Line Eager to Bring More to the Table on Day Two in Vegas 
 
Event:  14th annual SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals
Location: The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Las Vegas, Nev.
Day/Date: Friday, April 5, 2013
 
The first day of qualifying at the SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals fueled Summit-backed Pro Stock drivers Jason Line and teammate Greg Anderson with a deep desire to rest up and return on Saturday fully prepared to reach deep into their arsenal at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway for day two of their sponsor’s title event. 
 
In the first qualifying session and with Las Vegas-based team owner Ken Black supporting Team Summit in person, Anderson was the quicker of the KB Racing cars with a 6.697-second pass at 207.27 mph, less than a mph off the fastest Pro Stock time of the day. Line was only a bit behind with a 6.704 at 206.42.
 
Line went on to improve in the second session in the blue Summit Racing Chevy Camaro and cleared the finish line with a stronger 6.689, 207.78 mph, to finish the day in the No. 6 position. His teammate’s progress in the silver Summit Racing Chevy, however, was halted by a spark plug that broke on the burnout. Anderson was eighth in the qualifying order at the conclusion of the first day of qualifying.
 
“We left a lot out there,” said Line. “We certainly wanted to do better on the first day at the SummitRacing.com Nationals, so it’s frustrating, but we know we can run with anybody. We have the right pieces, the right folks, and the right resources, and we know we can get it done. Hopefully, that’s exactly what will happen tomorrow.”
 
On Saturday, Line and Anderson will take advantage of the final two qualifying sessions before Sunday eliminations, and those two sessions will come with the added incentive of exceeding the performances of their opponents in the K&N Horsepower Challenge, the once-yearly specialty race for eight of the top factory hot rod drivers.
 
Line and Anderson are on opposite sides of the ladder for the three-round bonus competition, with Line squaring off with V. Gaines and Anderson going to battle with Mike Edwards in the first round that will also act as the third round of qualifying.
 
“The K&N Horsepower Challenge is a really neat deal for the Pro Stock guys, and we really want to do well,” said Line. “Tomorrow is a very big day for us with an important trophy up for grabs as we try to get both of the Summit Racing Camaros up closer to the top in the qualifying order before Sunday. You can bet we’ll be digging deep.”

Line Prepared for Action-Packed Weekend in Vegas
 
Mooresville, N.C., April 2, 2013 – Summit Racing Pro Stock driver Jason Line always enjoys the twice-yearly stop at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, and last season, the two-time series champion made a strong start at the premier facility as the low qualifier at both the spring and fall events. Line will be looking to turn another strong qualifying performance into a solid raceday outing at this weekend’s SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals, the fourth of 24 on the Mello Yello Drag Racing Series tour, in order to score the second Las Vegas win of his career.
 
In addition to a pair of outstanding qualifying showings last season, Line collected No. 1 qualifier awards in Las Vegas in the fall in both 2004 – his first full season in the Pro Stock category – and 2006. The second-generation racer was victorious at the SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals in 2008 and finished in the final round at the facility on three other occasions, including runner-up finishes to Summit Racing teammate Greg Anderson in the fall of 2004 and 2010.
 
“The Summit Racing team has been really good in Las Vegas more than once, and we’ve certainly been working hard to improve our program lately so that we can build on the success that we’ve had in the past,” said Line. “We’ve been focused on gaining performance, and Team Summit has done quite a bit of testing since we left the last race in Gainesville. I can’t tell you that our Chevy Camaros will be the fastest cars at the racetrack, but we’re going to give it our best attempt. Hopefully, all of our hard work will show once we get to Las Vegas.”
 
Performing well in Las Vegas is always a high priority for the Mooresville, N.C.-based team as a return to The City That Never Sleeps marks a return to the home base for team owners Ken and Judy Black, and the spring event is one of the favored excursions on the circuit for the driven team as it is one of three backed by their greatest supporter, Summit Racing.
 
“Both of the races at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway are extremely special to us because Ken and Judy are here, and this race is even more special because it’s a Summit Racing race,” said Line. “The truth is, it’s wildly important for us to do well at every race we go to, but we really want to do well here for the Summit Racing folks, who are so good to us. We’d like them to feel that they’re getting a bang for their buck, and we want to make them proud; the best way to do that is to perform well everywhere, and especially at the races that they sponsor.”
 
Expectations for this weekend’s event are heightened by the scheduled K&N Horsepower Challenge, a bonus event for the Pro Stock competitors that will be contested on Saturday with a $50,000 prize awarded to the winner in addition to a coveted, unique trophy. The bonus event pits eight of the top qualifying Pro Stock drivers against one another in a three-round shootout. Line has raced in the K&N Horsepower Challenge eight times, and three times he was a finalist but has yet to close the deal.
 
“Winning the K&N Horsepower Challenge is way up there on the list of things I want to accomplish in my career,” said Line. “We certainly appreciate the K&N folks, not only for the good product that they make, but also that they’re willing to put on that race for the Pro Stock cars. It’s a really cool race, and one that we always look forward to. Someone is going to win that title, and hopefully it will be a Summit Racing Camaro.”
 
Line and teammate Anderson are most assuredly in a position to make a play for each of the available trophies in their respective Summit Racing Chevy Camaros this weekend in Las Vegas, and a recent test session in prime conditions yielded inspiring numbers exceeding the current national record for e.t. to really whet the team’s shared appetite for success. Although the test session took place in conditions that may not be found at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, the Summit Racing group is armed for whatever the days ahead will bring.
 
“There are a lot of really exciting things happening in Las Vegas, and the KB Racing team has done everything we can to make sure that we are extremely prepared and everything is in place for a successful weekend,” said Line. “This is definitely a big one, and we want to do well.”

Mooresville, N.C., April 2, 2013 – This weekend’s SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway will provide two opportunities to celebrate in the winner’s circle for outstanding performers in the factory hot rod crowd. Summit Racing driver Greg Anderson expects great things for his Chevy Camaro on the double-down weekend and rightfully so. The main event is his sponsor’s title race, and the premier facility where it takes place is nestled in the hometown of his team owner, Ken Black.
 
Anderson, a four-time Pro Stock national champion in NHRA’s Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, has made a habit of rising to the challenge of such pressure at the Las Vegas racetrack and has accumulated seven victories there, more than any other professional driver on the circuit. However, it was not by chance that the KB Racing team found a successful combination for the desert racetrack that sits some 2,100 feet above sea level. They were deeply motivated by the outcome of their first showing at ‘The Strip.’
 
“Las Vegas has been very good to this Summit Racing team, but it was a tough place to start out when we first formed this team with Ken Black,” admitted Anderson. “I’ll never forget our first race there; we didn’t qualify. Ken was all about racing serious, but he also wanted to have fun and he told us, ‘You know, I’ll be happy as long as you do well in Vegas.’
 
“That stuck with us, and starting off that way at his home track [in 2002] was a real heartbreaker. But because of that, we’ve spent a lot of time testing in Las Vegas since then, and we’ve won a lot of high pressure, high stakes, very pivotal and very important races there. It started out rough for us, but we were able to turn it around through hard work and create some special, special moments at that racetrack. We’ll be looking forward to more of that this weekend.”
 
In addition to gunning for the SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals title this weekend, Anderson will also be looking to score the coveted K&N Horsepower Challenge crown, a feat he has accomplished four times in 10 previous appearances in the bonus competition that pits eight of the top qualifiers in the category against one another for a $50,000 grand prize.
 
“Las Vegas is just a fun place to race, and this is always a great race that is very important to us,” said Anderson. “Now, with the K&N Horsepower Challenge the same weekend as the SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals, it adds to it even more. That’s what Las Vegas should be. It should be right up there as one of the majors in NHRA drag racing, and this weekend should be extra exciting.
 
“It seems like when there is a lot on the line, when there is extra pressure and there should be all kinds of reasons for distraction, that’s when this Summit Racing team does best. We want to get the trophy on both Saturday and Sunday this weekend and make Ken Back and Summit Racing proud of us. I’m going embrace that extra pressure. Hopefully, that will inspire us to give that extra 110% percent and get a Summit Racing Camaro to the winner’s circle in the K&N Horsepower Challenge and again in final eliminations on Sunday.”
 
Indisputably, there is much to look forward to this weekend for Anderson and his Summit Racing teammate Jason Line, beginning with a visit to longtime supporter Findlay Chevrolet on Wednesday evening from 6-8 p.m. to meet and greet fans and friends, followed by the annual NHRA Fan Fest at the New York New York Hotel and Casino, a popular Vegas-style autograph session featuring a large group of NHRA stars, on Thursday evening, also from 6-8 p.m.
 
“It’s going to be a great weekend all around, and it is very important for us to do well on the racetrack, for our sponsors and of course for Ken Black,” said Anderson.  “Any success that we’ve had in Las Vegas in the past is directly related to the amount of time we’ve spent testing and how many laps we’ve made down that track. It’s paid off for us before, and we hope it will pay off again this weekend. There will be a lot of very important people from Summit Racing Equipment in attendance, as well as Ken and all of his family, so without a doubt, it’s time for the KB Racing team to step up to the plate.”
 

Quarter-Final Finish Has Anderson Looking for Strong Showing in St. Louis 

Event:  27th annual AAA Texas Fall NHRA Nationals

Location: Texas Motorplex, Ennis, Texas

Day/Date: Sunday, September 23, 2012

Summit Racing Pro Stock Camaro driver Greg Anderson came into Sunday’s final eliminations of the AAA Fall NHRA Nationals in Ennis, Tx. cautiously optimistic about his chances.  After all, Anderson had earned the fifth starting position with a 6.571-second elapsed time and a top speed of 211.06 mph, setting the stage for a first-round match-up against noted “leaver” Greg Stanfield.

Fortunately, Anderson proved up to the challenge, combining a .021 light and a 6.592-second, 210.37 mph run to eliminate Stanfield, who posted a .023 reaction time and 6.640-second elapsed time and 208.65 mph run in the losing effort.

However, the KB Racing team had little time to celebrate, as their second-round opponent would be one of the hottest drivers in the category, Vincent Nobile, whose team works in conjunction with current NHRA Championship points leader, Allen Johnson. Despite racing without the luxury of lane choice, Anderson was able to get a slight lead on his rival.  Unfortunately, his 6.603-second, 210.41 mph pass was not enough to hold his opponent’s charge, who used a 6.590-second, 210.21 mph run to edge Anderson by four thousandths of a second.

“As I said in an earlier interview, we are in a position where we’re out of mulligans, and we have to win out from here,” said Anderson. “It’s up to us – if we can be perfect the rest of the way, then I think we’ll have a chance, but if not, someone else may be the champion. We’ll give it all we’ve got and see where we stand.

“The good news is that we’re capable of it.  We’re getting very close on the performance of these new Summit Racing Camaros, but as we saw this weekend, we still have some things to work on, and we ended up on the wrong end of a very close drag race.  One important thing is that these were not the conditions we normally thrive in and we were still competitive.

“Hopefully next week, we’ll get back to conditions that are better suited to our tune-up, allowing us to finally show the performance we are capable of.”

Starting Third, Line Sets His Sights on a Long Day in Dallas

Event:  27th annual AAA Texas Fall NHRA Nationals

Location: Texas Motorplex, Ennis, Texas

Day/Date: Saturday, September 22, 2012

After having an up-and-down day on Friday, Jason Line and the Summit Racing team looked for a more consistent performance during the second and final day of qualifying for the AAA Fall NHRA Nationals in Ennis, Tx.  In the early session, Line posted a 6.559-second elapsed time with a top speed of 210.64 mph, third-quickest for the round, earning him a valuable point, and eventually slotting the defending event champion in the third spot for Sunday’s final eliminations.

It was a similar situation in the final round, as Line covered the quarter-mile in the heat of the afternoon in 6.610-seconds with a top speed of 210.28 mph, claiming another bonus point and setting the stage for another solid day on Sunday, as he looks to successfully defend his win from a year ago.

“The numbers show that we made four decent runs, each one in the top half among all the cars attempting to qualify,” said Line. “But when we compare ourselves to the racers at the top of the chart, we see we still have work to do.  We’re certainly making progress with these Summit Racing Camaros – now it is just a matter of finding the consistency we need to win.

“The good news is that we showed last week that we have the ability to win, even against one of the toughest fields we have had in a long time.  We just need to make sure to do our jobs and avoid any mistakes.  If we do that, I believe we certainly have a car capable of winning the race.”

Anderson Will Start Fifth In Dallas 

Event:  27th annual AAA Texas Fall NHRA Nationals

Location: Texas Motorplex, Ennis, Texas

Day/Date: Saturday, September 22, 2012

Greg Anderson and the Summit Racing team continue to use their qualifying attempts at national events as a means to learn the performance envelope of their sleek Chevrolet Camaro.  Such as the case during this weekend’s AAA Fall NHRA Nationals in Ennis, Tx. On Friday, Anderson posted the sixth quickest time of the day at 6.599 seconds while admitting there was still work to be done.

On Saturday, Anderson was one of many taking advantage of the slightly cooler temperatures, covering the quarter-mile in 6.571-seconds with a top speed of 211.04 mph to secure the fifth starting position for Sunday’s final eliminations at the Texas Motorplex, and a first-round encounter with Greg Stanfield.

“We’re still in the process of getting both Summit Racing Camaros ready for race day,” said Anderson. “We’ll have some work to do on the tune-up, but I’m confident we’ll be ready in the morning.  The numbers show we’re definitely gaining on it, but we’re really not satisfied unless one of our names is at the top of board or close to it, and that’s exactly what we’re working on.

“Fortunately, we’re on opposite sides of the ladder, and I believe we both have a shot at going rounds tomorrow as long as we find the one thing that has us a little off.  It’s supposed to be a little cooler, but it’s still going to be warm, so we’ll just have to deal with it.  Tomorrow is a very big day and we need to make the most of it.”

Anderson Opens Dallas Qualifying in Sixth, Looks for More 

Event:  27th annual AAA Texas Fall NHRA Nationals

Location: Texas Motorplex, Ennis, Texas

Day/Date: Friday, September 21, 2012

Conditions for the first day of the AAA Fall NHRA Nationals in Ennis, Tx. were completely unlike those racers encountered one week ago in North Carolina, with temperatures in the mid-90s, requiring a completely different set-up.  After starting with the ninth-best time in the opening session at the Texas Motorplex, Greg Anderson and the Summit Racing team rebounded nicely, posting a 6.599-second, 210.37 mph pass on their second attempt to not only move up to the sixth position with two attempts remaining, but also have a direction in which to held with their race car’s tune-up. 

“We were off a little on the first run, but came back nicely later in the afternoon,” said Anderson. “For the most part, we’re directionally correct with our Summit Racing Camaro, especially with the car tune-up, although we still have some work to do on the engine tune-up.

“Tomorrow morning’s session should be the best of the weekend, and we’ll try to take advantage of it to move up in the starting order.  Other than that, we’ll be using both runs to make sure we have everything in order for race day.”

Second on Friday in Dallas, Line Believes Work Remains to Be Done 

Event:  27th annual AAA Texas Fall NHRA Nationals

Location: Texas Motorplex, Ennis, Texas

Day/Date: Friday, September 21, 2012

Coming off his tremendous victory in the first race of the Countdown to the Championship, Summit Racing’s Jason Line came into the first day of qualifying for the AAA Fall NHRA Nationals in Ennis, Tx. looking to continue his forward progress in this year’s title chase.  After opening with the eighth-quickest time, the two-time champion returned to form in his second attempt, covering the quarter-mile in 6.586-seconds with a top speed of 210.54 mph good enough for second with two attempts remaining.  Although pleased with his initial attempt, he admitted that both he and his team still had work to be done.

“Although our second run was certainly better than our first, we’re not where we need to be,” said Line. “But honestly, it could be a lot worse, we ended up second and scored a couple little points so all in all, it’s still good, and we have a solid baseline.

“Tomorrow morning’s session should be the best of the weekend, if so, we’d certainly like to take advantage and see if we can sneak in and score the pole.  Still, we will spend the day doing what we can to make this Summit Racing Camaro even better.  Even so, if we can make a bad run and still end up second, it’s not all bad.  We know the areas we need to work on, and we’ll try to address then during one of our two remaining qualifying attempts.  Still, it’s not a bad start.”

Anderson Determined to Make A Charge in Dallas

Mooresville, N.C., September 20, 2012 –Summit Racing Pro Stock standout Greg Anderson is a man with a plan heading into this weekend’s AAA Texas Fall Nationals in Ennis, Tx. After a freak mechanical failure resulted in an early exit at last weekend’s race in Charlotte, N.C., the four-time champion knows he will need a strong performance in the Lone Star State in order to remain among the contenders for this year’s Full Throttle crown. Despite this tough assignment, Anderson remains cautiously optimistic about his chances.

“I guess you could say it’s now or never for me,” said Anderson. “The main thing I need is a little racing luck, keeping me away from the freak breakage. If I can do that, then I believe I am ready to make a run. It’s not that we can pin it back to anything we did wrong, and we still have to figure out the why and how. Obviously Jason’s (teammate Line, who won the last race in Charlotte) has been fine, so it’s not an epidemic, maybe just a little bad luck on my part.

“But we’re not going to focus on that, we’re going to drive forward. We believe the performance is back in our Summit Racing Camaros, and we’re ready to make a run. It’s time for me to make some ground up this weekend, and I definitely think I can.”

Fortunately, if Anderson had to pick a venue at which to make a comeback, there are few on the circuit at which he has experienced more success that the Texas Motorplex, site of this weekend’s event. In his last nine races on the Ennis quarter-mile he has four wins in five final round appearances, placing him among Pro Stock legends Bob Glidden and Warren Johnson for the most by a Pro Stock competitor, a fact that is not lost Anderson as he heads into this crucial weekend.

“I certainly could be going to a worse racetrack,” said Anderson. “After all, over the last few years the Texas Motorplex has been very good to me and to the KB Racing team. We know it has its quirks, but we’ve been going there long enough to know how to handle them.

“For example, as an all-concrete racetrack, it will have a narrow groove. It’s not one of those racetracks you can slide all over – if you get out of the groove here you had better plan on lifting, so it’s up to the driver to concentrate for the entire length of the run, much like a Funny Car driver does on every run, keeping the car right in that groove even when it doesn’t want to.

“I feel great going into this race. I’m not worried at all. The weather forecast looks great and I am ready to race. Hopefully I’ve used up all my bad luck and it’s now time for me to make a run at this year’s championship. We’re going in with a great attitude, and I have everything I need – a fast Summit Racing Camaro, a great team and all the parts and pieces necessary to win – now it’s up to me to go out and do it.”

Line Keeping Things in Perspective in Dallas

Mooresville, N.C., September 20, 2012 – No one could blame Jason Line for feeling a bit smug as he prepared for this weekend’s AAA NHRA Texas Fall Nationals in Ennis, Tx.  After all, the Summit Racing driver is the reigning NHRA Full Throttle Pro Stock champion, the most recent winner on tour following his impressive victory in Charlotte, and enters this event as the defending champion, having scored his first win at the Texas Motorplex.  However, as anyone who knows the soft-spoken Minnesota native would tell you, it simply isn’t his style.  In fact, as the world’s best quarter-milers make their annual visit to Ennis, he is the first to point out that a tremendous amount of work remains to be done.

“We’ve gotten off to a good start in the Countdown, and that’s the end of the statement,” said Line.  “This is still a five-race season and a lot can happen.  That’s not to say I don’t feel good going into this weekend, because I do, and I certainly wouldn’t want to trade places with anyone else.

“After all, everything is going pretty well at the moment, but this Summit Racing team has a lot of work to do to keep things that way.  Now that we’re in the Countdown every round is a huge points swing, and you can’t afford to miss anything.  You have to be perfect every time out in order to score points and keep yourself in contention, and we’re ready to do just that.”

The one area Line was extremely pleased with in Charlotte was the performance of his KB Racing team and the Summit Racing Camaro they gave him to drive.  Not only did Line post the quickest elapsed time in two of the four qualifying sessions, but he backed it up by being the quickest in all four eliminations rounds, quite a feat considering the level of competition.  In fact, the one area he is concerned about may come as a surprise, given his solid record.

“Last weekend, my crew guys gave me a Summit Racing Camaro that was bad to the bone,” said Line.  “On top of that through some trying conditions and a very long day, they never missed a beat, and we ended up in the winner’s circle.  I’m certainly not worried about them this weekend, because I know they will come through.

“To be honest, I’m more concerned with my performance because I see myself as the weak link.  I have to make sure to go up there and be perfect or as close to it as I am capable of every time in order to give us a good a chance as anyone to win the race.  There are certainly no guarantees, but I have to say I definitely like our chances.”

Jason Line Starts Countdown with Big Win at zMAX Dragway 

Mooresville, N.C., September 16, 2012 – Summit Racing driver Jason Line started his Full Throttle championship defense in impressive fashion, capturing the Pro Stock title at Sunday’s NHRA Nationals in Concord, N.C., the start of which were delayed by over five hours due to morning rain.  Starting from the second position, Line defeated Frank Gugliotta, Larry Morgan and Warren Johnson in the early rounds before squaring off against current points leader Allen Johnson in the final.

Although Line was able to gain the upper hand at the start with a strong .013 reaction time, both drivers soon found themselves fighting to maintain control on the very tricky surface. Fortunately, Line was able to regain traction first, crossing the finish line in 7.518-seconds with a top speed of 200.20 mph to outdistance Johnson’s 11.800-second, 78.71 mph pass.  It was Line’s second win of the season, 29th of his career, first in his new Chevrolet Camaro and first at zMAX Dragway.

“This was a big win for the Summit Racing team, and we couldn’t have started the Countdown in better fashion,” said Line.  We haven’t had one for a while, so it feels pretty good.  It’s tough when you get conditions like this and although the track had been pretty good for most of the day, you had to make sure to stay in the groove or else you could be in trouble. However, it was a completely different story in the final.

“We ran out of sequence because of the weather, and ended up following the fuel cars, which can be a tough situation and you have to deal with it the best you can.  Obviously it’s easy for me to say since things worked out well for us, but we made the best of a not-so-great situation.

“I shouldn’t say this but Allen (Johnson) hardly ever pedals when he shakes, so all I knew was that I was getting back in it as long as I didn’t see him, and I never did.  I may have destroyed the clutch in the process, but we won the race.  Best of all, I was able to get my first win here at zMAX Dragway, which is huge.”

It should have come as no surprise that Line was one of dominant cars on race day, as he had been equally strong during qualifying, posting the quickest time in two of the four sessions on Friday and Saturday in securing the second starting position.  He continued that trend on Sunday, posting the quickest elapsed time in every round, starting with a 6.576-second pass in his opening round victory over a red-lighting Frank Gugliotta. After defeating Larry Morgan in the second round, Line squared off against all-time Pro Stock wins leader Warren Johnson in the the semifinals, with the winner advancing to the money round.

Once again, it was a wire-to-wire victory for Line, who gained the advantage at the start and never looked back, posting the quickest elapsed time of the day at 6.554-seconds with a top speed of 211.39 mph to advance to the 62nd final round of his career, sixth of the season and second at zMAX Dragway.

“My Summit Racing crew gave me a Camaro that was bad to the bone today,” said Line.  “It was simply phenomenal.  We had struggled in the past few months, but we went down the race track on almost every run with no issues, and we were able to take advantage of it and come home with a huge win.”

Line also took time after the win to thank those whose support makes days like today possible.

“Naturally, we could not do this without the support of several great people and companies,” said Line.  “Of course, it all starts with Ken and Judy Black, who were here with us this weekend to share in this victory.  Also at the very top of the list is Summit Racing Equipment, and their many employees, who we are so proud to represent.  In addition, we want to thank Chevrolet, Maxima Oils, Cometic Gaskets, Mac Tools, PAC Valve Springs, CP Carillo, K&N Filters, Speed Dawg Shift Knobs, Wiley-X and everyone else whose involvement with our race team makes days like today possible.  We are glad to bring them this win.”

Finally, despite the big win, Line was quick to caution that the Countdown had just begun, and with numerous quality teams lurking in the standings, he assured all those in attendance that this fight was far from over, especially considering the tough schedule teams will faces over the next few weeks.

“This next month will be very tough on our Summit guys with three more races in as many weeks, especially considering the carnage we’ve created lately,” said Line.  “Every one of them does a terrific job, and we have more bullets that we can use, so we’ll be okay.  This is going to be a tough fight for the championship, so for us to start the way we did today was huge, because you have so many quality cars in the Countdown.  The drivers have to drive well and the crew chiefs need to do a perfect job on every run, which is a lot to ask of anybody, but I think we’re up to the task.  We’ll enjoy this win tonight and a little during the week, but tomorrow we’ll be back at work getting ready for Dallas.”

 Line’s Strong Performance Earns Second Starting Position in Charlotte
Event:  Fifth annual NHRA Nationals

Location: zMAX Dragway, Concord, N.C.

Day/Date: Saturday, September 15, 2012

Reigning NHRA Full Throttle Champion Jason Line completed a very consistent and productive qualifying effort on Saturday, capturing the second starting position for Sunday’s final eliminations of the 5th annual NHRA Nationals in Concord, N.C. In each of the four sessions at zMAX Dragway, Line’s Summit Racing Chevrolet Camaro was among the best of the “Factory Hot Rods”, including being the quickest in the first and final runs, allowing him to amass nine valuable bonus points, worth almost a half of an elimination round win.

Despite this solid performance, Line believed further improvement was not only possible but necessary as he looked to score his first career win at the “Bellagio of Drag Strips.”

“We made four runs in qualifying with this Summit Racing Camaro, which not only produced solid elapsed times but also allowed us to earn several bonus points, which can make a difference in the Countdown,” said Line. “However, even though we have made progress with these cars we still have some work to do to get to the level of performance we need. For example, as nice as those runs might have seemed from the outside, I would not consider any of them to be a good clean run.  We’re getting closer, but we’re not there.

“We also have some work to do with Greg’s (teammate Anderson) car, especially after he blew the motor in tonight’s final session.  Still, if we all do our jobs correctly, and that includes the driver, I believe we will have two cars capable of winning the race.  However, there will be several other teams equally capable of winning, so it will be up to us to do a better job of execution.  The most important thing is that we get off to strong start in the Countdown, and there is no better way to do that than by taking home the Wally, which is what we plan to do.”

Anderson Qualifies Third in Charlotte the Hard Way

Event:  Fifth annual NHRA Nationals

Location: zMAX Dragway, Concord, N.C.

Day/Date: Saturday, September 15, 2012

The second day of qualifying at the 5th annual NHRA Nationals proved to be quite the experience for Greg Anderson and his Summit Racing team.  With temperatures in the Concord, N.C. area rising and the third qualifying session not scheduled to begin until after noon, there was little chance of challenging for the pole position.  However, Saturday’s runs still proved valuable, as they would provide tuning information which could be used for Sunday’s final eliminations.

After opening with two solid runs on the first day, Anderson came back with a competitive 6.585-second, 211.30 mph on his first attempt on Saturday.  However he was not as fortunate on in the final qualifying session, as smoke erupted from under his car almost immediately due to a rare engine failure, forcing him to shut off early and coast across the line.  Fortunately, his 6.560-second time from Friday night remained his run of record, earning him the third starting position and a first-round encounter with Shane Gray.

“I’m sure we made a few highlight reels with our engine issues in the fourth session, which is never a good thing,” said Anderson. “At KB Racing, we take pride in our engines, and when we lose one like that it’s extremely disappointing.  We have plenty of them, so we will certainly regroup. We’ll put another one in tomorrow and go race, seeing if we can do a better job than we did today.

‘These Summit Racing Camaros are acting like they want to run, but we’re just not getting clean starts. We’re going to keep digging until we get it right in low gear.  Once we do that, I think we can run with any car out there.  It’s just a matter of doing it. Obviously we have a lot of thinking to do overnight, but we have a chance, which all you can ask for.  We’ll come out swinging tomorrow morning, hoping we made the correct changes and run well.

“We’ll forget about the engine blow up for tonight because there’s nothing we can do about it.  When we get back to the shop on Monday, we’ll shed a tear or two and figure out what we need to do better so it doesn’t happen again.  But for right now, we’ll just put another engine in and try and get the chassis set-up right.”

 Line Starts Strong at zMAX, Sits Second on Friday
Event:  Fifth annual NHRA Nationals

Location: zMAX Dragway, Concord, N.C.

Day/Date: Friday, September 14, 2012

The first day of qualifying for the 5th annual NHRA Nationals in Concord, N.C. proved to be a very productive one for Jason Line and the Summit Racing team.  Having spent numerous days testing over the last few weeks, the team arrived at their home track confident that they had started to get a better handle on their race car.  However, they also knew that the true proof of their labor would come when they ran against their competition at a national event.

Fortunately, any doubts were quickly allayed, as Line blasted out of the box in the first session at zMAX Dragway with a 6.570-second, 211.63 mph pass, best in the Pro Stock category.  He then came back with an even better run in the afternoon session at 6.554-seconds, 211.13 mph to slot second with two attempts remaining on Saturday.  Naturally disappointed at not remaining atop the leaderboard, the two-time champion believed the battle was still not over.

“It’s a good way to start our weekend,” said Line. “The last few months have not been kind to us, and we haven’t gotten many of the bonus qualifying points.  I earned five of the little points today, which I haven’t done in quite some time, and just as important, those were five points someone else didn’t get.

“It’s a good starting spot, and I feel like we have a little bit better handle on a baseline, which is something we’ve struggled with for a while, which is quite encouraging.  Do I feel like we can go faster? I certainly think so, but I’m sure our competitors will say that as well.  I think we have a shot at the pole in the morning, but as tight as the competition is right now, four other cars do as well.  We certainly have our work cut out for us, and it will come down to whoever makes the best run.  It’s going to be a dogfight.”

 Third on Friday in Charlotte, Anderson Pleased with Opening Day Performance 

Event:  Fifth annual NHRA Nationals

Location: zMAX Dragway, Concord, N.C.

Day/Date: Friday, September 14, 2012

After testing his Summit Racing Camaro extensively at various tracks over the last few weeks, Greg Anderson was extremely anxious to get the 5th annual NHRA Nationals in Concord, N.C. underway on Friday to see how the progress they seemed to have made during that time would stack up against their competition. They did not have to wait long, as Anderson posted a 6.574-second elapsed time and 211.36 mph top speed, fourth-quickest among the 18 attempting to qualify.

However, Anderson and the KB Racing crew were far from done, as they came back in the evening session at zMAX Dragway and covered the quarter-mile in 6.560-seconds with a top speed of 211.66 mph to sit third midway through the qualifying procedure.  Although pleased with his opening-day performance, the three-time Charlotte winner admitted there was still room for improvement.

“Overall, it wasn’t a bad day,” said Anderson. “We really didn’t make what we would consider clean runs today, and we still ran pretty well, which shows the potential of these Summit Racing Camaros.  We can run right with them and even grab the pole if we make clean runs, which is something new for us as we continue to develop these race cars.  We’ve gained some performance with these cars, now we just need to match them to the race conditions.

“I think there is a lot of room left, which is good news, especially since both our cars are in the top three.  We feel pretty good, but we still need to do a better job of executing, getting the round pegs in the round holes and the square pegs in the square holes.  When we do that we should be in really good shape.  Tomorrow’s another day and I still think we can qualify 1-2 if we do a good job, so we’ll see what we can do.”

Test Sessions Have Anderson Amped about Start of the Countdown

Mooresville, N.C., September 13, 2012 – This weekend, the Full Throttle Drag Racing Series will begin its six-race Countdown to the Championship with the 5th annual NHRA Nationals in Charlotte, N.C., and as far as Summit Racing driver Greg Anderson is concerned, the playoffs could not start at a better location.  Known as the “Bellagio of Drag Strips”, zMAX Dragway is a short drive away from the KB Racing shop in Mooresville, offering team members a respite from their hectic travel schedule as well as extra time to prepare for this first of four consecutive races.

“I believe it is a huge bonus, not only for Greg Anderson, but the entire Summit Racing team, to have the Countdown start here at zMAX Dragway,” said Anderson.  “We love this race and this track.  It is a tremendous facility where we’ve spent quite a bit of time testing there and have developed a huge comfort factor.  It’s a place that we’ve either learned so well or it just seems to suit our program that we definitely seem to run well there.

“Everything about this race is tremendous.  We’ll have a lot of our shop employees and their families who don’t normally come out to the track on hand to cheer us on, as well as (team owners) Ken and Judy Black who made the trip out from the West Coast.  Their presence always puts a smile on our faces and we love nothing more than to do well in front of them.  We’ll also have a lot of friends and neighbors coming out, giving us our own personal cheering section.

“So as you can see, we have a lot of reasons to look forward to the weekend.  Best of all, it’s playoff time, where the stakes are higher, and everything seems to ramp up.  We feel like we’ve upped our game, so we can’t wait to let the clutch out on Friday and see what we can do, starting the Countdown on the right foot.”

The one question mark seemingly facing Anderson and his KB Racing teammate Jason Line entering this year’s playoff was their race cars.  As the newest chassis among any of the competitors who qualified for the 2012 Countdown to One, the talented tandem had admittedly struggled to get a handle on the tune-up for most of the summer.  However, having finally had a chance to get in some extensive testing over the last few weeks, Anderson is confident their sleek new Camaros will now have the performance to match their looks.

“We tested at zMAX last week with our Summit Racing Camaros and ran very well, so we are expecting to run just as well when we go back there this weekend,” said Anderson.  “I know it’s been a battle to get these new cars up to speed, but we’ve been running the wheels off these cars since coming home from the West Coast, and I believe we’re starting to see the fruits of our labor.

“We feel like we’ve made progress and gained some performance to where we think we’ll have our best chance in the last 3-4 months to win an event.  Are we going to go out and dominate the race? Probably not, but we are definitely going to give AJ, Mike, Erica and everyone else a run for their money.  Of course it takes some racing luck and proper execution with the car as well as the driver being perfect, but I think we’re finally getting close to getting back in our groove. Let’s just say we’re expecting a big weekend.”

Strong Start Essential to Line’s Championship Defense

Mooresville, N.C., September 13, 2012 – One year ago, Summit Racing driver Jason Line came into zMAX Dragway for the first race of the Countdown to the Championship and immediately staked his claim for the title, powering from the No. 1 position to a runner-up finish. It was the start of a series of three races where Line would score two wins and set both ends of the national record, essentially scoring a knockout blow en route to his second Full Throttle Championship.

As the world’s best quarter-milers prepare to return to the Tar Heel State this weekend for the 5th annual NHRA Nationals and the start of the six-race 2012 championship run, Line would naturally like to duplicate that showing, although he admits that this year’s competition might make it a little tougher.  Even so, he was quick to stress the importance of having a strong run in this opening encounter.

“Getting off to a good start in this first race of the Countdown is absolutely huge, especially this year, when the competition is tighter than it ever has been,” said Line.  “Defending our title is going to be tough, with every round being important considering how well AJ (Allen Johnson), Mike (Edwards), my teammate Greg (Anderson) and Erica (Enders) are running.

“The good news is that we’re getting closer with our Summit Racing Camaros, and this KB Racing team is more than capable of delivering another championship performance.  But to do that, we will need to do a better job than we have at the last few races.  At this point in the season, if you want to stay in contention, there is absolutely no room for error, so we’ll need to be on top of our game right out of the box this weekend in Charlotte.”

In order to accomplish his goal, Line will need to add zMAX Dragway to his list of many successes.  Located a short half-hour’s drive from the KB Racing team’s shop in Mooresville, it is considered their home track, a fact not lost on Line, who appreciates any benefits they can gain during a drive to what they hope will be another championship.

“zMAX Dragway is one of the tracks where a win has eluded us, so maybe this will be the year we finally bring it home, and it couldn’t come at a better time,” said Line.  “I enjoy any time we get to race there simply because it’s the nicest facility on tour and it’s only a short drive away from our shop.  It’s always fun to race at home and sleep in your own bed, and any time you can avoid traveling is a bonus in itself.

“Last year we were able to deliver an early knockout punch, but this year will be different because there are more good cars all capable of winning.  I think it’s going to be a battle that will go down to the last race in Pomona.  Fortunately, we seem to be gaining ground on our Summit Racing Camaros and I believe we have a good tune-up for Charlotte, so we should be good and I like our chances for doing well there.  If we do it will then be a matter of carrying that momentum through the remaining five races and seeing where we stand when the dust settles.”

 Starting Fifth, Jason Line Targets First U.S. Nationals Win
Event:  58th annual Mac Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals

Location: Lucas Oil Raceway, Clermont, Ind.

Day/Date: Saturday, September 8, 2012

When the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals in Clermont, Ind. were postponed last week due to constant rain, Jason Line and the Summit Racing team were among several competitors who headed directly to Charlotte, N.C., taking advantage of the time to put in some testing at zMAX Dragway in preparation for the race to be held there next weekend.

However, the two days proved to be extremely beneficial for Line and his KB Racing crew, as they were able to gain further information about the performance envelope of their Camaro, which they were able to apply upon their return to the Hoosier State. With temperatures significantly cooler than they were a week ago, a premium was put on teams to extract the maximum from their race cars.

Fortunately, Line and the Summit crew was up to the challenge, posting a 6.569-second, 210.83 mph pass on their first attempt, which turned out to be their run of record when he slowed slightly in the final session.  Starting fifth, the defending Pro Stock champion was pleased with the progress the team had made, but cautioned that further improvement would be necessary in order to contend for the win on Sunday.

“The test session in Charlotte really helped us,” said Line. “We learned things about our Summit Racing Camaro that we were able to apply here in Indy, and even though we did not make what I would consider a good run, we were still fairly competitive, which is encouraging heading into race day.

“I believe we will have a car capable of winning the race.  However, to do so, we will need to do a better job with the tune-up, as well as avoiding any mistakes that could cost us the win.  I believe we are directionally correct with this new car, and it’s up to us to get it completely dialed in.  If we can do that, we should have a long and productive day tomorrow.  After all, it’s about time I added a U.S. Nationals Wally to my trophy case.”

 Anderson Qualifies Third for U.S. Nationals 
Event:  58th annual Mac Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals

Location: Lucas Oil Raceway, Clermont, Ind.

Day/Date: Saturday, September 8, 2012

After a five-day delay due to heavy rains, qualifying for the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals in Clermont, Ind. was finally completed on Saturday at Lucas Oil Raceway.  Taking advantage of cooler temperatures and lower humidity, the Pro Stock field was able to produce significantly quicker elapsed times, with the top sixteen drivers eclipsing the quickest time from a week ago.

Among those making significant improvements were Greg Anderson and his Summit Racing team, with their Camaro posting the quickest elapsed time of the early session at 6.556 seconds with a top speed of 210.87 mph, a run that would earn the defending event champion the third starting spot for Sunday’s final eliminations.  Anderson gave credit to a two-day test session in Charlotte during the week for the team’s improved showing.

“We’re definitely in a lot better shape than we were a week ago,” said Anderson. “We were happy with the outcome and the e.t. of today’s first run with our Summit Camaro, although it still wasn’t as clean as we’d like.  We thought we could improve on our second attempt, but we underestimated the racetrack and went a little over center.  The starting line wasn’t really that good and we smoked the tires, which affected the entire run.

“The test session we had at zMAX Dragway during the week definitely seems to have helped us. It appears we have found the direction we need to head with this Camaro. The good news is that we believe it has the potential to run faster, including setting low elapsed time.  However, that means we have to go out and do it, making clean runs every time.

“We’re looking forward to tomorrow.  It’s going to be a good day with perfect weather, and we just have to do a better job getting off the starting line so we can haul the mail.  If we execute perfectly we will have a chance to win the U.S. Nationals, which is all we can ask for.”

 U.S. Nationals Postponed by Rain, To Resume Next Weekend 

Event:  58th annual Mac Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals

Location: Lucas Oil Raceway, Clermont, Ind.

Day/Date: Monday, September 3, 2012

The persistent rains which plagued the last two days of the 58th annual Mac Tools U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis, Ind. eventually forced NHRA officials to postpone the event on Monday morning.  Action at Lucas Oil Raceway will resume on Saturday morning, September 8 with the resumption of qualifying, with all professional classes scheduled to receive two additional attempts before heading into final eliminations on Sunday.

Although the original intent was to complete the event on Monday, the combination of a steady drizzle and the discovery that water had seeped under the rubber on the track, requiring a minimum of six hours of track maintenance, led to the decision to delay the event until the following weekend.  As defending U.S. Nationals champion Greg Anderson explains, there simply were no other options.

“We certainly did not want to come back next weekend, but looking at the condition of the racetrack and the forecast for the rest of the day, I support the NHRA’s decision to postpone the event,” said Anderson. “More than anything, however, I feel bad for all the fans that came out the past two days hoping to take in some drag racing.  Hopefully, they will be able to come back next weekend, because it is supposed to be cooler, which means the cars will run a lot faster allowing us to put on a tremendous show.

“This is going to be a hectic week for the Summit Racing team, as we’ll be heading home tonight for a couple days of testing before heading back here to complete the race.  But next Saturday when it’s time for the third qualifying session here at Lucas Oil Raceway, we’ll be ready.”