Line Picks up a Round Win and Cheers Teammate Alund to Victory at Four-Wide
 
CHARLOTTE, N.C., April 13, 2014 – Jason Line qualified his blue Summit Racing Chevrolet Camaro in the No. 6 position at the 5th annual NHRA Four-Wide Nationals at zMAX Dragway, and on raceday he put up a strong run to pick up a round win at the most unique event on the tour. Line, of nearby Mooresville, N.C., didn’t have the opportunity to race for the trophy, but he was more than thrilled when teammate Jimmy Alund powered to the first NHRA win of his career flying the flag for sponsor Summit Racing Equipment.
 
Line put a qualifying-best time of 6.542 at 212.73 on the scoreboard in the second round of qualifying to earn a start from the No. 6 position. On raceday, the two-time NHRA Pro Stock champion clocked a speedy 6.560 at 211.76 that was quickest in his quad in the first round of eliminations. Both Line and KB Racing-powered Vincent Nobile advanced to the second round where a bout of tire shake put an end to Line’s quest for the trophy at a racetrack where he has four times been to the final and once scored the win.
 
Line was out of the game, but the motivated group banded together to prepare Summit Racing teammate Alund, filling in for Greg Anderson who is recovering from heart surgery, for a strong charge for the trophy. Alund, in his first NHRA final, beat Shane Gray, Nobile, and Erica Enders-Stevens to earn a very jovial winner’s circle celebration.
 
“I think it was a pretty darn good day,” said Line. “I wish I would have had a better day with my Summit Racing Camaro, but for all of us on this team and especially for our friend Jimmy – what a cool story. The truth is, the man was only going to have a few chances to do this, and to get it done in that short of an amount of time is a great story. It’s great for drag racing, and it’s certainly great for Pro Stock.”
 
Alund, now No. 8 in NHRA’s Pro Stock standings, is scheduled to fill in for one final race before Anderson returns.
 
“He’s a lousy roommate but one heck of a driver,” joked Line, who has shared quarters with Alund during his time on the Mello Yello Drag Racing Series tour. “But in all honesty, I couldn’t be happier for Jimmy. Not only is he a good racer, but he’s also a heck of a good guy. He’s funny and very fun to have around. We’ll definitely miss him.
 
“Today was really a special day, and these things don’t happen very often. I don’t think anybody could be happier about the outcome of today’s race.”
 

Line in Sync with Four-Wide and Planning to Impress on Raceday at Home
 
Mooresville, N.C., April 12, 2014 – Jason Line is becoming an old pro at racing the unique format of the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals in the Summit Racing Chevrolet Camaro, and this weekend at zMAX Dragway, the 32-time NHRA national event winner put four solid rounds of qualifying behind him to pave the way to what he intends will be a very successful Sunday in Charlotte.
 
Many drivers are challenged by the format, but Line, who has raced in each of the five four-wide events held at the esteemed facility, embraces the unusual circumstances.
 
“This year NHRA made it easier for us by putting the lane numbers at the top of the tree [NHRA’s starting system], and that’s new. It actually wasn’t confusing at all, and I think you can tell by how many people are in the stands that this is a pretty popular race,” said Line, who will start from the No. 6 position. “It’s outside of the norm for us, but it’s interesting to have the opportunity to do something new once a year like this. We still want to perform though. That is the same no matter where or how we race.”
 
Line made a series of 6.5-second passes throughout four rounds of qualifying, first racing to a 6.565 at 212.03 mph and then ending the first day of qualifying with a 6.542 at 212.73. After adjusting to the warming conditions, Line produced a quick 6.560 at 211.79 mph that was third-quickest of all the Pro Stock cars in the third session and good for a bonus qualifying point, and he ended the day with a 6.571 at 210.50.
 
“We’re working on some minor issues right now, but we are identifying everything and getting our Summit Racing Camaros in good shape for Sunday,” said Line, a two-time finalist at the four-wide event. “There certainly isn’t a lack of effort around our pit area this weekend, and we are confident that we’ll have a competitive car tomorrow – not just for me, but also for my teammate Jimmy Alund.”
 
Line will race Dave Connolly, Justin Humphreys and Vincent Nobile in the first round of eliminations on Sunday. If he should have one of the two quickest cars, he will advance to the second round – the semifinals – for a chance to race in the final once again.
 
“I don’t mind racing four-wide; I’m actually alright with it,” said Line. “It’s a lot of fun to race when there are so many people in the stands, and they sure did come out today. I know we have a lot of friends and family here – it’s our home race with the KB Racing shop just over in Mooresville – and that makes it fun, too. Hopefully, tomorrow we can do well in front of everyone. I think it’ll be a good day for the Summit Racing team.”
 

Alund Adapts to Four-Wide, Qualifies in Top Half in Charlotte
 
Mooresville, N.C., April 12, 2014 – Rather than feeling the pressure of an unfamiliar format, Summit Racing Pro Stock driver Jimmy Alund is rather enjoying racing at the 5th annual NHRA Four-Wide Nationals at zMAX Dragway. Alund qualified in the top half of the field for the second consecutive event at the fifth NHRA national race of the 2014 season of the Mello Yello Drag Racing Series.
 
The four-wide format lined drivers up four across to race down the track all at once through four rounds of qualifying, and the four sessions were a refresher course for Alund, who will start from the No. 8 position on Sunday.
 
“When everyone does what they’re supposed to do, it goes really smooth,” said Alund, who raced the inaugural Four-Wide Nationals in 2010 driving his own Pro Stock car. “When we are all on the chip at the same time and leave at the same time, it makes a big difference. It’s been a lot different than the first time I raced this event. I like doing something different, and since it’s going smooth so far, it’s fun.”
 
Three of Alund’s four passes during qualifying were strong, including a 6.555 at 212.39 in the opening act followed by a 6.550 at 211.96 and a final pass of 6.558 at 211.60 that was fourth-quickest of the round. The only trouble Alund truly ran into was in a round that was a challenge for most on a warming racetrack. His clocked a 6.833 at 159 mph in the third session.
 
“We had three good runs in our Summit Racing Chevrolet Camaro,” said Alund. “All the [good] passes we made were within .008-second and they were all in three different lanes, so I feel like Rob [Downing, crew chief] has the car set up really good.”
 
Raceday will include three rounds of eliminations, and in the first round Alund will race low qualifier Chris McGaha, Larry Morgan, and V. Gaines.
 
“This is something that everyone only does once a year and most of the other guys have done it a few more times than I have, but I think we are all in the same boat. Anyone could win tomorrow,” said Alund.
 

Summit Racing Drivers in the Top Half on Day One at Four-Wide
 
CHARLOTTE, N.C., April 11, 2014 – The unusual format of this weekend’s NHRA event at zMAX Dragway didn’t seem to faze Summit Racing Pro Stock drivers Jason Line and Jimmy Alund. After two rounds of qualifying for the 5th annual NHRA Four-Wide Nationals, both Line and Alund were situated in the top half of the field and are eager for two more sessions and the possibility to improve on day two.
 
The once yearly four-wide event takes place on a four-lane dragstrip, with four drivers at a time racing for qualifying position in each of four sessions – two on Friday and two on Saturday. Final eliminations, scheduled for Sunday, will feature a trio of four-car rounds. In rounds one and two, the first two cars to cross the finish line will advance. The final four-car standoff will result in one winner and one runner-up, and the last two cars to cross the finish line will technically post semifinals finishes.
 
Line took to the No. 3 lane in the first qualifying session and was third-quickest in his quad, clocking a 6.565, 212.03 mph. Alund was also in lane No. 3 in his first go-round and was second-quickest with a 6.555, 212.39. Alund was No. 7 heading into the second qualifying round and Line was just behind in the No. 8 spot.
 
Both drivers showed improvement in the later second session, with Line recording a 6.542, 212.73 and moving into the No. 6 position while Alund, who ended the day holding at No. 8, crossed the final stripe with a 6.550, 211.96.
 
Qualifying for the four-wide spectacular at esteemed zMAX Dragway will continue on Saturday, with sessions scheduled at 1:15 and 4:15pm.
 

Line Hungry for Front-Runner Status as Series Goes Four-Wide
 
Mooresville, N.C., April 9, 2014 – Jason Line is a mere 15 points outside of first place in NHRA’s Mello Yello Drag Racing Series Pro Stock standings. The two-time series champion in the extremely close and competitive category isn’t near satisfied, though. As the driver of the brilliant blue Summit Racing Chevrolet Camaro prepares for the fifth event of 24 on the 2014 schedule, he has a goal – not just for himself, but for the Summit Racing team: to run at the front.
 
In true KB Racing manner, Line is a relentless competitor and is not easily deterred – and he certainly does not see this weekend’s NHRA Four-Wide Nationals, a once yearly spectacle of speed that takes place on a four-lane dragstrip, as any kind of an obstacle.
 
At the unique event, four drivers at a time will race down the track vying for qualifying positions in each of four sessions. Championship Sunday will feature a trio of four-car rounds. In rounds one and two, the first two cars to cross the finish line will advance. The final four-car standoff will result in one winner and one runner-up, and the last two cars to cross the finish line will technically post semifinals finishes.
 
The unusual format and starting line procedures haven’t proven difficult for Line in the past. He was a finalist as recently as 2012 and was runner-up in 2010 at the first Four-Wide event held at the facility. Line has regularly been quick and fast at zMAX Dragway. He was the No. 1 qualifier at the four-across spring race held there in 2011 and 2012, and he currently holds the track record for speed at 213.91 mph (also recorded in 2012).
 
For Line, “running at the front” doesn’t necessarily mean moving into the No. 1 spot in the standings, particularly at this early stage of the game. The season is long, and the points lead will likely change hands several times before it’s all said and done. But the horsepower-hungry Line wants to be amongst the cars that run the quickest. Always.
 
“The Summit Racing team is hungry,” said Line. “It is certainly more fun to race at the front, and to be honest, that’s our job. We need to get back there. Everyone on this team is very motivated. We want to be the best, and there has been a lot of amplified effort towards that.
 
“This racetrack just seems to suit the Summit Racing team. Four-wide is quite a way to race, and it changes everything, but we tend to run good there. It’s a challenge, but it’s one we’ve handled well in the past.”
 

Alund Eager for Second Four-Wide Racing Experience
 
Mooresville, N.C., April 9, 2014 – Jimmy Alund is a relative newcomer to the Summit Racing Pro Stock team, but the experienced competitor who hails from Sweden actually has some experience at one of the most unique events on NHRA’s Mello Yello Drag Racing Series tour, this weekend’s 5th annual NHRA Four-Wide Nationals at the illustrious zMAX Dragway.
 
The NHRA Four-Wide Nationals is a once yearly event that takes place on a unique, four-lane dragstrip. Four drivers at a time will race down the track vying for qualifying positions in each of four sessions. Championship Sunday will feature a trio of four-car rounds. In rounds one and two, the first two cars to cross the finish line will advance. The final four-car standoff will result in one winner and one runner-up, and the last two cars to cross the finish line will technically post semifinals finishes. The format, as well as the starting line procedures, can be tricky.
 
“I was at the first Four-Wide in 2010 with my own car,” recalled Alund. “I went a 6.71; I remember that. After that first year, they changed the staging light to help the drivers a little bit more. That was good, and I’m looking forward to going there again and trying to maybe improve on what we did in Las Vegas a couple of weeks ago.”
 
Alund had his finest outing yet at the most recent event on the schedule, the SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. It was there that the multi-time European Pro Stock champ had the opportunity to finally see his first win light on American soil, and he quickly followed up the first NHRA round win of his career with a second-round victory and, ultimately, a career best semifinals finish in the red Summit Racing Chevrolet Camaro.
 
“Last weekend was something I had hoped to accomplish, and I couldn’t have picked a better race to do that,” said Alund, who had a bit of trouble mastering the LED lights that are part of NHRA’s starting line system earlier in the year. “I hadn’t ordered a plane ticket to Charlotte until after we got back from Gainesville. If I had trouble at the starting line, I don’t think I would have booked a flight. But it all worked out, and now I’m very excited to race here at the Four-Wide Nationals. It’s a home race for the KB Racing team, and I like getting to spend a few days in the shop with the boys. This weekend should be a lot of fun.”
 

Alund Finally Sees Win Lights, Takes Care of Business for Team Summit
 
LAS VEGAS, Nev., March 30, 2014 – Jimmy Alund knew that expectations were high this weekend for the Summit Racing team at the Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The pressure was on to perform in front of the KB Racing team owners Ken and Judy Black and their son Kenny Jr. in their hometown, and also for the team’s sponsor, Summit Racing Equipment, at their title event, the SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals. Alund rose to the challenge in good form and knocked out Team Summit’s fiercest competitor while illuminating his first two win lights in NHRA competition in his bad hot rod, the red Summit Racing Chevrolet Camaro.
 
Alund qualified in the top half of the field for the first time in Las Vegas, starting from the No. 8 position and earning a first-round meeting with KB Racing-powered Vincent Nobile. It was a tough draw, particularly when young Nobile acted in typical fashion and launched ahead of Alund, recording a .010-second reaction time to Alund’s .032.
 
Stunningly, however, both drivers soon fell into trouble. They were the first pair of Pro Stock cars to run on the racing surface on Sunday, and they each soon found out that they had more power to give than the track could hold. Alund and Nobile were both on and off the throttle as they lurched down the quarter-mile.
 
“I was actually prepared to do whatever it took to take the car down to the finish line, and I was thinking that both of us were probably going to be in trouble – which we were. I drove it like I stole it and got to the finish line,” said Alund, a resident of Sweden and multi-time European Pro Stock champion racing for Team Summit while Greg Anderson recovers from heart surgery performed earlier this year. “[The tires were] shaking really bad. I put it into first gear and it was shaking. It was shaking in second gear, too. I tried to put it into third gear but it deadheaded [transmission would not go into gear] because it was shaking so bad, so I was out of gear. I just shoved it into fourth and went. It’s eliminations. You do what you have to do.”
 
Alund got the nod in an unusual 7.821 to 8.110 win, and he advanced to a second-round meeting with Jeg Coughlin. The representative of a rival mail order parts house had the quicker car in their late afternoon meeting – eliminations for the Pro Stock crowd were greatly delayed due to extremely windy conditions in the area – but Alund was wide awake at the starting line and launched well ahead of his opponent.
 
The victory was awarded by way of a holeshot, with Alund first logging a .024 reaction to Coughlin’s sleepy .062 and then edging him at the finish-line stripe to score with a 6.689, 206.92 to 6.653, 207.82. The margin of victory was a ridiculous .002-second, approximately 10 inches.
 
“I’ve been watching what he has been doing over the years as a driver, and I know he is one of the best out here,” said Alund, who had yet to earn a round win in NHRA competition before the day’s events. “Putting him on the trailer for the team made my day.”
 
The victory over Coughlin paved the way to a semifinals meeting with Summit Racing teammate Jason Line, which guaranteed a Summit car in the final round.
 
It was a thrilling and close race, but Alund’s weekend of firsts came to a conclusion as Line got the win with a .006-second reaction time to Alund’s .019 paired with a 6.645, 207.98 to 6.647, 208.10.
 
“We ran within two-thousandths of each other, and there’s not much you can do,” said Alund. “I was happy for the team. We had a good race, and it was good timing. Greg was here this weekend, and it was better to have him here. From my point of view, we work well together. We have the same thoughts on a lot of things on the car and on the set-up, too. I would say that working with Greg was making me even more comfortable than I was before.
 
“My wife, Anna, is here from Sweden; all the people from Summit Racing are here at the Summit race; Ken, Judy and Kenny Black are here. I couldn’t have picked a better race to do well. This weekend was something for me that I was hoping to accomplish. I’m very happy.”
 

Line Races to Final Round at Summitracing.com NHRA Nationals
 
LAS VEGAS, Nev., March 30, 2014 – The Summit Racing Pro Stock drivers were on a mission at the SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals this weekend at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Jason Line, a 32-time NHRA Pro Stock titlist, led the charge as the team raced towards victory on Sunday and came up just short as Line challenged for the title in the 67th final round of his career.
 
Line, of Mooresville, N.C., qualified in the No. 5 position based on a promising 6.630 at 208.94 mph. Following an extended delay in action due to aggressive winds that created a safety hazard for the Pro Stock competitors, the driver of the brilliant blue Summit Racing Chevrolet Camaro clocked one of the quickest passes of the first round of eliminations on Sunday in his defeat of fellow Minnesota-native Deric Kramer. Line’s 6.645, 207.37 topped Kramer’s 6.705, 206.29.
 
For the second round, Line drew Dave Connolly, a driver known for his quick reactions at the starting line. This time, Line was first to leave the starting line, registering a .028-second reaction to Connolly’s .033. The pair were close together as they raced down the quarter-mile, and Line got the win light with a 6.652, 207.72 to Connolly’s 6.654, 207.91. The margin of victory was a slim .007-second.
 
On the other side of the ladder, Summit Racing teammate Jimmy Alund was making the most of his Sunday in the Nevada desert by earning the first NHRA round win of his career with a defeat of Vincent Nobile in the opening act and then, stunningly, putting Jeg Coughlin on the trailer on a holeshot in the quarterfinals. The respective successes of the Team Summit drivers manifested a meeting in the semifinals, where both were exceptionally quick at the starting line and stayed glued together down the track in a show of fierce yet friendly competition.
 
Line got the win with a .006-second reaction time to Alund’s .019 paired with a 6.645, 207.98 to 6.647, 208.10.
 
“I think the best part of my day was when Jimmy beat Coughlin in the second round,” said Line of his teammate’s defeat of the rival mail order parts catalog campaigner. “We might as well have won the race – that was big for us. Huge. Jimmy took care of business for Team Summit, and we were all very happy about that.”
 
Line’s victory over Alund set up an exciting final round, where he would have the chance to take out Erica Enders-Stevens, who was gunning for the double-up bonus after winning the K&N Horsepower Challenge the day before.
 
The Summit Racing Chevrolet Camaro was tuned up, and so was Line. He reacted in .034-second, matching identically the reaction time of his opponent, and launched into a heated run for the trophy. Line’s 6.633 at 208.23 mph was his best run of the day, but Enders-Stevens’ 6.612, 208.78 got the edge at the finish-line stripe.
 
“It’s certainly disappointing to come so close and not get the win,” said Line, who was most recently victorious at the season opener in Pomona this year and moved into the No. 2 position in the Pro Stock standings following the Summit-sponsored race in Las Vegas. “It’s frustrating, and it was a very hard weekend. But the end result was decent, and we’re going to take our Summit Racing Camaros back out to the racetrack in Charlotte next week and do some testing before the next race.
 
“If we can step back from being disappointed that we didn’t win, today was a pretty darn good day for the Summit Racing team.”

Line Not Ready to Cash Out in Las Vegas, Eager to Race on Sunday
 
LAS VEGAS, Nev., March 29, 2014 – Jason Line is very much looking forward to Sunday at the SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals and another opportunity to put the Summit Racing Chevrolet Camaro in the winner’s circle. Line, who started the year with a win at the season-opener, will be gunning for the title at his sponsor’s title event from the No. 5 position. He will race fellow Minnesota native Deric Kramer in the first round of eliminations.
 
Line made a solid blast down the racetrack in the first session of the weekend, clocking a speedy 6.633 at 208.71 mph that was the second quickest of the round. In the second session, he came back with an improved 6.630, 208.94.
 
On the first day of qualifying for the event – the fourth of 24 on the 2014 Mello Yello Series schedule – Line clocked a pair of consistent 6.63 passes. Day two brought about new conditions, with the wind whipping and the air temperature fluctuating.
 
Saturday in Las Vegas was about more than qualifying – Line was also competing in the K&N Horsepower Challenge. The first round of the shootout style competition was also the third qualifier, and Line and his KB Racing team were optimistic and came out swinging in their first-round match with Shane Gray. Unfortunately, as one half of the first pair of Pro Stockers to take to the track, they didn’t have the advantage of noting what the track could hold.
 
Line launched well ahead of his competitor, but the effort was unsuccessful as he fell with a 6.664, 208.55 to Gray’s 6.635, 208.49.
 
“We were too aggressive in low gear and it just spun [the tires] and washed out,” said Line. “That’s the danger of being first pair out.”
 
In the next round and conclusion of qualifying, Line clocked an improved 6.650 at 208.84 mph that was the fourth-quickest pass of all the cars for the session.
 
“We know the Summit Racing Chevrolet Camaro is a good car, and today wasn’t a great day – it definitely wasn’t the outcome we had hoped for – but hopefully, tomorrow will be better,” said Line. “That was a good run there [in the last session], and it just reminded us that we can and will be better. We started really good this weekend with this car, and we backtracked a bit – but tomorrow is a new day.”
 

Alund Starting No. 8 in Summit Racing Chevrolet Camaro in Las Vegas

LAS VEGAS, Nev., March 29, 2014 – Sunday will be a day of firsts for Sweden’s Jimmy Alund, who will be competing on raceday in Las Vegas for the first time in his career behind the wheel of a Summit Racing Chevrolet Camaro. He will also be starting from the top half of the field for the first time as an NHRA Pro Stock driver.
 
Alund, the No. 8 qualifier, put two solid runs in the books on the first day of the event, wheeling the red Summit Racing Camaro to a 6.639-second pass at 208.49 mph in the first session and a 6.654, 208.39 in the last pass on Friday. On Saturday, the multi-time European Pro Stock champ clocked a pair of consistent passes, racing to a 6.673, 207.72 followed by a 6.677, 207.98.
 
“This weekend has actually been really good so far,” said Alund. “It’s the first time I have qualified in the top half of the field, and we are No. 8, so I’m happy. I feel comfortable. I think we are going to improve tomorrow – we made some changes during qualifying and some of them worked, so I’m feeling good.”
 
Alund will race Vincent Nobile in the first round of eliminations, a somewhat unfortunate draw as young Nobile is an engine customer for Team Summit’s KB Racing.
 
“That is the downside, but overall, it’s very nice to be here at this race,” said Alund. “I met a lot of really nice people from Summit Racing today, and that was a lot of fun. I’m still trying for my first round win, and hopefully it comes tomorrow here at the Summit race. It was also really nice to have Greg here to work with for the first time this year. We have fun, and having him here is really great.”
 

Line on the Upswing in Summit Racing Camaro in Las Vegas
 
LAS VEGAS, Nev., March 28, 2014 – Jason Line’s blue Summit Racing Chevrolet Camaro is looking better and better at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, and the timing is right. Line, of Mooresville, N.C., is currently qualified in the No. 5 position at the conclusion of the first day of the SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals, and he will have two more opportunities to improve before the field is set.
 
Line will also be aiming to score the coveted K&N Horsepower Challenge trophy in the shootout style competition that is on the Saturday schedule for the top 8 Pro Stock cars.
 
“We made decent runs today in the Summit Racing Camaro,” said Line. “We always want to be better, but to be honest it’s difficult to complain when you’re No. 5 and you’re only five-thousandths of a second off the pole. The field is really tight, and we certainly didn’t have a bad day. Tomorrow should be even better for Team Summit.”
 
Line made a solid blast down the racetrack in the first session of the weekend, clocking a speedy 6.633 at 208.71 mph that was the second quickest of the round. In the second session, Line came back with an improved 6.630, 208.94.
 
The first round of the highly anticipated K&N Horsepower Challenge will count as the third round of qualifying for the eight drivers that qualified for the special bonus event. Line is qualified No. 5 and will race Shane Gray in the first round.
 
In addition to challenging for the trophy, the drivers are each paired with a lucky fan who won the K&N Sweepstakes. If Line should win, the fan that he has been paired with – Bob Edland of San Jose, Calif. – will win a brand new Toyota Tacoma truck loaded with extras.
 
“You know, Bob seems like a really nice guy,” said Line. “I would really like to win this man a truck – I think it would make him happy, and I would like to win it for him. I sure want that trophy so, hopefully, tomorrow will be a good day for the Summit Racing team. It very well could be.”

Alund a Top Half Contender in Summit Racing Camaro on Day One in Vegas
 
LAS VEGAS, Nev., March 26, 2014 – So far, Jimmy Alund is enjoying Las Vegas. The Summit Racing NHRA Pro Stock driver who hails from Sweden was excited to race at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway for the first time at the SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals, and the weekend is shaping up to meet expectations. Alund is currently qualified in the top half of the field with two sessions remaining to attempt to climb even higher.
 
Wheeling the red Summit Racing Chevrolet Camaro, Alund clocked a nice 6.639-second pass at 208.49 mph to end the first session in the No. 5 position. The second session produced a 6.654 at 208.39, and Alund ended the first day of qualifying at his sponsor’s title event positioned provisionally in the No. 8 position.
 
“We were happier with the first run, obviously, but we tried some new stuff and it seemed to work really well,” said Alund. “First round, the Summit Racing Camaro did what it was supposed to do. We tried to speed it up a little bit for the second round, but we didn’t think the track would be as good as it was, so we were still a little conservative.”
 
For the first time this year, Alund is joined at the SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals by his wife, Anna, who made the trip from Sweden to support her husband at the fourth race of the 2014 Mello Yello Drag Racing Series and visit Las Vegas for the first time.
 
“I like having her around,” said Alund. “And it’s good to have her meet all the nice people I’ve been racing with the last two months. We’re having a lot of fun.”
 
Alund and Summit Racing teammate Jason Line will both be battling for higher positions during Saturday qualifying – Line clocked a pair of 6.3-second passes and is currently in the No. 5 position.
 
“This is a really nice facility, and I like the track,” said Alund. “I’m excited to come back out tomorrow and see what we can do. We can definitely improve; I know that. That’s my gut feeling.”

Alund Hopes for Best Outing Yet for Sponsors, Team Owner and Special Guest

MOORESVILLE, N.C., March 25, 2014 – Jimmy Alund, a native of Sweden and multi-time European Pro Stock champion, is truly looking forward to the 15th annual SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Although Alund has been to glittery Las Vegas and the renowned drag strip before, it will be the first time that he has had the honor of racing at the premier facility, and he will do so in front of the KB Racing team owners as well as Summit Racing Equipment, the title sponsors of the event.
 
“I’m really looking forward to it, of course,” said Alund, who is keeping the seat warm for Summit Racing’s Greg Anderson as he recovers from heart surgery performed earlier this year. “It’s a very special place for this team because it’s the hometown for our team owners, Ken and Judy Black. It’s also a Summit race, and that makes it very important to all of us. I hope to do well there.”
 
Alund will make the 5,000-plus mile trip from Sweden to participate in the fourth race of six in which he is scheduled to compete in the Summit Racing Chevrolet Camaro. While he is away from home and looking to bring more success to the championship-caliber KB Racing team, Alund also keeps a distant eye on his business back home.
 
“I have a repair shop for American cars over in Sweden,” said Alund. “We repair both newer style American cars and older cars, like muscle cars. I am also a distributor for KW Parts, which is my main sponsor over there. It’s like a small speed shop.”
 
While Alund is away, a trusted partner minds the business.
 
“We’ve been business partners for 20 years together, and he takes care of everything while I’m gone,” said Alund. “It’s great, but I’m sure he’s had his hands full since I’m gone so much. It will be good to get back, but I’m looking forward to the next few races and especially the race this weekend in Las Vegas.”
 
Alund was accompanied earlier in the tour by friends from Sweden and will now be joined, for the first time this year, by wife Anna at the event that takes place on the outskirts of the glitz and glamour of world famous Las Vegas.
 
“Anna has never been there, so that is another thing that is going to be fun. It will be a great race, that is for sure,” said Alund, who has qualified for every race so far this season and will be looking for his first-round win on Sunday in Las Vegas. “Everything is going good with the team, and it’s starting to work. Now we just need to get the round win. That’s what’s next.”
 

Line Looking for NHRA-Style Las Vegas Double for Team Summit
 
MOORESVILLE, N.C., March 25, 2014 – Summit Racing Pro Stock driver Jason Line will have not one but two chances this weekend to make a strong impression on KB Racing’s home turf. Line, of Mooresville, N.C., will race his powerful Summit Racing Chevrolet Camaro in the 15th annual SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, and on Saturday at his sponsor’s title event he will challenge for the trophy in the special bonus race for the Pro Stock competitors, the K&N Horsepower Challenge.
 
“I’ve said it before, and we say it every time we go to The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, any race held here is a big deal because it’s the home of Ken, Kenny Jr. and Judy Black,” said Line, who won the event in Las Vegas in 2008. “They are KB Racing – they started this whole deal and without them, we are nothing. Throw in the fact that our sponsor, Summit Racing Equipment, is also the sponsor of this race and it adds more pressure yet. We really want to do well here as a team and make everyone proud. It’s very important to us.”
 
Line will make his 10th consecutive appearance in the K&N Horsepower Challenge in Las Vegas, and this time, he hopes for a different outcome than he has experienced in the past. A three-time finalist in the shootout-style race for the naturally aspirated factory hot rods, Line plans to close the deal with a win.
 
“This is something we look forward to all year,” said Line, who will race Shane Gray in the first round. “Unfortunately, you can’t prepare for this race any more than you do for any other, but we want to make sure we have our best stuff there. This is our only chance all year to make an extra buck, and we’re amped up – we want to win. Hopefully, we can give them a run for their money.
 
“It’s a big deal that K&N puts this whole deal on; they’re a great sponsor, that’s for sure, and great supporters of drag racing. I would like nothing better than to get that $50,000 they’ve got up for grabs.”
 
Both Line and Vincent Nobile, driver of the KB Racing-powered Mountain View Chevrolet Camaro, have earned a spot in the K&N Horsepower Challenge. Nobile won the bonus race in 2012 with a final-round defeat of Line, but the Summit Racing driver is determined not to let anyone stand in his way this time around, not even a teammate.
 
“This is a big race for me,” said Line. “People talk about how big Indy is and the U.S. Nationals – well, this is my Indy. This is way bigger than any other race to me. We haven’t had a lot of success in Las Vegas for the past few years, and that track has not been kind to us lately. But the Summit Racing team is looking to turn that around this weekend.”
 

Alund again improves career best elapsed time heading into raceday at Gatornationals
 
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (March 15, 2014) – Qualifying is complete at the
45th annual Amalie Oil NHRA Gatornationals, and Summit Racing Pro Stock driver Jimmy Alund continued to impress as he bettered his career best numbers and qualified in his highest position of the season. Alund, a native of Sweden and an eight-time FIA Pro Stock champion, is the No. 9 qualifier at Auto-Plus Raceway at Gainesville and will race Summit teammate Jason Line in the first round of eliminations.
 
“This car was behaving exactly the way that we wanted it to,” said Alund, who was a quick 6.527 at 212.79 in the first round to immediately make a statement and followed up with a 6.537, 212.90 before racing to his best elapsed time ever in NHRA competition, a 6.525 at 212.36. He finished with a slowing 8.97.
 
Alund was ever-so close to qualifying in the top half of the field for the first time on American soil, but Line swooped in and scooped up the honor in the final hour. Although the two clocked identical 6.525-second blasts, Line got the nod on speed – his 212.76 mph topped Alund’s 212.36.
 
“We sure could have been a little bit faster [in the first round], but we had to race the racetrack and that’s what it could give us right there,” explained Alund. “Second round we made a good run in my opinion, and third round was also a really good run in my opinion. We were working on it for the fourth round, and we just had a little mishap. I felt something wasn’t right so I lifted. Anyway, we’re going to race Jason tomorrow. The only good thing about that is that we’re going to have a Summit Racing car in the next round.”
 
Alund continues to enjoy his six-race stint on the NHRA tour as KB Racing’s Greg Anderson recuperates from heart surgery to repair a bicuspid aortic valve. This weekend in Gainesville, the pit area and stands are overflowing with drag racing enthusiasts who have taken kindly to the friendly Swede.
 
“I have a lot of friends in the grandstands here, and when the pits are full like they’ve been today, I sign a lot of autographs and talk to a lot of fans,” said Alund. “It was a really fun experience. I like Florida; this is a good place to be. I couldn’t be more happy, and it’s going to be fun racing Jason tomorrow. Both of us want to win badly, I can tell you that.”
 

Line Bounces Back from Tough Start, Looks to Gain Momentum on Raceday in Gainesville
 
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (March 15, 2014) – As always, Summit Racing Pro Stock driver Jason Line was looking for immediate success at the 45th annual Amalie Oil NHRA Gatornationals at venerable Auto-Plus Raceway at Gainesville, and although the first round of qualifying left him feeling a bit jilted, the following sessions were more in line with expectations.
 
Line, of Mooresville, N.C., clocked a best time of 6.525 at 212.76 mph and will start from the No. 8 position. He will square off with Summit Racing teammate Jimmy Alund in the first round of eliminations.
 
A malfunction in the clutch prevented Line from powering his blue Summit Racing Chevrolet Camaro down the racetrack in full force in very good conditions that set the stage for a quick field.
 
“We got behind the eight ball, losing that first run. That was a killer, and it was tough to make up for that,” said Line, who came back in the later session to record a 6.541 at a big speed of 213.20 mph. On Saturday, Line improved to a 6.526 at 212.63 in the early round and then closed out the day with an even better 6.525, 212.76.
 
“You’ll have that some days, though,” he continued. “Racing doesn’t always go as planned, but it’s all good because we have a pretty darn good car for tomorrow with our Summit Racing Chevrolet Camaro. We definitely feel like we can make the car even better for Sunday. Losing that first run wasn’t the end of the world, it was just another challenge for us.”
 
Line will have lane choice over Alund and the duo will race one another for the first time on Sunday.
 
“The bad news is that we have to race each other; the good news is that one of our Summit Racing Camaros will for sure go to the next round,” said Line. “Sometimes things just don’t go the way you want them to, that’s all. But we did improve with both cars in qualifying, and we feel good about that going into tomorrow.”
 

Line Welcomes Return to Venerable Gainesville Raceway
 
Mooresville, N.C., March 12, 2014 – Jason Line and Auto-Plus Raceway at Gainesville are on friendly terms, and this weekend at the 45th annual Amalie Oil NHRA Gatornationals, the 32-time national event winner hopes to strengthen the friendship and expand on an already pleasantly surprising season.
 
Line, of Mooresville, N.C., blasted into the 2014 season of NHRA’s Mello Yello Drag Racing Series with a win at the season-opening Winternationals in his Summit Racing Chevrolet Camaro and immediately took over the points lead. At the second race of the season, just two weeks ago in Phoenix, the 2006 and 2011 Pro Stock world champ qualified a stout 3rd and raced to the semifinals. He is currently second in the series standings.
 
“The Summit Racing team likes that racetrack, that’s for sure,” said Line, who has four wins in five final rounds in Gainesville – including three in a row from 2009-2011 and a 2005 triumph. His collection of trophies earned at the Gatornationals is the most of any currently competing full-time Pro Stock competitor. KB Racing teammate Greg Anderson brings two Gainesville wins to Team Summit with victories collected in 2004 and 2007.
 
With Anderson still recovering from heart surgery to repair a bicuspid aortic valve, European Pro Stock champion Jimmy Alund will again be behind the wheel of the second Summit Racing Chevrolet Camaro. Alund has twice before raced in Gainesville.
 
“We spent some time earlier this week in Bradenton, and that’s not too far from Gainesville. Hopefully the conditions will be similar and what we learned in that test session will help us. We’ll see, but I know that the Summit Racing guys always go to Gainesville looking for more of what we’ve had there before, that’s for sure,” said Line.
 
At last season’s race in Florida, Line qualified his Summit Racing Chevrolet Camaro in the No. 3 position and expertly wheeled his way to the semifinals. This year, Line will arrive in Gainesville with his familiar blue racecar but with a few upgrades. After the race in Phoenix, the Camaro was converted to a 2014 model with a noticeably sleeker front end.

“It’s been an interesting year for this team so far,” said Line. “I’m not generally surprised when we win a race, but I think we were all a little surprised to go out there and win Pomona with all that had gone on before the season even started. No one was distracted or discouraged, though, and I think that was a big factor. Now we need to do it again this weekend in Gainesville.”

Alund right at home in current role as Summit Racing Chevrolet Camaro pilot
 
Mooresville, N.C., March 12, 2014 – This weekend, eight-time FIA European Pro Stock champion Jimmy Alund will continue his six-race venture with Summit Racing as he takes on the competition at the third of 24 races on the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series tour, the 45th annual Amalie Oil NHRA Gatornationals. Alund, a native of Sweden, is appreciating the opportunity to race alongside Jason Line while KB Racing’s Greg Anderson is getting back in shape following surgery to repair a bicuspid aortic valve. A longtime Chevrolet enthusiast, Alund feels right at home behind the wheel of the second Summit Racing Chevrolet Camaro.
 
“When I was 18, I went and bought a 1970 Chevelle with a big block and a 4-speed in it,” said Alund. “I had it for two weeks then I drove it to the racetrack. I made 13 runs and on the 14th run, I broke the rear end. That was the start of my drag racing days. Ever since, I’ve probably raced 15-20 different racecars through the years, moving up from 14-second to where we’re at today. I’m a Chevy guy – or a GM guy – I can tell you that.”
 
In addition to his avid appreciation of the Chevrolet brand, Alund is a dedicated drag racer with a passion for the exceptionally competitive Pro Stock category.
 
“I was running outlaw racing over there in Sweden – a big nitrous motor and Lenco [transmission], and you competed against people with blowers. We didn’t have any weight breaks, and you went up to the starting line knowing the guy next to you had a lighter car and 500 more horses. I got tired of that. I was successful for a couple of years, we won the series, but then I was thinking. Pro Stock always interested me because I like engines, and Pro Stock has the most sophisticated engines of anything. I said to my guys, let’s try that. You have equal equipment when you go up there, and if you’re smart and you do a good job, then you have a chance to win.”
 
Alund experienced much success in the prestigious category overseas and won his first championship in 2004, just his second year in the category.
 
“We pretty much dominated the whole season,” he recalled. “We were the first Pro Stocker to 200 miles per hour, and on that same run we were the first into the 6.80s. We won six races out of seven that season and set records. Last year we had a very similar year. It is a hobby, but it’s a big part of my life.”
 
Alund has been making a name for himself in America driving the second Summit Racing Chevrolet Camaro. In Pomona, Alund qualified for his first NHRA national event, and in Phoenix two weeks ago, he came within a few thousandths of a second of beating former world champion Allen Johnson in the opening round.
 
This weekend’s Gatornationals will be another opportunity for Alund to earn his first round win – or more – on American soil, and the racetrack at Gainesville is a location with which the successful European drag racer is comfortable. He has raced there twice before and will have a strong group of supporters on hand to cheer for him and for Team Summit.
 
“I know my way around there; Gainesville has a long shutdown area and a very smooth track,” said Alund, who will drive the dark red Summit Racing Chevrolet Camaro at the event. “It’s a nice facility, and I have a lot of friends in Florida. I think we will have a lot of people from Scandinavia there on vacation, and I look forward to it. Maybe this is the place to get the first round win.”
 

Line consistent and quick in Summit Racing Camaro in Phoenix

CHANDLER, Ariz., February 23, 2014 – Summit Racing Pro Stock driver Jason Line had a consistent car at the CARQUEST Auto Parts NHRA Nationals at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park this weekend. Although he did not go quite as many rounds as he had hoped with his brilliant blue Summit Racing Chevrolet Camaro, the Mooresville, N.C.-based competitor still had a positive outlook at the conclusion of the event and a firm belief that his KB Racing team was on the path to a very successful season.
 
Line, a two-time NHRA Pro Stock champion, qualified in the No. 3 position at the second race of 24 on the 2014 Mello Yello Drag Racing Series tour, powering his mean Chevrolet to a best time of 6.536 at 211.69 mph, recorded in the first session. Line showed a steady hand throughout qualifying and followed his quick opening pass with a 6.544, 211.83; 6.582, 211.00; and finally a 6.560, 211.20 that was the quickest pass of the final session.
 
On raceday, Line knocked out Steve Kent in the first round of eliminations, 6.569 at 211.56 to 6.634, 209.98. A second-round match with Allen Johnson, however, proved to be more of a challenge than he was able to overcome – but certainly not by much. Line launched ahead of his competitor with a respectable .026-second reaction time and carried it to a 6.556-second blast at 210.93 mph that was the second quickest of the round. His solid pass would have beaten any car in the round – except that of Johnson and his 6.543 at 212.16. The margin of victory was a slim .008-second.
 
“My Summit Racing Chevrolet Camaro was consistent this weekend, but that last round I made a change and it took us in the wrong direction,” admitted Line. “I got a little greedy with the engine tune-up, and obviously that backfired. It slowed down from the previous runs. But it is what it is, and the car guys did a good job this weekend. The engine tuner just fell short, but I think I learned my lesson. We’ll try again in Gainesville.”
 
Line entered the event in Phoenix in the points lead and gathered valuable bonus points during qualifying to keep the momentum going. He exits the event just 11 marks outside of No. 1 and is currently No. 2 in the Pro Stock points.
 
“All in all, it was a good weekend for Team Summit,” said Line. “We’re going to do some testing before Gainesville to make sure we have everything ironed out, but I think we’re on a pretty good track. I really felt like I was going to win today, and I’m disappointed that didn’t happen. But it isn’t anything that we can’t get past. We just have to get right back to work.”