire in our gut. We were in the winner’s circle last weekend, and we can do it again. We pulled together as a team, turned four win lights on and ended up in that winner’s circle. We can do it again, and that’s our plan.”
FUNNY CAR:
COURTNEY FORCE, JOHN FORCE RACING, ADVANCE AUTO PARTS CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (No. 1 qualifier; fell in semifinals): “It was a pretty good day for our Advance Auto Parts Chevy Camaro team. Coming into the race as the No. 1 qualifier with the 386 (3.862 seconds) that we ran in Friday qualifying, and then coming out here in the heat of the day with two solid passes and able to get a win in those two and went into the semifinals. Unfortunately, with a .012 red, we kind of threw that run away. Of course, it was actually the best run of the weekend for us and the quickest run of the day in Funny Car. Honestly, I’m very proud of my team and feel really bad that I let them down in the semis. It gets us excited what we can do going into Bristol, Tennessee, next weekend. This is a tough way to end Englishtown, but definitely feel great that we have a great race car and running solid in the heat. We’ll see if we can o9utrun them next weekend.”
ROBERT HIGHT, JOHN FORCE RACING, AAA CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (No. 2 qualifier; fell in semifinals): “It wasn’t our day. We keep beating ourselves and have to do a better job. We had four great runs in qualifying, and there’s no reason why we can’t make four great runs on race day. All we can do is go to the next one and keep working hard. Hard work is the only thing that is going to dig us out of this hole and turn things around. We have the team chemistry and everything we need. We just have to do a better job.”
JOHN FORCE, JOHN FORCE RACING, PEAK COOLANT & MOTOR OIL CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (No. 12 qualifier; fell in first round): “(Cruz Pedregon) out-pedaled me. I think I pedaled it six times – can’t pedal it any more than that. Things are getting better – not for me, I’m struggling. The direction I’m going is the same direction that my other teams are going. They were low ET. Courtney (Fore) and Robert (Hight) almost got to a final, but stuff happens. We’re fast, but we don’t have consistency. We’re getting there. This combination is going to work. I’ve evolved over all of it. Not just the engine, but the clutch too. We’re getting there. Just taking a little work. Same story as last week, but I move to Bristol. I won 16 championships; sooner or later I’m going to wake up.”
PRO STOCK:
VINCENT NOBILE, MOUNTAIN VIEW RACING, MOUNTAIN VIEW TIRE CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (No. 8 qualifier; fell in final): “We definitely took a huge step in the right direction with this car. After qualifying on Friday, I wasn’t sure how this weekend was going to go. I am kind of bummed. It’s my home track, I had all my friends and family here this weekend and I would’ve love to have won in front of them. Nonetheless, we had a good weekend. That’s two finals in a row for Elite Motorsports, it’s only a matter of time before we get this Chevrolet Camaro in the winner circle.”
BO BUTNER, JIM BUTNER AUTO, BUTNER AUTO SALES CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (No. 1 qualifier; fell in semifinals): “Being No. 1 qualifier helped a lot today because it was a very tricky track. We went the rounds that we should have, but we just got beat by a guy who should have beat us – our teammate Greg (Anderson). He turned on the win light in the final, and we’re happy. We’re looking forward to Bristol, that’s for sure.”
TANNER GRAY, GRAY MOTORSPORTS, GRAY MOTORSPORTS VALVOLINE CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (No. 2 qualifier; fell in first round): “Losing on a holeshot is unacceptable. I pride myself on being able to perform on the starting line and my lights this weekend do not reflect my best performance. I look forward to racing this upcoming weekend in Bristol. I consider the track my home away from home since it is only a few hours away. I have never raced on the track before, but have many memories watching my dad and grandpa race there. My dad (Shane Gray) will be back out this next weekend racing, and it will be a great way to celebrate Father’s Day.”
ERICA ENDERS, ELITE MOTORSPORTS/TRANSPORTATION IMPACT CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (No. 9 qualifier; fell in first round): “We went up there without lane choice and faced a very hot and tricky racetrack. My guys gave me the best possible race car they could give me but we weren’t able to get (to the finish line) first unfortunately for this Elite Motorsports/Transportation Impact Chevrolet. I’m bummed, especially considering we came in here on such a high note after winning last weekend in Epping. I don’t feel like my driving was especially good all weekend and that is something that really bothers me.”
JEG COUGHLIN JR., ELITE MOTORSPORTS, JEGS.COM ELITE PERFORMANCE CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (No. 6 qualifier; fell in semifinals): “I’m not disappointed with this weekend at all. We are running a new combination on my car that we implemented last week and honestly we are still trying to sort it all out. It’s real, real close, so we’re not unhappy with this result a bit. We even added that combination to Erica’s (Enders) car this race. That’s how much faith we have in it.”
JASON LINE, KB RACING, SUMMIT RACING EQUIPMENT CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (No. 3 qualifier; fell in first round): “It just blew the tire off, so I pedaled it. These cars are not made to pedal, and they aren’t easy to pedal – but you never know what’s going to happen, so I gave it a whirl. It was a tough day for the blue car, but a great day for the red Summit Racing Chevy Camaro. There can only be one winner, and I couldn’t be more happy for Greg (Anderson) and, of course, Team Summit. It was a great day overall.”
JOHN GAYDOSH JR., GAYDOSH PERFORMANCE, GAYDOSH PERFORMANCE CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (No. 13 qualifier; fell in quarterfinals): “It was a great feeling getting through first round, but the feeling went away quick when we knew something was hurt in the motor. It just didn’t shut off when I let out and I knew something was wrong so we had to scurry up and come back after working all day yesterday trying to put a piston in so we could actually be here for first round. It’s disappointing to not be able to make it to second round. But we’ll charge on, see what we can do and try to make the next race.”