Anderson Feeling at Home in Summit Racing Camaro in Houston
Mooresville, N.C., April 25, 2014 – Greg Anderson has been anxiously awaiting this moment – the moment when he could return to the driver’s seat of his Summit Racing Chevrolet Camaro – and today in Houston at the 27th annual O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA SpringNationals, the 74-time national event winner and four-time Pro Stock world champ finally was able to seize the opportunity.
Anderson missed the first five events of the 2014 Mello Yello Drag Racing Series as he recovered from heart surgery to repair a bicuspid aortic valve and put forth extensive effort towards recovery to make his return one race earlier than anticipated. Cleared by his doctor earlier in the week, Anderson was suited up and ready for the first round of qualifying with the attention of nearly everyone on the grounds at Royal Purple Raceway focused on his first run.
“It felt perfect. I felt at home,” said Anderson, who had an excellent .025-second reaction time at the tree and was a cool 6.636, 209.92 mph in his first full quarter-mile pass. “There was not one inkling of pain, and I didn’t even have to think about it going down the racetrack. It was just like it’s always been. From the minute I started that car to the turn off at the finish line I never once thought, ‘does my heart hurt, is my heart racing, is there any pain, is there any issue?’ Not one time. Quite honestly, I didn’t even know I had heart surgery today. It was very smooth and way ahead of what I expected. The chest protector I built certainly helped, but there is no question that the surgeons did a good job.”
Anderson wore a unique chest protector that he requested to be built by Simpson. The concept of the piece is based on the smaller-sized, Top Dog chest protectors made by Simpson and worn by children who race go-karts. A mold was taken of Anderson’s chest and the carbon fiber protector was crafted.
“It’s bullet proof. It protects my chest, and I don’t feel a thing,” said Anderson, who is the only driver in any category to have the protective device at this time. “I can yank down on the seatbelts as hard as I want, and I don’t feel any pulling on my chest. It’s definitely a great product that Simpson now has, and I’m telling you, everybody who drives a car should have something like this.”
Anderson improved to a 6.607 at 210.54 mph in his second pass and finished the day in the No. 11 position. Although he didn’t jump right up to the top of the pack in his first day back in the seat of his red Summit Racing Chevrolet Camaro, Anderson was exceptionally pleased with the ultimate outcome of the day.
“I’m very happy,” said Anderson. “I’ve been wearing a big smile all day long. The good news about that is I know better than anybody that the mind is more important than anything in this game. I think my mind is stronger now, I think I’m in a better place and a happier person than I’ve been at a racetrack in a long time. I hope that carries me a long way. I’ve said it before; the mind has to be 3/4 of what we do out here. Hopefully, that helps me win races and get in that Countdown to the Championship.
“Just to be back at the racetrack and back in that racecar, it felt great. I guarantee there were a whole lot of people outside of my car a whole lot more nervous than I was today. I was at ease 100%. There were no issues, no problems. I’m ready to get back to racing as hard as I can and winning races with a smile. I’m a pretty happy camper.”
