Anderson Starting From Top Half in Pursuit of Fourth Seattle Win
KENT, Wash., August 3, 2013 – Summit Racing campaigner Greg Anderson has plenty of history at Pacific Raceways as the current full-time NHRA Mello Yello Series Pro Stock driver with the most Seattle wins on his resume. With three victories for Anderson in the books, the Mooresville, N.C.-based driver is aiming to preserve his hard-fought status on Sunday with another win at the NHRA Northwest Nationals.
With another abbreviated block of qualifying – the series has seen more than one day of qualifying washed away by rain this season – Anderson and Team Summit had their work cut out for them as they battled for position in just two sessions, both on Saturday.
“It was disappointing to only have the two sessions, but it was the same for everybody,” said Anderson. “We can’t whine about it, but we are in a position right now where we need all the runs we can get – we’re a little bit behind where we would like to be in performance. However, we learned some things that we think can be applied to tomorrow. We’re confident that we can get a Summit Racing Chevrolet Camaro to the winner’s circle if the drivers do a great job behind the wheel. We’ll need the whole package.”
Friday’s cancellation of festivities due to persistent, misting rain left crew chiefs relying on notes and speculation as they came to the starting line for the first session on Saturday afternoon, but with veteran crew chief Rob Downing at the helm, Anderson and KB Racing teammate Jason Line were a little ahead of the game.
A 6.576 at 210.24 mph flashed on the scoreboard following Anderson’s first journey down the quarter-mile racetrack, and he moved into the No. 6 position. In the second and final qualifying round, the four-time series champ wheeled the white Summit Racing Chevy Camaro to an improved 6.563 at 210.57 mph and will start seventh on Sunday.
Anderson will square off with Rodger Brogdon in round one, a driver he has not raced since Phoenix of 2012. Anderson got the nod in their head-to-head match-up and advanced to the final round – a feat that he hopes to accomplish once again on Sunday in Seattle. Weather will, again, be a factor.
“The conditions were great today, and we had no problems with the racetrack,” said Anderson. “The motors made good power, and quite honestly they acted like we never left Sonoma – it was that close to what we had there last week. It was fun today, now tomorrow is going to be all new. You’re going to see heat and sunshine, and this track is not very friendly to sunshine. It will absolutely demand a different set-up, so we will have to see who can de-tune the best. It will come down to whoever can handle the traction the best.”
In addition to preparing the Summit Racing Chevrolet Camaros for the racetrack today, Anderson and Team Summit enjoyed a visit with an old friend, U.S. Army Staff Sgt. William Thomas Whiteside, who was in Landstuhl, Germany back in 2011 when Anderson and his Summit Racing teammate Jason Line visited the wounded warriors at the base hospital. Whiteside is now stationed at Ft. Lewis, Washington.
“We had a great day with Staff Sgt. Whiteside,” said Anderson. “He’s an inspiration to all of us, and I think he’s got the best attitude of anyone I’ve ever met. It’s a lot of fun to have him around, and he’ll be back tomorrow. Hopefully to witness us hoisting a Wally.