CHEVROLET RACING IN NATIONAL HOT ROD ASSOCIATION
63rd CHEVROLET PERFORMANCE U.S. NATIONALS
LUCAS OIL RACEWAY AT INDIANAPOLIS IN BROWNSBURG, INDIANA
QUALIFYING RESULTS AND DRIVER QUOTES
SUNDAY, SEPT. 3, 2017

Chevrolet Drivers Well-Positioned for Success in Biggest Race of Season
· Greg Anderson claims fifth No. 1 Pro Stock qualifier honor in the event
· Robert Hight leads John Force Racing 2, 3, 4 Funny Car qualifiers
· Hight’s Chevrolet Camaro SS is runner-up in Traxxas Funny Car Shootout
· Chevrolet COPO Camaros continue to win Sportsman rounds

BROWNSBURG, Ind. (Sept. 3, 2017) – Greg Anderson has won 88 National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) Pro Stock events in a lengthy career that has included four championships in the professional class.

Winning the Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals remains a primary goal every year, and the driver of the Summit Racing Equipment Chevrolet Camaro SS will aim for his seventh victory Monday in the prestigious event as the No. 1 qualifier.

Anderson claimed his fifth No. 1 qualifier honor in the Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals and 90th of his career with a best pass of 6.561 seconds in the third of the five qualifying sessions at Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis.

“We made a lot of changes to the race car Sunday and I think it responded perfectly,” said Anderson, whose first Pro Stock career final round was in 1999 U.S. Nationals. “My Summit Chevy is just happy out there, just as I am. It doesn’t seem it wants to or can make a bad run.”

Tanner Gray, the favorite to win the Automobile Club of Southern California Road to the Future award, was the No. 2 qualifier at 6.566 seconds in the Gray Motorsports Valvoline Chevrolet Camaro SS. Drew Skillman (Ray Skillman Auto Group Chevrolet Camaro SS), who has won three of the past five races, was third and class points leader Bo Butner (Jim Butner Auto Chevrolet Camaro SS) was the No. 4 qualifier.
Reigning Pro Stock champion Jason Line (Summit Racing Equipment Chevrolet Camaro SS) was the lone mover in the fourth and fifth rounds of qualifying — from 12th to ninth — as teams and drivers gathered data from the extra qualifying session to prepare for forecast similar ambient and track condition in elimination rounds Monday.

Chevrolet has won all 17 Pro Stock races this season.

Should Tanner Gray get past first-round opponent Deric Kramer and his grandfather and No. 7 qualifier, Johnny Gray (Gray Motorsports Valvoline Chevrolet Camaro SS), defeat Allen Johnson, they would face off in the quarterfinals.

“I hated to get knocked from the top (qualifying) spot, but otherwise it’s all good,” said Tanner Gray, who has a class-leading four victories entering the regular-season finale. “So far, running three cars hasn’t been a problem. We were prepared for it. We all sort of have our own tune-ups and we keep to ourselves as far as that’s concerned. I would love to race my grandfather tomorrow or my dad (Shane), or maybe even race both of them. That would be cool.”

Robert Hight advanced to the final of the Traxxas Funny Car Shootout and wound up runner-up for the fourth consecutive year in the $100,000-to-win special event held concurrent with qualifications.

Hight, driver of the Auto Club of Southern California Chevrolet Camaro SS, ousted teammate John Force in the semifinals. Force, who won the event in 2012 and ’14, eliminated track Funny Car record-holder Matt Hagan in the first round. Courtney Force, who defeated Hight to win the top prize in 2016, fell in the first round.

Hight, however, was the No. 2 qualifier with a best pass of 3.807 seconds as he seeks to record his fourth Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals title. Courtney Force (Advance Auto Parts Chevrolet Camaro SS) qualified third 3.837 seconds, and John Force (PEAK Coolant & Motor Oil Chevrolet Camaro SS) was the No. 4 qualifier at 3.849 seconds.

Brittany Force qualified No. 8 in Top Fuel with a best pass of 3.734 seconds in the Monster Energy Chevrolet dragster.

Three Chevrolet COPO Camaro drivers advanced to the semifinals of the SAM Tech Factory Stock Showdown, and six won the seven first-round matchups. David Barton, who won at Gainesville earlier this year, was the No. 1 qualifier in a 2017 COPO Camaro. He’ll be joined in the semis Monday by Stephen Bell and Scott Libersher.

Dan Fletcher of Churchville, New York, advanced to Monday’s Stock Eliminator semifinals in his Chevrolet COPO Camaro with a victory over Jeff Taylor, driving a 2017 COPO Camaro. In July, Fletcher became the third racer in NHRA history to register 100 national event wins. Vic Cagnazzi of New York City reached the quarterfinals in his COPO Camaro before falling.

Brett Candies of Thibodaux, Louisiana, won two Super Stock elimination rounds in his Chevrolet COPO Camaro before losing.
FS1 will telecast qualifications live 11 a.m.-1 p.m. ET Monday before FOX takes over at 1 p.m.

CHEVROLET RACING POST-QUALIFYING DRIVER QUOTES
An interview with Pro Stock No. 1 qualifier GREG ANDERSON, KB RACING, SUMMIT RACING EQUIPMENT CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (6.561 seconds … won at Englishtown for second victory of season and 88th of career; four-time runner-up; has 745 round wins; six-time winner and five-time No. 1 qualifier in this event; third in points):
Q: WEATHER CONDITIONS TODAY LIKELY WILL BE SIMILAR TOMORROW. IS THAT WHAT YOU WERE WORKING ON – TO GET A GOOD TUNEUP FOR TOMORROW?
GREG ANDERSON: Absolutely. We knew when this afternoon, with the sun on the track all day long, that it is what we’ll see tomorrow. In fact, it’s supposed to be a little warmer. Made a lot of changes to the race car and I think it responded perfectly. My Summit Chevy is just happy out there, just as I am. It doesn’t seem it wants to or can make a bad run. I made three runs in a row that were this far from perfect, and you don’t say that often in this class. My hat off to the guys. You’re going to have to get off that starting line clean if you’re going to have a chance at winning tomorrow. I have all the faith in my race car, which means I have all the faith in the world in my crew.

Q: WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHT GOING INTO TOMORROW IN THE BIGGEST RACE OF THE YEAR?
GREG ANDERSON: It gives me a great feeling when I drive through the gates here. A lot of people can’t say that. They’re scared of this place; they just don’t like racing here. It’s too big, it’s too long, it’s too important. I love that. The bigger the better for me. I know I’ll have butterflies tomorrow first round, but I love it.

Q: WHEN YOU WERE A CREW MEMBER, DID YOU EVER DREAM THAT YOU WOULD WIN HERE AND BE THE NO. 1 QUALIFIER?
GREG ANDERSON: I don’t think it was ever something that I thought of let along dreamed of. I know you’re supposed to follow your dreams and set goal. I didn’t set a goal to be this far. I wanted to work on the race car and be part of this cool sport. It just progressed and progressed, and somehow, some way I got my foot in the right door and get the lucky breaks to get to where I am today and be surrounded by the people I am today. (Team) owner Ken Black. I wouldn’t be where I am today without him. It’s just been a great ride for me and beyond anything I thought I could achieve.
TOP FUEL:
BRITTANY FORCE, JOHN FORCE RACING, MONSTER ENERGY CHEVROLET TOP FUEL DRAGSTER (No. 8 qualifier at 3.734 seconds … won at New Hampshire and runner-up at Phoenix; semifinalist in three of past six events; fifth in points): “I feel great after Q5. Five qualifying sessions we’re trying to figure out this track, figure out this car and run as hard as we can. It always feels good to end on a good note in Q5 (3.749). Awesome run right down the racetrack and I feel good going into race day tomorrow at the biggest race of the year. (To win the event) is something I can’t even wrap my head around that. It’s something this whole team wants It’s something that’s on my bucket list. We’re going after it this weekend.”
FUNNY CAR:
COURTNEY FORCE, JOHN FORCE RACING, ADVANCE AUTO PARTS CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (No. 3 qualifier at 3.837 seconds … two-time runner-up and four-time semifinalist; has 149 round wins; won Funny Car Traxxas Nitro Shootout in 2016; sixth in points): “We’ve had a great weekend so far. We didn’t go as far as we would have liked in the Traxxas Nitro Shootout, but definitely made some solid passes in the heat of the day, which is going to be important on race day. We picked up some bonus points throughout all of our qualifying sessions, and I’m really proud of my Advance Auto Parts Chevy Camaro guys. I feel good that we have a good race car going into the biggest race of the season.”

JOHN FORCE, JOHN FORCE RACING, PEAK COOLANT & MOTOR OIL CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (No. 4 qualifier at 3.894 seconds … won at Gainesville and three-time semifinalist; among 148 career victories, four have come in this event; 11-time No. 1 qualifier in event; seventh in points): “We’ve got a good race car. Our Funny Cars are 2-3-4, and Brittany is top half in Top Fuel. We didn’t get the win in the Traxxas Shootout. We don’t think about the money – it’s not the way we think, we just want to win – but it would have been nice. Right now, what we’re looking at is trying to win Indy. We’re all right there, so I think we’re good to go for the race.”

ROBERT HIGHT, JOHN FORCE RACING, AUTO CLUB OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (No. 2 qualifier at 3.807 seconds … has won two of past four races; two-time runner-up; set Funny Car national speed record at Sonoma and elapsed time record at Brainerd; three-time winner of event; has 401 round wins; second in points): “(Crew chief) Jimmy (Prock) knows what this thing will do and he has set-ups, but it was just a little too fast leaving and got the tire hot and it started slipping (in the Traxxas Funny Car Shootout final). We had six-hundredths (of a second) advantage at the 330 (foot mark) and it was in trouble before that. Normally, when you lose a race or a round you have to wait a week or two to redeem yourself. Right back out here tomorrow and we could go into the Countdown No. 1. I want to win the U.S. Nationals and carry some momentum into the Countdown.”

PRO STOCK:
TANNER GRAY, GRAY MOTORSPORTS, VALVOLINE CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (No. 2 qualifier at 6.566 seconds … won at Las Vegas to become youngest winner in NHRA history; also won at Topeka, Sonoma and Brainerd; runner-up at New Hampshire; second in points; leading candidate for rookie of year): “I’m approaching race day like I have any other race. You can’t over-think it. You can’t think about the person your racing in the other lane. Even though this is the biggest race of the year, you can’t psych yourself out over it. I have experienced rookie mistakes which I have learned from and have the best teachers to continue to guide me. I expect to run well. I am a very competitive guy and know that I have the best equipment out here. I am very thankful for this opportunity and want to make the best of it that I can.”

DREW SKILLMAN, RAY SKILLMAN MOTORSPORTS, RAY SKILLMAN AUTO GROUP CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (No. 3 qualifier at 6.570 seconds … three-time winner this season, including two of past four events; Indianapolis resident): “I’m really happy with my car right now. And the driver is perfect, as usual. Well, the driver can be hit or miss but lately I haven’t feel too bad about my driving. We’ve just been really consistent and that’s what matters most in this class. We’ve always had great power. We just needed to learn how to use it. Once we got that part figured out, the rest all came together.”

BO BUTNER, JIM BUTNER AUTO, BUTNER AUTO SALES CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (No. 4 qualifier at 6.572 seconds … three-time winner and five-time runner-up, including three of past four events; three-time No. 1 qualifier; has 41-14 round record; No. 1 qualifier in event in 2016; sits atop point standings): “I think all three KB Racing Camaros are great. I made a mistake last night in a good session that probably kept me from the pole. We have a good race day set-up and I’m pleased with the way we’ve run.”

ALEX LAUGHLIN, GAS MONKEY RACING, GAS MONKEY ENERGY CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (No. 5 qualifier at 6.576 seconds; competing in sixth race of season – first since Chicago — and 37th of career; won at Bristol for second career victory): “We really didn’t know where we would be not running a number of races leading up to this weekend. It is so awesome to be able to roll it off the trailer and lay a run down like we did Friday night. For us to end up No. 5 just proves that we have some serious power and the car is working great. Hopefully, it goes our way tomorrow.”

CHRIS MCGAHA, HARLOW SAMMONS RACING, HARLOW SAMMONS OF ODESSA CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (No. 6 qualifier at 6.577 seconds … won at Charlotte and semifinalist at Gainesville; competing in 13th event of season and 111th of career; won the event in 2016): “The first run was so good; we knew we had to make it count and we did. Now we’ve been trying things and getting ready for race day. I’ll be in the (race day) parade and that’s a pretty big deal. It’s the gift that keeps on giving, winning the Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals.”

JOHNNY GRAY, GRAY MOTORSPORTS, VALVOLINE CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (No. 7 qualifier at 6.596 seconds … competing in first event of season as part of NHRA-first three generations racing in the same pro class in same event; had not competed in Pro Stock event since 2010): “This has been a lot of fun so far. I feel pretty good for someone who’s been out of the car for so long. On Friday night, the car made a pretty good move and I had to give it a nudge. Everyone tells me that it’s just like riding a bike but I’ve told them that if you’ve been off a bike for a few years you’re still going to be a little wobbly the first time you get back on it.”

MATT HARTFORD, HARTFORD RACING, TOTAL SEAL/NITRO FISH CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (No. 8 qualifier at 6.598 seconds … using a Gray Motorsports engine this weekend for the first time; competing in 10th race of season and 74th of career; looking for first Pro Stock national win): “Hats off to the Gray guys, who gave me an engine that’s as good as anything they have. We weren’t as good with it as we should have been. We made a nice run in Q1 on Friday night and have been searching how to run their program, which is different from how we ran our program before. We had five different set-ups for five different runs, and now I think we have a good direction for tomorrow.”

JASON LINE, KB RACING, SUMMIT RACING EQUIPMENT CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (No. 9 qualifier at 6.599 seconds … reigning Pro Stock champion; won season opener at Pomona; six-time semifinalist; four-time No. 1 qualifier; has 548 round wins; holds Pro Stock track elapsed time record set in 2011): “It’s certainly not the best race car I’ve ever had, but that’s part of it. You just have to keep digging to make it better.”

ERICA ENDERS, MELLING PERFORMANCE/ ELITE MOTORSPORTS CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (No. 11 qualifier at 6.604 seconds … two-time Pro Stock champion; won at New Hampshire; three-time runner-up; has 251 career round wins; competing in 240th career event): “We’re struggling with all four of our cars. We made 65 test runs the past five days. I’ve been fortunate to get more seat time and my guys are steadily chipping away at it. We have an inherent issue and we’re trying to iron it out. Indy is an important race to everyone. I finally got my first Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals win in 2015 and I won the championship. We’re hopeful we can turn this program around. I’m eternally optimistic.”

SHANE GRAY, GRAY MOTORSPORTS, VALVOLINE CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (No. 12 qualifier at 6.607 seconds … competing in limited schedule — this is ninth race of season and 172nd of career; won at Gainesville early this season): “I am having a great time racing out here with my dad (Johnny) and Tanner. Racing as a family is what my dad and I did, and getting the opportunity to run three generations at Indy with Tanner is pretty special. I won Indy in 2014, now my dad and Tanner have an opportunity to win it! It’s one of those races that can define your career.”

VINCENT NOBILE, MOUNTAIN VIEW RACING, MOUNTAIN VIEW TIRE CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (No. 13 qualifier at 6.615 seconds … runner-up at Topeka; has 198 round wins; competing in 163rd career event): “We didn’t qualify where we wanted to, obviously, and we’re trying everything to make this car 60 foot. We made a decent run Q1 and we’ll go toward that direction and fine-tune that set-up. Still going into Round 1 confident.”

JEG COUGHLIN JR., ELITE MOTORSPORTS, JEGS.COM ELITE PERFORMANCE CHEVROLET CAMARO SS (No. 14 qualifier at 6.625 seconds … two-time runner-up and four-time semifinalist; three-time No. 1 qualifier; competing in 399th career event): “We’ve won from every qualifying position available, and have won the ‘Big Go’ from the 16th spot in 2000. I have a car capable of running up front. All the pieces of the puzzle are here. We’re just having a difficult time putt all the pieces together to run up front. We will keep working hard and keep our heads high.”