DENVER, Colo., July 19, 2014 – Jason Line and Bandimere Speedway are forming quite a bond this weekend at the 35th annual Mile-High NHRA Nationals. Line powered his Summit Racing Chevrolet Camaro to a series of remarkable passes during qualifying and dramatically snatched the low qualifier award at the very last moment on Saturday evening. Line, who earned his first No. 1 qualifying position of the year, will race Steve Kalkowski in the first round on Sunday.
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Line sees preparation begin to pay off on first day of Mile-High Nationals

DENVER, Colo., July 18, 2014 – Jason Line and his Summit Racing team opted not to test their Chevrolet Camaros ahead of the 35th annual Mile-High NHRA Nationals, and their decision to stay back at the race shop instead and work on their engine program proved to be a wise choice on the first day of the event. Line made two swift and impressive runs down the quarter-mile at Bandimere Speedway, clearly unaffected by the thin air of the high-altitude facility, and landed square in the No. 2 spot in the qualifying order.

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Anderson fast and steady on first day in Denver

DENVER, Colo., July 18, 2014 – Greg Anderson admits that he was pleasantly surprised by the strong performance of the Summit Racing Camaros on the mountain in Denver at the 35th annual Mile-High NHRA Nationals. Although the Summit Racing team always has extremely high expectations, the conditions at the high-altitude Bandimere Speedway pose a serious challenge. On the first day of the event, however, Anderson and the Summit Racing team tackled the tough task and came out in a very good position. Anderson is No. 6 heading into day two of the event.
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Anderson looks to expand Denver triumphs

Mooresville, N.C., July 16, 2014 – Summit Racing Pro Stock driver Greg Anderson has a certain fondness for this time of year as NHRA’s Mello Yello Drag Racing Series tour kicks off the Western Swing, a demanding set of three consecutive races that take place out West, starting at Bandimere Speedway in Denver with this weekend’s Mile-High NHRA Nationals. The Western Swing, which also includes events in Sonoma, Calif., and Seattle, Wash., has long been a feared block of races, stretching competitors, teams and crew chiefs to their limits as they battled vastly varying conditions and a strict schedule far from home base.

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Line puts forth effort in preparation for success in Denver

Mooresville, N.C., July 16, 2014 – Jason Line and the Summit Racing Pro Stock crew are taking a more calculated approach to the Mile-High NHRA Nationals at Bandimere Speedway this weekend, July 18-20. Line, of Mooresville, N.C., stayed home – well, home away from home at the KB Racing shop – and did his homework in preparation for one of the most challenging races on the tour. In just a few days, he will be able to check his work and see if the time spent with his nose in the books has paid off.

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Anderson prepared to accept the challenge on Sunday at Summit Racing Nationals

NORWALK, Ohio (July 5, 2014) – NHRA Pro Stock veteran Greg Anderson has twice before been victorious at the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals at Summit Motorsports Park, and on Sunday at the eighth annual rendition of the event, Anderson is hoping that the stars line up and he is once again celebrating in the winner’s circle. Anderson, starting from the No. 10 position, will race Dave Connolly in the first round of eliminations.

“The goal for us tomorrow will be to get a hold of the starting line and give Dave a race,” said Anderson, who has squared off with Connolly twice this season and is ready for success on Sunday. “He isn’t going to take it easy on us, we know that, and we wouldn’t want him to. We just have to do our job and accept the challenge.”

Anderson’s quest for the Norwalk title began with a nice 6.576-second pass at 211.39 mph on Friday afternoon in his white Summit Racing Chevrolet Camaro that netted a jump into the No. 6 spot in the line-up. The second pass on Friday, however, found him in the left lane, where many drivers had trouble making a smooth A to B journey down the quarter-mile drag strip.

Sure enough, the tires of Anderson’s Camaro broke loose from the surface, sending him to record a slowing 15.944. Back in the left lane for Saturday’s first session, Anderson again fell into trouble with a 15.574. Returning to the right lane for the final session, though, Anderson had zero challenges sailing to a 6.566 at 211.26 to move up a position into the No. 10 spot.

“I’m going to try as hard as I can, and we are going to make major, major changes to the Summit Racing Camaro before the first round tomorrow,” said Anderson, assuming he would be relegated to the less desirable lane based on his opponent’s possession of lane choice due to a higher qualifying position. “The challenge will be great – but the Summit Racing team is willing to accept any challenge that comes our way.

“Racing here at Summit Motorsports Park is just always a lot of fun,” Anderson continued. “We have so much support, and maybe tomorrow that will bring us good luck. The good news is that we’ve made some good runs out there this weekend, so we know we can do it. It’s going to be exciting. The weather has been beautiful all weekend, and it’s supposed to be hotter tomorrow with more sun on the racetrack, but that’s something we’re definitely used to here. This is Summit Racing Equipment’s hometown, and the crowd here is awesome. I’m hoping that tomorrow lightning will strike for us.”

Line carefully planning for exceptional Sunday at Summit Racing Nationals

NORWALK, Ohio (July 5, 2014) – Jason Line’s Summit Racing Chevrolet Camaro was consistent during qualifying for the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals, and the 2009 winner of the event plans to use the consistent and reliable approach to his advantage on Sunday. Line, the No. 8 qualifier, will race Jonathan Gray in the first round of eliminations.

For Line, qualifying position was critical. As the weekend developed and the racing surface reacted to on-track action, one lane began to show as the more favorable of the two. The Pro Stock competitors again and again tried their hand in the left lane and were challenged. Line, however, was one of the drivers whose crew chiefs had the right combination.

Qualifying started with Line clicking off a 6.599 at 210.60 mph on Friday afternoon, and he followed up with an improved and qualifying best 6.564 at 211.13 that moved him into the No. 8 position. Saturday brought about a 6.567, 211.20 followed by a 6.586, 210.93.

“I think it really says a lot about the Summit Racing team that we were able to get down that tricky lane each time we had to with my car, but we certainly don’t take anything for granted,” said Line. “We knew we needed to qualify in the top half in order to get lane choice because it was very important for Sunday, and we did that. But now we need to get lane choice in each round to have a good shot at getting to the final. It will be tough, but it is something that we know we can accomplish.”

Line has qualified in the top half of the field in each race this year but one – the event in Epping last month. Notably, the first-round match with Gray will be the fourth time in six races that the two have met up on Sunday. Line beat Gray in their first head-to-head raceday rendezvous and Gray got the nod in their most recent two meetings.

“I’d say it’s time to even the score,” said Line, who entered the race in Norwalk No. 4 in the points with a move up heavy on his mind. “No matter how you look at it, we have a big job to do tomorrow, but the cool thing is that we get to go to work with all of these great Summit Motorsports Park fans surrounding us. It’s been a great crowd all weekend long, and we love racing here. We’ve got a challenge ahead of us, but I think it’s going to be a good day for the Summit Racing team.”

Line among track record breakers on first day of Summit Nationals

NORWALK, Ohio (July 4, 2014) – Jason Line raced with pride today at Summit Motorsports Park and the first day of the eighth annual Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals. For Line, racing at his sponsor’s title event at their namesake track is always a pleasure, and to do so surrounded by a swelling crowd and some of the best weather the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series tour has seen this season further complemented an already enjoyable event. After the positive start, provisional No. 8 qualifier Line is eagerly anticipating the second day of the race.

“I couldn’t think of anywhere better to spend 4th of July with my family than at Summit Motorsports Park,” said Line. “We were surrounded by friends, and boy, there are so many fans out here tonight. So many people come out to this race every year, and it just seems like the crowds get bigger and bigger. It really feels like a celebration, and the Bader family does a great job putting this together. No one does it better. It was a lot of fun to get to take the Summit Racing Chevrolet Camaro down the racetrack today.”

Weather was sublime in Norwalk, with pleasant temperatures and air conditions that created a scenario where the track records were broken again and again. Line first clocked a 6.599 at 210.60 mph in the opening session and marched straight down the left lane, where many of the Pro Stockers had tremendous trouble making a smooth A to B run.

The Summit Racing team wasn’t finished, though, and they came back in the later second session as the evening turned cool and crisp to clock a 6.564 at 211.13 mph. The track record entering the event was a 6.58. A remarkable 11 drivers eclipsed the previous track record when it was all said and done, including Line and Summit Racing teammate Greg Anderson.

After the grand fireworks show at Summit Motorsports Park came to a conclusion and Line returned to work preparing his Summit Racing Camaro for Saturday and even more improvement, he reflected on the day.

“Today was a good day on the racetrack, and we feel like tomorrow we will be even better,” said Line. “We’ll have more night qualifying – another pair of late runs with what should be similar conditions – and there is certainly the possibility that we can get quicker. That’s what we’re hoping for, and it’s hard not to feel confident when we have so much support. The Summit Racing team looks forward to another great day.”

Line focused on performing at max potential at Summit Racing’s title event

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (July 1, 2014) – The annual Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals in Norwalk is an event that the Summit Racing Pro Stock team eagerly anticipates each season. This year, Jason Line is particularly eager to arrive at Summit Racing Equipment Motorsports Park as the KB Racing team has been showing continuous improvement. Now No. 4 in the Mello Yello Drag Racing Series Pro Stock standings, Line would love nothing better than to wheel his way up in the standings with a powerful performance in his Summit Racing Chevrolet Camaro.

As the season has progressed, expectations for the team have grown. Line kicked off the season with a win at the NHRA Winternationals in Pomona, and a final round appearance in Las Vegas at the SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals added fuel to the team’s fire. Just last week in Chicago, Line was fired up again as he reached his third final of the season. Now a 32-time NHRA Pro Stock winner, Line is in hot pursuit of win No. 33.

“This weekend, we’ll be planning to follow through and get it done,” said Line. “It was pretty disappointing to walk away without the trophy for Summit Racing last weekend, but to get it in Norwalk would be very special for this whole team. It always means a lot to us to have success there at our sponsor’s title event, and the KB Racing team has quite often been able to do well there. It’s a favorite race for us, for sure.”

Line and his Summit Racing teammate Greg Anderson won the event in three consecutive seasons; Anderson won in 2008 and 2010, while Line was the winner in 2009. A Summit Racing Pro Stocker has also sat atop the field in qualifying three times: 2007, 2008 and 2009.

With just six races remaining before NHRA’s Countdown to the Championship begins, there are only 16 points separate positions two through four in the Mello Yello Drag Racing Series standings.

“At this point in the season, everything is so close,” said Line. “It makes it exciting, but it also means that there is a lot of work going on to try to break away from everyone else. Sometimes it’s difficult to focus as a driver in times like this, but you really have no excuses. We had a good showing for Team Summit last week and are very focused as a team on putting a Summit Racing Chevrolet Camaro in the winner’s circle this week in Norwalk.”

Anderson sees race at Summit Motorsports Park as ideal setting to move up

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (July 1, 2014) – Greg Anderson is a fighter. The Summit Racing Chevrolet Camaro driver has been a powerful force behind the wheel of his steed this season as he has reliably left competitors on the starting line in his quest to garner victory. Though he has yet to celebrate in the winner’s circle this year, the Mooresville, N.C.-based driver is prepared to peak at what he feels would be the perfect time, the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals at Summit Motorsports Park. After all, this weekend is his sponsor’s title event at a facility that proudly bears the name of the high performance mail-order parts leader.

Anderson and the KB Racing team have frequently hit pay dirt at Summit Motorsports Park; Anderson has won there twice (2008 and 2010) and his Summit Racing teammate Jason Line was the winner in 2009. Last week in Chicago Anderson surged with one of his best qualifying performances of the year while Line powered his way to the final round.

“We had a great race last week in Chicago, and we left there feeling positive about our performance and that we can find success,” said Anderson, who is No. 11 and a mere 25 points outside of the top 10 in NHRA’s Mello Yello Drag Racing Series standings despite missing the first five races of the year as he recovered from heart surgery.

“That extra pressure of racing at our sponsor’s title event seems to sit well with us. In the past, even when we haven’t been doing well, we are somehow able to turn it on when we come to the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals. Last week was certainly a good stepping stone for us heading into this event, and I feel like we should be good when we get there. I’m excited, and this whole team is excited, to tell you the truth.”

Anderson has 74 national event wins in the books, a large number that places him as No. 8 on the list of all-time winningest drivers in the history of NHRA. Number 75 is just around the corner, and Anderson hopes that this weekend he is able to finally reach the goal. So far this year, he has been remarkably – and frustratingly – close with final round finishes in Atlanta and Englishtown.

“It will come,” said Anderson. “But right now we know we need more than luck to get us to that final round and finally close the deal. Everything has to be perfect. If you look back at history, this weekend would be the right place and the right time for it to happen, for us and for our good friends at Summit Racing Equipment.”

Anderson set for a little revenge on Sunday at Route 66 Raceway

CHICAGO, ILL. (June 28, 2014) – Chicago’s Route 66 Raceway has been the setting for success for Summit Racing Pro Stock drivers Greg Anderson and Jason Line, and the 17th annual Route 66 NHRA Nationals will be yet another opportunity for the powerful duo to shine. Anderson, who won the event in 2011, will be looking for his first title of the season and the 75th national event win of his career, and his quest will begin with a first-round match with a driver who had his number just one week ago.

Thankfully, Anderson is coming into raceday with a team behind him – including crew chief Rob Downing – that has been able to decipher what the challenging conditions in Chicago require to get down the racetrack.

“We ran well yesterday, and we had another great pass today in our Summit Racing Chevrolet Camaro,” said Anderson. “We struggled a little bit with my car in the later sessions, but we have a good afternoon tune-up, and that’s what we’re going to need on Sunday.”

Anderson made a 6.612-second pass in his first qualifying run on Friday, tripping the speed timers at 208.91 mph. The pass was immediately good for the No. 4 position – a lofty spot for Anderson, who has struggled some in qualifying but is on a recent upswing as his team warms up to the hot summer months.

In the later session he slowed to a 6.626, but on Saturday morning it was back to business as he made the sixth-quickest pass of the session. A 6.625, 208.17 appeared on the scoreboards. The final round was good for a 6.648. Ultimately, Anderson landed eighth in the qualifying line-up and will race Dave Connolly in the first round of eliminations on Sunday in Chicago.

“I have a really interesting first-round match-up,” said Anderson. “Racing Dave will give me a chance to even the score from last weekend when he beat me in the semifinals. He won last weekend, but we have a different ending in mind this week. We’ll be first pair out, and I’m looking forward to it. That’s going to be a heck of a race.”

Line keeps the goal in mind heading into raceday in Chicago

CHICAGO, ILL. (June 28, 2014) – Jason Line and the Summit Racing Pro Stock team banded together in difficult conditions and put both of their Summit Racing Chevrolet Camaros in the top half of the field at the 17th annual Route 66 NHRA Nationals. Line, starting from the No. 4 position, will race Mark Martino in the first round of eliminations on Sunday at Route 66 Raceway, a facility where the two-time NHRA Pro Stock champion has three wins in five final rounds.

Line powered the blue Summit Racing Chevrolet Camaro to a 6.605-second blast at 209.14 mph in the first round of qualifying and jumped right into the No. 2 position. In the second session under the lights in Chicago, Line improved to a 6.604, 208.78.

Acknowledging that the humid conditions and hot racetrack were outside of their comfort zone, Line was enthused by the strong start and entered the second day of the event with optimism about the potential of the Summit Racing Camaros.

Line’s 6.625 in the first session on Saturday was fifth best, and in the final round of qualifying, he clocked a 6.626, 208.91 that was again fifth quickest of the lot. Meanwhile, KB Racing teammate Greg Anderson was right on his heels. Ultimately, Anderson qualified in the No. 8 position to earn his second top-half qualifying start of the year.

“These conditions are definitely not our forte,” admitted Line. “Taking that into consideration, I’d say we did really well as a team. The Summit Racing guys came here knowing that it would be tough – mostly because you never know what the weather is going to be – but thankfully we got four sessions in and made some really good runs. Greg certainly showed signs of improvement, and that makes us all happy.”

Line’s first-round meeting with Martino will be his first of the year. The last time the two have met during eliminations was one year ago when Line beat Martino in the first round here at Route 66 Raceway.

“The last run we made tonight was a good run, and that means I have a decent car,” said Line. “That makes you feel pretty good going into raceday. I’m looking forward to tomorrow and racing Martino. If we get past that round and then win another, we could meet up with my Summit Racing teammate Greg Anderson in the semifinals – we’d be happy to take that. It would definitely put a Summit Camaro in the final round, and that’s the goal. That’s always the goal.”

Line quick and fast on first day of qualifying in Chicago

CHICAGO, ILL. (June 27, 2014) – Jason Line’s Summit Racing Chevrolet Camaro was quick and fast as soon as it hit the ground at the 17th annual Route 66 NHRA Nationals at Chicago’s Route 66 Raceway. Despite sticky air and a hot track, Line and his KB Racing crew dialed it in and moved into the No. 4 position on the first day of qualifying for the event.

The long wait for the evening qualifying sessions were rewarded for Team Summit as Line had the second-quickest hot rod on the property in the opening act. His blue Summit Racing Chevrolet Camaro flew to a 6.605-second blast at 209.14 mph and he was immediately in a very good position as the No. 2 man.

Line improved in the second round and clocked a 6.604 with a speed of 208.78, and his final position for the day was No. 4 with two more sessions to go on Saturday and room for improvement. Saturday qualifying is also slated to take place in the evening hours and, likely, similar conditions.

“We made some good runs today with our Summit Racing Camaros,” said Line, whose teammate Greg Anderson was No. 4 after the first session and No. 8 at the end of the day.

“There’s more left out there for sure, but all in all, this was not a bad start, and we’ll take it. Running in these conditions is usually our Achilles heal, but we seem to be doing pretty well. My car has made two decent runs, and I certainly feel like we can move up. We’ll see if we can’t get a little closer there tomorrow.”

Anderson continues upswing on first day of qualifying at Route 66 Raceway

CHICAGO, ILL. (June 27, 2014) – NHRA Pro Stock racer Greg Anderson is continuing a recently launched upswing on the first day of the Route 66 NHRA Nationals at Route 66 Raceway near Chicago. On the first day of the event, the driver of the Summit Racing Chevrolet Camaro clocked an effective set of passes to land in the No. 8 position with two more qualifying sessions to go.

Qualifying at the Chicago event was scheduled to include two sets of night sessions, meaning that the first session would occur in the early evening and the later session would take place in what would likely be cooler late evening conditions – a situation that has often produced very quick and fast numbers for the naturally aspirated factory hot rods.

The track was warm and sticky in the first qualifying round, but Anderson made one of the best passes of the session. His 6.612-second journey down the quarter-mile at 208.91 mph was fourth best of the session. For the second session, Team Summit loaded up and came with guns blazing. Unfortunately, what they brought to the table was just a little too much for what the track could hold. Anderson clocked a 6.626, 207.98.

“That first run was a very nice run, and we made a couple of changes tonight for the second run but it spun the tires a little bit too hard,” said Anderson. “Now we know how far we can go, so that’s a good thing. Tomorrow, we will have two sessions that are going to be very similar to what we had today, and we have the data we need for them. This was a good start for the Summit Racing team. We hope Saturday will be better, but I’m very pleased so far.

“I like these night sessions. I think it’s a lot more exciting and I think it’s easier to make your car run well, too. It just gets the adrenaline pumping. It’s fun for the fans, but it’s fun for the racers, too. Now we know how far we can go, and hopefully tomorrow we will get it right on the money.”

Line in good shape and getting better as NHRA tour hits the Windy City

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (June 25, 2014) – The Summit Racing Pro Stock team loves Chicago. With four wins shared between them at the esteemed facility, Jason Line and teammate Greg Anderson seem to have a good read on the conditions to be found at Route 66 Raceway, and for this weekend’s 17th annual Route 66 NHRA Nationals, the drag racing duo are armed with data and determination.

“I’m not sure what it is, but there is something almost magical about Route 66 Raceway for us,” said Line, who has won three times at the stadium-style dragstrip situated just outside of the Windy City. “I always look forward to going to Chicago, that’s for sure. It seems like if I’ve been struggling, when I get there it turns into a get well weekend for me.”

Through diligent dedication, Line and the Summit Racing team have seen gains in their program as the season has progressed. At the most recent event, the NHRA New England Nationals in Epping, N.H., Line made some of the best runs in qualifying on the second day of the race and then made the fastest pass in all of eliminations on Sunday. Teammate Anderson earned his best start of the season so far. The power is evident within the team, and Line relishes the opportunity to bring that power to one of the racetracks where he has achieved success.

Line has claimed three victories in Chicago in five final rounds, including the first win of his career the same year that he was the Route 66 Nationals No. 1 qualifier, 2004. Currently positioned No. 4 in NHRA’s Mello Yello Drag Racing Series Pro Stock standings, the Minnesota-born racer is looking to repeat the victory he earned earlier this season at the season opening Winternationals.

“We’re in a lot better shape than we were even a month ago,” said Line, a two-time NHRA Pro Stock world champion. “We’re definitely headed in the right direction, and there is a lot of good thinking going on in the KB Racing camp. Everybody is working hard to get better. Nobody is satisfied with where we are, and we are all working as a team to get to the next level.”

Anderson Recharged and Ready for Route 66 Raceway

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (June 25, 2014) – NHRA’s Mello Yello Drag Racing Series is in high gear, and the tireless competitors are right in the middle of four races in a row as the tour hits Chicago for the 17th annual Route 66 NHRA Nationals this weekend. For Summit Racing Pro Stock driver Greg Anderson, the furious pace is nothing of concern. In fact, it is welcomed.

“Well, I know it’s going to be hard to believe, but we actually like racing every weekend,” admitted Anderson. “We’re racers, and we feel we can learn more on the racetrack than off of it. It’s a good thing for us, the trick is just to make sure that you keep your battery charged.”

Anderson’s batteries were recharged as he took some time on the Monday afternoon following last week’s event in Epping, N.H., and on Tuesday morning he was back at the shop with the rest of the team, focused as ever on gaining horsepower and fine-tuning an already strong program that is only gaining as time presses on.

Last week, Anderson enjoyed his best qualifying position of the year, and starting from the No. 7 spot he dug deep to drive with heart on Sunday in a quest for the title. Although he did not return to the winner’s circle, the race in Chicago would be an ideal setting for his long awaited 75th career victory.

The Summit Racing crew has a strong history at Route 66 Raceway. Although a win at the stadium-style facility eluded Anderson until 2011, he has a total of seven final-round appearances there – including a final round finish last season. He also has six low qualifier awards in Chicago, and Summit Racing teammate Jason Line holds a record of three wins in five final rounds.

“Jason and I both really like racing there in Chicago,” said Anderson. “I’ve always liked it a lot, and I don’t really have a reason as to why it took me so long to crack that place. It’s a great racetrack, just for some reason it took me a long time to close the door. It’s a good-feeling place for us, and we like it because you don’t have to tiptoe down the racetrack; you can put all the power to the ground. We love racing there.

“We struggled with the first 10 feet of the racetrack last weekend in Epping, but that will not be an issue in Chicago. The starting line is great, and we’re making up ground and getting better. Everything should play into our hands.”

Anderson moving in the right direction with New England Nationals performance
 
EPPING, N.H. (June 22, 2014) – Greg Anderson and the white Summit Racing Chevrolet Camaro had a good outing this weekend at New England Dragway, and it showed not only on the scorecard but also in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series Pro Stock points. Anderson enjoyed his best start of the year and advanced to the semifinals on raceday at the 2nd annual NHRA New England Nationals, and he moved up two positions in the points to come within 26 marks of a coveted position in the top 10.
 
Anderson, starting from the No. 7 spot thanks to a very strong 6.512-second pass at 213.10 mph in his Summit Racing Camaro, knocked out Chris McGaha in the first round of eliminations on a holeshot. His .019-second reaction time edged a .064 with ease, and Anderson surged ahead for a 6.547, 212.56 win over his opponent’s 6.532, 213.43.
 
Round two brought the four-time NHRA Pro Stock champion up against Erica Enders-Stevens, last weekend’s Bristol winner who was the one to oust him in the quarterfinals. Anderson was not going to have a repeat of the previous weekend’s outcome and launched .012-second ahead of Enders-Stevens, and he put the advantage to good use at the top end as identical 6.551s appeared on the scoreboard. Again, his win would go down in the books as a holeshot.
 
“I got a break there, and it all comes down to timing,” said Anderson. “For some reason, that round they didn’t have the performance that they had the rest of the weekend, and that certainly worked in our favor. Those are the kind of breaks you need sometimes.”
 
The victory came with a ticket to the semifinals and a match with Dave Connolly for the first time this season. Anderson picked up elapsed time but didn’t quite have enough for his challenger, who took the win with a 6.517 to 6.549.
 
“I had a good day, it just wasn’t a great day,” said Anderson, now No. 12 in the points. “We actually had a good weekend with our Summit Racing Camaro, but we need to get some more performance out of the racecar. There are just too many cars out there that are really, really fast in this class right now, so you can’t take anything for granted.
 
“Overall, I think we’re on the right track. It felt really good to come out here and have the best qualifying performance of the year so far, and I think we can better that when we get to Chicago. Without a doubt, we have a team that works hard and knows what to do. We’ll keep digging – it’s just what we do.”
 

Line sees Summit Racing Camaro come to life in New England Dragway qualifying
 
EPPING, N.H. (June 21, 2014) – Jason Line was somewhat displeased on the first day of qualifying at the 2nd annual NHRA New England Nationals, but all of that changed on the second day of the event. Powering the blue Summit Racing Chevrolet Camaro, Line made the quickest run of the first round on Saturday to wheel his way to three bonus qualifying points. He will start from the No. 9 position and square off with Jonathan Gray in the first round on Sunday at New England Dragway.
 
Line launched into qualifying with a 6.558-second pass at 212.79 mph and immediately moved into the No. 8 position. The second session provided much more pleasing conditions that allowed the 500 cubic inch Pro Stock engines to thrive, and Line improved to a 6.523 at 213.70, but the rest of the class also improved and his quicker pace held him at No. 9 in the qualifying order.
 
After a night of rest and some careful tuning by the Rob Downing-led KB Racing crew, Line’s Summit Racing Camaro came alive with a brilliant 6.521 at a big 213.94 that was low of the round and came with three of those always-coveted bonus qualifying points. Line rounded out qualifying with a consistent 6.524, 213.84.
 
“Those were two of the best runs I’ve made in months,” said Line. “We had a fast car today, and I am actually pretty stoked because it’s the best we’ve run in a long time. The good thing about this place is that NHRA is doing a great job prepping the racetrack and making both the lanes about the same. I don’t think lane choice will be a big factor tomorrow. If there is any difference between the lanes, it isn’t by much.
 
Line enters raceday in Epping looking to add more points to his tally as NHRA’s Countdown to the Championship nears. At the conclusion of qualifying, Line was No. 4 in points and just three marks behind fourth-place Allen Johnson. Although points leader Erica Enders-Stevens has a substantial lead on the competition, Line is just 56 points away from second place. That’s just three rounds with four up for grabs on Sunday.
 
“The goal is always to get points, but we aren’t thinking about that tonight,” said Line. “We’re just thinking about round one on Sunday, and then we’ll take it from there. We had a good day today with the Summit Racing Camaro. We want more of that tomorrow.”
 

Anderson to make best start of season on raceday at New England Nationals
 
EPPING, N.H. (June 21, 2014) – Last season, Summit Racing Pro Stock driver Greg Anderson really wanted the trophy at Epping’s New England Dragway, the location of the inaugural NHRA New England Nationals. This year, the Mooresville, N.C.-based competitor is heading into raceday with lane choice due to another top half start – his best start of the season – and he means to get that trophy.
 
Anderson, wheeling the white Summit Racing Chevrolet Camaro, ended the first day of qualifying with one of the best passes he’s made so far this season, a 6.512-second journey down the quarter-mile at a fast 213.10 mph that launched him into the No. 7 position.
 
Although the second day of the event proved warmer and allowed no improvement, he effectively protected his position and will start seventh on Sunday with Chris McGaha in the other lane. Anderson last raced McGaha on Sunday in Englishtown, when he defeated him in the quarterfinals en route to his second final round of the season.
 
“That was a great run for us with our Summit Racing Camaro, and we were very, very happy last night,” said Anderson, a 74-time NHRA Pro Stock winner. “Unfortunately, we weren’t able to better it today, and we just couldn’t seem to get a hold of the starting line.”
 
Many drivers were unable to improve upon the quick numbers seen in the great conditions of the Friday session, and Anderson raced to a 6.545 at 212.63 mph in the first round on a warmer Saturday. He came back with a 6.554 at 213.16 in the final qualifying round to solidify his No. 7 start.
 
Anderson is perhaps most enthused and encouraged by the wildly surging crowds at New England Dragway, where Pro Stock fans are as hungry to see quarter-mile racing as Anderson is to get back to the winner’s circle.
 
“The fans up here just love Pro Stock racing. They’re an enthusiastic bunch of people, and it’s really fun to interact with them at the ropes,” said Anderson. “When you pull up to make your runs – the stands are packed. That is absolutely a bright spot when it comes to racing up here; it’s just very cool. Tomorrow we’ll have our work cut out for us, but if we can accomplish what we set out to do, it’s going to be a lot of fun with so many fans in those stands.”
 

Anderson strong and confident on first day of New England Nationals
 
EPPING, N.H. (June 20, 2014) – Greg Anderson is feeling like his old self again this weekend at the 2nd annual NHRA New England Nationals at historic New England Dragway. Anderson, now competing in his sixth race of the season, wheeled his white Summit Racing Chevrolet Camaro to a speedy 6.512 at 213.10 mph to move into the No. 7 position in the lineup. The run was a familiar feeling for Anderson, who has been working hard to return to form following a late start to the year that included missing the first five races.
 
“We definitely took a step in the right direction, and that’s the best run I’ve made since I’ve gotten back into my Summit Racing Camaro,” said Anderson, who is battling hard for a position in the top 10 in the Mello Yello Series Pro Stock standings. “The KB Racing team goes to bed smiling tonight, and that’s a good thing.”
 
Anderson clocked a respectable 6.570 at 212.13 mph in the first session, and when the conditions at the sea-level facility cooled considerably for the night session, the environment was ripe for improvement. Anderson’s Summit Racing team eagerly took advantage of the situation to put together a strong top half run.
 
“The racetrack here is very good after the first 10 feet, and with the clouds coming, it started to get cooler and everyone was able to get nicely out of that first 10 feet,” said Anderson. “Now we have to figure out how to do that on a sunny day like it should be on Sunday. Tomorrow we’ll have two more runs to try and make sure we have that down, and then we’ll have to see what happens on Sunday.
 
“But for tonight, we have lots of good things, lots of positive things to focus on. We made a big step forward this week, and now we just have to keep chipping away at it. The Summit Racing team plans to be smart about it and right now we’re pretty happy.”