Category Archives: Summit Racing

After Short Week, Anderson Looks for a Long Race Day in Atlanta

After Short Week, Anderson Looks for a Long Race Day in Atlanta

Mooresville, N.C., May 2, 2012 – For the second time in 2012, teams in the NHRA’s Full Throttle Drag Racing Series will be competing on consecutive weekends, heading directly from Houston, Tex. to Commerce, Ga. for the Summit Racing Equipment Southern Nationals.  Although the timeframe may be compressed, the workload remains the same, and unlike their brethren in other racing series who simply exchange race cars from the fleet at their disposal, the straight-liners must work with the single chassis that they use for the entire season, performing between-race maintenance as well as any necessary repairs or modifications.  

In the case of Greg Anderson and the Summit Racing team, the past four days have included nearly 3,000 miles of travel by the team’s twin transporters and Sunday night flights by the remainder of the crew to maximize their time at the shop.  However, the current Pro Stock championship points leader believes the stress of this very hectic week is balanced by the ability to quickly return to competition, whether to extend a run of strong performances or make up for a less than stellar showing.

“This was a very busy week for the Summit Racing team, busier than normal” said Anderson.  “The crew flew home on Sunday night after the race, while one of our transporters came straight home with both race cars so we could work on them, getting them as ship shape as we can for this weekend.  

“At the same time our other truck went north to RJ Race Cars in Illinois to pick up our first Camaro, getting back on Wednesday with just enough time to unpack and reload for Atlanta. We’re really eager to see our Camaros and start this exciting new chapter.  We’re a little disappointed we couldn’t bring them out here at the Summit race, but there just wasn’t enough time.  Besides, we didn’t want to shake down a brand new car at such an important race.   

“It’s certainly been a crazy few days, but if it was up to me I would race every weekend.  When you’re doing well, you naturally want to keep going, while if you have an off race, as we did in Houston, you want to get back to the track as quickly as you can to redeem yourself.  Either way, we’re ready to get back at it in Atlanta.”

With a career elimination-round win percentage of almost 75%, Atlanta Dragway, site of this weekend’s race, understandably ranks high on Anderson’s list of favorite tracks.  Located one hour north of the city in the town of Commerce, it has witnessed much of the growth of his Pro Stock career, starting as a crew chief for a Georgia-based legend to his current status as one of the category’s all-time best racers.  This weekend, he looks to further his reputation and put smiles on the faces of some very important people by scoring his fourth win in the Peach State.

“Naturally, as a Summit race, this is a big event for our entire team,” said Anderson. “Fortunately, we have historically done well at Atlanta Dragway, including putting both Summit cars in the final there a year ago.  It’s one of the tracks that is very friendly to our team so it’s a perfect one to have our sponsor’s name on and we naturally enjoy going there.

“It has also been a very good track for me personally.  People seem to forget that for many years I came here as a crew member and crew chief on Warren Johnson’s car, and we made a lot of runs down this track with more than our share of success.  That gave me an invaluable amount of experience on how to tune a car here, which I believe has played a role in my doing so well here with the KB Racing team.

“We’re excited heading into this weekend.  Jason and I will start off by going to the Coca-Cola Full Throttle Champions’ dinner on Wednesday night, which is always a great time, and then we head up to Atlanta Dragway where we’ll get to see many of our friends from Summit.  We’ve had a very productive week, so I’m confident we’re going to have a good product for this weekend.  I expect us to have a great race with a good chance of winning – after all, our primary goal is to have that Summit Racing executive hand us the Wally at the top end and then join us in the winner’s circle on Sunday night, so we’re going to do everything we can to make it happen.”

Line Set to Welcome Special Atlanta Guest in Style

Line Set to Welcome Special Atlanta Guest in Style

Mooresville, N.C., May 2, 2012 – Celebrity guests are a common occurrence at motorsports events around the world.  From singing the national anthem and being race dignitaries to simply coming the races as invitees of their favorite team, there is always someone of note in attendance when two or four-wheeled competition is involved.

For example, Jason Line and the Summit Racing team are looking forward to welcoming a special guest at this weekend’s Summit Racing Equipment Southern NHRA Nationals in Atlanta, Ga.  Although he may not be a household name, his presence is extremely important to the reigning Full Throttle champion, as for the last two years Command Sergeant Major William “Buck” O’Neal has welcomed Line and the rest of the Team Summit contingent during their visits to Ramstein Air Force base in Germany.  This weekend, Line looks to return the favor, as Command Sergeant Major O’Neal and his father will be at Atlanta Dragway all weekend as guests of Summit Racing Equipment.

“The last two years during our trips to Ramstein Air Force base, Command Sergeant Major O’Neal would always make a point of coming out to welcome us,” recalled Line.  “During our conversations he would tell us what big drag racing fans both he and his father were, and how he couldn’t wait to return home and take his dad to the races.  Naturally, we told him to let us know once he came back, because we would be glad to set him up with a VIP experience.  After all, this is a man who has dedicated his life to the service of our country, so it’s the least we could do.

“Fortunately, he has now returned stateside, and before he heads to his next posting, both he and his father are going to be the special guests of Summit Racing this weekend in Atlanta.  I’m looking forward to seeing him again as well as meeting his father and returning the hospitality he showed us in Germany, giving them an in-depth look into the world of NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing.  It will be good to have them at the track with us and I hope to be able to have them join us in the winner’s circle on Sunday night.”

For Line to achieve his goal of celebrating with the O’Neals on Sunday, he will need to duplicate his Atlanta Dragway performance of a year ago, when he defeated KB Racing teammate Greg Anderson in the final round.  However, standing in his way will be another tough Pro Stock field and unusually warm temperatures which will rob the naturally aspirated engines of valuable horsepower and require an entirely different set-up.  Fortunately, seemingly in his corner is the Peach State speed plant, where he has one win in three final round appearances and seven starts in the top four positions in his previous eight races.

“Last year our Summit Racing team had a really good day in Atlanta, putting both cars in the final, and I was fortunate enough to come out on top,” said Line.  “I think we’re ready to do something good this weekend, which means we’ll have to do a better job than we did last week in Houston.  The conditions there were similar to what is forecast for this weekend, so hopefully we learned a few things about our hot weather tune-up that we’ll be able to use in Atlanta.

“Historically this has been a good track for us, which is something we’d like to continue this weekend.  It’s always a confidence booster to go back to a place where you’ve had success in the past, and the fact that it is a Summit race just makes it that much better.  We have plenty of reasons to do well, so motivation will not be an issue, and we have all the parts and pieces we need to get the job done.   Therefore, it all comes down to execution, and I am confident we have the people in place to make the difference.” 

Line Misses by an Eyelash in Houston Quarterfinals

Line Misses by an Eyelash in Houston Quarterfinals

Event:  25th annual NHRA Spring Nationals

Location: Royal Purple Raceway, Baytown, Tex.

Day/Date: Sunday, April 29, 2012

Having been one of the quickest and most consistent cars throughout qualifying, Summit Racing driver Jason Line entered Sunday’s final eliminations of the NHRA Spring Nationals in Houston, Tex. cautiously optimistic about his chances of scoring his second win of the 2012 season.  Despite the warmer temperatures and higher humidity that engulfed Royal Purple Raceway on race day, the second-qualified Line and his KB Racing team responded well, posting the third-quickest elapsed time of the opening stanza at 6.571-seconds to defeat Rickie Jones.

In the second round against veteran Mike Edwards, Line was able to deliver the quickest elapsed time of that round, covering the quarter-mile in 6.591-seconds with a top speed of 210.50 mph.  Unfortunately, it fell an immeasurable eight thousandths of a second shy of overcoming his rival’s starting line edge and 6.603-second, 209.79 mph run putting a premature end to the reigning Full Throttle champion’s day.

“As close as the competition is right now in Pro Stock, you need an absolutely error-free performance to win,” said Line.  “We didn’t have that today, and as a result our day ended earlier than we wanted.   We didn’t make a particularly good run in the second round, and the driver could have done a better job.  If we had done either of those, we probably would have won the round, but we didn’t, so we have to learn from it and move on.

“The good news is that we have less than a week before our next race, and we have a fast Summit Racing Pontiac.  With only a few days to get ready, we’ll need to pay attention to every detail so we can go to Atlanta, qualify well like we did here, and then convert that performance into four round wins on Sunday.”

Anderson’s Drive Stalls in Houston Second Round

Anderson’s Drive Stalls in Houston Second Round  

Event:  25th annual NHRA Spring Nationals

Location: Royal Purple Raceway, Baytown, Tex.

Day/Date: Sunday, April 29, 2012

Greg Anderson and the Summit Racing team came into Sunday’s final eliminations of the NHRA Spring Nationals in Houston, Tex. looking to continue their 2012 string of race day successes, having advanced to the final round in four of this season’s five races.  To do so, they knew they would need to elevate their performance and find a competitive consistency.  Further complicating the team’s assignment were the increased temperatures and humidity at Royal Purple Raceway, which would not only rob their naturally aspirated engine of valuable horsepower, but also require changes to the tune-up in order to maximize performance.

Starting fifth, Anderson used a solid 6.605-second, 209.78 mph run to defeat Kurt Johnson in the first round.  This set the stage for a quarterfinal encounter with No. 4 qualifier David Connolly, who had posted the second quickest time in the opening round.  Although the four-time champion posted a representative 6.611-second time with a top speed of 210.05 mph, his opponent was able to score the round win with his 6.596-second, 210.11 mph pass.

“For some reason, we were off on the set-up the entire weekend,” said Anderson.  “It wasn’t for lack of trying, as we threw everything at our Summit Racing Pontiac looking to better its performance, but it never really responded the way we wanted it to.  We made a couple of decent runs in qualifying, but just could not duplicate them today in the heat.  We spun the tires at the hit in the second round, and it cost us.

“We have less than a week before our next race in Atlanta, so we’ll put this weekend behind us, study our notes to figure out how to fix this, and do whatever we need to run well there.  Needless to say, we have a lot of work to do, and a very short time in which to do it, so it’s time to roll up our sleeves.”

Line Uses Consistency to Qualify Second in Houston

Line Uses Consistency to Qualify Second in Houston

Event:  25th annual NHRA Spring Nationals

Location: Royal Purple Raceway, Baytown, Tex.

Day/Date: Saturday, April 28, 2012

Jason Line and his Summit Racing team strung together three consistent runs to earn the second starting spot for Sunday’s eliminations of the NHRA Spring Nationals in Houston, Tex.  Starting with his 6.550-second, 211.00 mph effort on Friday evening, the reigning Pro Stock champion made three consecutive passes in the 6.55-second range, including the two quickest runs in Saturday’s twin qualifying sessions, allowing him to add a total of eight bonus points (out of a maximum of 12) while extending his 2012 streak of qualifying in the top two positions to six.

Despite this impressive performance, as he prepared for his first-round encounter with Rickie Jones, Line still felt there was room for even more improvement.  However, his primary concern entering race day was translating his qualifying success into round wins and, hopefully, his second win of the 2012 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing season.

“It may sound funny considering we had the quickest time in each session today, but I thought we would run better than we did,” said Line.  “After all, we’re never happy unless we’re No. 1.   Still, we had a very good day with our Summit Racing Pontiac, especially considering today’s higher temperatures and humidity.  Best of all, we have a great starting spot for tomorrow and a very fast hot rod, one that is certainly capable of winning the race.

“Our goal for tomorrow is quite simple – to turn on our win light four times.  Of course, there are fifteen other drivers with that same idea, so we just have to make sure we do our jobs better than they do.  We’ve shown that we can get it done in qualifying – now it’s time to back that performance up with a win on Sunday.”

Anderson Picks Up the Pace in Houston, Starts Fifth

Anderson Picks Up the Pace in Houston, Starts Fifth

Event:  25th annual NHRA Spring Nationals

Location: Royal Purple Raceway, Baytown, Tex.

Day/Date: Saturday, April 28, 2012

After posting the eighth-quickest time on Friday, Summit Racing driver Greg Anderson entered the final day of qualifying for the NHRA Spring Nationals in Houston, Tex. determined to improve his standing for race day.  Despite Saturday’s higher temperatures, Anderson and his KB Racing crew responded to the challenge, posting the third-quickest time of the morning session at 6.575-seconds with a top speed of 211.00 mph to claim the fifth starting position, his ninth Top Five qualifying performance in 13 career starts at Royal Purple Raceway.

However, as he prepared to open Sunday’s final eliminations against veteran Kurt Johnson, Anderson opined that both he and his KB Racing crew would need to better their performance in order to contend for their third Houston win.  Fortunately, it is a scenario which they have repeated often during this season’s first five races, resulting in two wins in four final round appearances.

“We’re hoping to continue our 2012 trend where we’ve struggled in qualifying but raced extremely well on Sunday,” said Anderson.  “Basically, we’ve been exploring every option in qualifying, trying to improve our performance and get it closer to the top cars.  We could go out there and make four consistent, average runs, but that’s not how you win races.  As tight as the competition is in Pro Stock, you need every facet to be working at its very best.

“I’m confident we’ll be able to take what we’ve learned about this Summit Racing Pontiac and make it better, but there are no guarantees.  Still, in four of this year’s first five races we’ve been able to put it all together on race day so I see no reason why we can’t do the same tomorrow.  By the time the first round rolls around, every member of this team will be ready to do whatever it takes to put this car in the winner’s circle. Everything is there for us to do it, we just have to find a way.”

Second on Friday, Line Aims Higher in Houston

Event:  25th annual NHRA Spring Nationals

Location: Royal Purple Raceway, Baytown, Tex.

Day/Date: Friday, April 27, 2012

Summit Racing driver Jason Line and his fellow Pro Stock competitors faced an unusual challenge during the first day of qualifying for the NHRA Spring Nationals in Houston, Tex.  Under normal circumstances, the “factory hot rods” would enjoy the benefit of extra power during their visit to the Lone Star State due to Royal Purple Raceway’s near sea-level altitude.  However, any potential gains were virtually negated on Friday due to the warm temperatures and high humidity, with crew chiefs scrambling to find the right tune-up to maximize their performance.

Just as he has all season, Line delivered another solid opening-day performance, posting the fourth-quickest time in the first session at 6.591-seconds with a top speed of 210.57 mph before stepping up to a 6.550-second, 211.00 mph run on his second attempt to claim the provisional second position midway through qualifying.

“We made a good run tonight and (provisional No. 1 qualifier) Allen Johnson just made a slightly better one, so I take my hat off to them,” said Line.  “Still, it was a good day for our Summit Racing team.  Besides, we have two more shots at it tomorrow, and we’re not going to go down without a fight.

“That second run wasn’t perfect, but they seldom are.  The important part is that there is something left in it, and we have a good direction with all three cars.  On top of that, the race track was actually better than I thought it would be coming into the weekend. The bumps even turned out to not be as bad, and they had it prepped pretty well.   We’re going to get after it tomorrow, and even if we don’t knock those guys out of the top spot, I think we’ll get close enough to scare them.”

Anderson Swinging for the Cycle in Houston

Mooresville, N.C., April 26, 2012 – Throughout the course of his illustrious Pro Stock career, Summit Racing driver Greg Anderson has won an NHRA national event an average of every 3.78 starts.  In a somewhat ironic twist, the four-time champion has a similar record at Royal Purple Raceway, site of this weekend’s NHRA Spring Nationals, with his two wins spaced four years apart.  Having last visited the Texas quarter-mile winner’s circle in 2008, he is therefore looking forward to this year’s edition as he hopes to continue the trend and score his third win, which, factoring in his record in this season’s first five races, is a distinct possibility.

“Although we naturally wish we had won in Houston more often than we have in the past, we certainly don’t want to upset the racing gods and break our cycle there this year,” joked Anderson.  “After all, this Summit Racing team has had a great start to the season, winning twice, including at the last race in Charlotte, and going to four final rounds, so there’s no reason we can’t keep it going this weekend.

“So far this year, we’ve struggled a bit in qualifying, but managed to turn things around by Sunday and have had a great car in eliminations.  I’ve also been able to dodge a lot of the land mines and gone rounds, so we’re definitely doing a good job of points racing.  But, as the adage says, you’re only as good as your last race, and once we roll through the gates at Royal Purple Raceway, it’s a totally new ball game, and we have to be at our best from the very start.”

Located in the Houston suburb of Baytown, Royal Purple Raceway (formerly known as Houston Raceway Park), has been a fixture on the Full Throttle Drag Racing circuit since 1988, with its sea-level altitude offering the potential for record-setting performances, particularly for the normally-aspirated Pro Stock category.  Although there are some concerns about how the weather may have adversely affected the racing surface over the last year, Anderson and crew are looking forward to taking advantage of the horsepower-rich conditions.

“We always have great atmospheric conditions in Houston, and our Summit Racing Pontiacs usually run fast there,” said Anderson.  “From what I hear, we may have a couple extra challenges this year with the race track getting a little bumpier, which will be a good test for the crew chiefs and the crew guys – after all, that’s why we have shock absorbers on these cars, and have put a lot of effort into our shock packages over the last few years.

“We’ve made tremendous progress as far as being able to handle a rough racetrack, so we look forward to trying to tame it, keeping the power to the ground.  If you can keep the tire on the ground, you’re going to run fast.  We look forward to racing on any track where we can run low elapsed times and big speeds, and Houston is one of them.  It’s one of the big barometer tracks where if the circumstances are right, you can set records, making it a fun race.

“We always seem to get a good turnout in Houston, with the fans packing the stands, and it’s a Pro Stock crowd.  It’s definitely a Pro Stock type track, and, as well as our Summit Racing Pontiacs have been running this year, we look forward to getting there seeing what we can do to improve upon our last race and get that third Spring Nationals trophy.  It’s going to be tough with everyone gunning for us, but I think we’re up to it.”

Greg Anderson & the Summit Racing Pontiac crew

By the Numbers – Royal Purple Raceway edition:

2 – Wins by Anderson at Royal Purple Raceway coming into this weekend, most recently in 2008.

4.67 – Average starting position for Greg in his previous 12 starts in Baytown.

7 – Top Three starts by Anderson in his 12 prior races at the Houston quarter-mile.

15 – Elimination round wins by Greg in his previous 12 starts at RPR, versus 10 losses for a .600 win percentage.

26 – Times Anderson has posted consecutive victories in his career coming into this weekend, most recently at the 2011 Brainerd and Indianapolis races.

Line Targets the Total Package in Houston

Mooresville, N.C., April 26, 2012 – The NHRA’s Full Throttle Drag Racing Series will visit 20 different tracks throughout the course of the 2012 season at locations spanning the continental United States.  Although the race distance for the Pro Stock category remains the same quarter mile at each stop, any other similarities are few and far between, with every facility having its own distinctive characteristics.

For example, Royal Purple Raceway, site of this weekend’s NHRA Spring Nationals in Baytown, Tex., is quite popular with the Pro Stock contingent due to atmospheric conditions that are particularly friendly to the carbureted, 1,400-horsepower “factory hot rods”.  As the primary engine builder and driver of one of the powerful Summit Racing Pontiacs, a visit to the former Houston Raceway Park therefore appeals to Jason Line on two levels, which he hopes to combine into a winning performance.

“It’s fun racing in Houston, because there’s always the potential to go really fast,” said Line.  “Royal Purple Raceway is a good air track, and the fact that it’s a high barometer is actually a naturally aspirated engine’s dream come true.  Although it’s been good the last two years, there are some concerns about the racing surface this year, which is something we’ll have to deal with when we get there, and in any case, it will be the same for everyone.

“Fortunately, we know our Summit Racing Pontiac is a really good hot rod – in fact, it is now the quickest and fastest in Pro Stock history (note: Line reset the NHRA top speed record at 213.91 mph two weeks ago in Charlotte, NC, and set the elapsed time mark at 6.477 seconds last fall in Reading, PA) and we hope to put it to good use this weekend.”

However, in order for Line to score his second win at the Lone Star State speed plant (and second of 2012), both he and his KB Racing crew will need to translate the competitive excellence shown in qualifying into round wins on Sunday.  In this season’s first five races, he has been the No. 1 qualifier three times and started second in the other two races, accumulating a wealth of the bonus points awarded after each qualifying session.  Although he has been a solid performer on race day and sits second in the championship standings he enters the weekend determined to add to his solitary victory.

“Our Summit Racing Pontiac has been phenomenal in qualifying but, with one exception, we have yet to turn that into race wins,” said Line.  “I can’t explain why that is, or exactly how we’re going to fix it, but I’m confident we will.  We obviously have the tools and the right people to get it done, so it’s just a matter of putting all the pieces of the puzzle together.

“A winning effort starts with everyone on the team doing their jobs on all three days, making sure to avoid any mental mistakes.  If we do that, I’m pretty certain we will end up with a favorable outcome.  These conditions should work in our favor, and this is a track where we have historically done well.  I am extremely motivated to get back to the winners’ circle, and the way I see it, there’s no time like the present to do it.”

Jason Line & the Summit Racing Pontiac crew

By the Numbers – Royal Purple Raceway edition:

1 – Jason wins at Royal Purple Raceway coming into this weekend, which came in 2007.

2 – No. 1 qualifiers by Jason at RPR, most recently in 2009.

3 – Final round appearances by Line in Baytown (in 2004, 2005 & 2007)

3.25 – Average starting position for Jason in his previous 8 RPR starts.

7 – Top Five starts by Line in his 8 prior races in Baytown.

13 – Elimination round wins by Jason in his previous eight starts at RPR, versus 6 losses for a .684 win percentage.