Summit Racing–Anderson resets career best speed to start from top half in Englishtown

Anderson resets career best speed to start from top half in Englishtown
 
ENGLISHTOWN, N.J., May 31, 2014 – Old Bridge Township Raceway Park has historically been a favored venue for Summit Racing Pro Stock driver Greg Anderson, and this weekend’s 45th annual Toyota Racing NHRA Summernationals is no exception. On Saturday in Englishtown, the 74-time NHRA national event victor and four time Pro Stock world champion returned to form and qualified in the top half of the field for the first time this year.
 
Anderson, who missed the first five races of the 2014 season of NHRA’s Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, struggled in qualifying for the first three events, but here in Englishtown he found the groove and qualified in the No. 8 position.
 
On the first day of the event and in a session where many drivers experienced tire shake just off the starting line, Anderson went right down the racetrack to clock to a 6.561 at 212.76 mph. The second day brought even better results as he wheeled the white Summit Racing Chevrolet Camaro to a 6.505, 213.94 followed by a best time of 6.503 at a big speed of 214.31 mph that reset his career best.
 
“We made two consistent runs today, and they were both very smooth,” said Anderson, who will race rookie Jonathan Gray in the first round of eliminations on Sunday. “I think we could have been quicker; we were just a little too conservative, a little too safe, so we’re going to kick it a bit harder tomorrow. This car is acting like it wants to be more aggressive, and we like that. The other good news is that we are on the safe side right now, and we know it will do what it did today every time. Hopefully, the racetrack will be as good tomorrow as it was today. We will go after it harder tomorrow, though. That’s the plan.”
 
The strong desire to be ever quicker and faster is ingrained in Anderson, and on Saturday in Englishtown that hunger was somewhat rewarded by the career best speed recorded in the final session.
 
“It’s definitely fast out there, and that’s part of the reason why we love coming to Englishtown,” said Anderson. “It has often fallen in our hands here. These conditions that we had today were what we hope for every time we come to the races. This racetrack has been such a great place for this Summit Racing team, and the conditions today were so good. If I’m ever going to have a great chance to win, it will be here tomorrow.”