Anderson and Team Summit outsmart the racetrack to reach final round in Englishtown
 
ENGLISHTOWN, N.J., June 1, 2014 – Summit Racing Pro Stock driver Greg Anderson’s friendship with Old Bridge Township Raceway Park in Englishtown was renewed this weekend at the 45th annual Toyota NHRA Summernationals, and for the seventh time in his career, Anderson wheeled his way to the final round at the esteemed event. Qualifying in the top half of the field and collecting round wins on raceday inched Anderson even closer to a much-desired position in NHRA’s Pro Stock top 10.
 
Starting from the No. No. 8 position, Anderson piloted one of just five cars to make it down the racetrack with a respectable time on a very tricky racing surface. While pedalfests abounded in round one, Anderson got loose early but regained control to clock a 6.554 at 213.43 mph and advance on rookie competitor Jonathan Gray. In the second round, the 74-time national event winner came to the starting line for a meeting with Chris McGaha, the No. 16 qualifier who had just pulled off an upset over low qualifier Allen Johnson.
 
What was to ensue in their head-to-head match was a real thriller as both Anderson and McGaha left the starting line and quickly lost traction. Each driver worked the throttle, pedaling as they tried to get the tires to stick back to the racetrack, and ultimately it was Anderson who was able to get to the finish line first. His 7.906 topped McGaha’s 8.272 for the win.
 
The semifinals started on a strange note as Rodger Brogdon’s car failed to maintain power as he attempted to pull to the starting line. Anderson, who had already pulled forward to the waterbox and was preparing to make his burnout, was alerted to the situation and so pulled back to wait for his opponent. When NHRA officials signaled Anderson to move forward, he did so and completed the burnout, and Brogdon quickly found power and made a short burnout of his own.
 
Although he came to the round without lane choice, Anderson wheeled his Summit Racing Camaro off the starting line ahead of Brogdon and turned on the win light with a 6.535 at 214.25 mph that easily surpassed his opponent’s troubled 15.406. The victory sent Anderson ahead to his second final round of the season and the 115th of his career at a racetrack where he had already claimed five wins, including the historic 100th win for KB Racing and the first of the new generation Pro Stock Camaros in 2012.
 
In this year’s final, Anderson launched with an incredible .010-second reaction time to nab a .006 edge on Jeg Coughlin. He was charging towards the coveted victory in those early moments of the run, but he very quickly was slowed by the same issue that most other drivers had experienced at some point throughout the day as the tires of his Camaro broke loose and the engine shut off.
 
“It was a weird day, with a lot of pedaling for the Pro Stock cars,” said Anderson. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen a day like this. The power level went up, the air was great, and the starting line got warm and everyone had a hard time managing it. Thankfully, the Summit Racing team had a lot of luck and good fortune, and we made the proper adjustments before the semifinal round but went over the top again in the finals. It was a complete tuners battle today.
 
“We are hitting ourselves for not backing it down a little bit more for the final, but the good news is that we made it to the final at all. I’m a little disappointed because you always want that win, and I really want it because it’s been a long time for me – over two years now. We had a good day, just not a great day.”
 
According to NHRA and National Dragster stats keeper Brad Littlefield, Anderson is now just two round-wins shy of tying Pro Stock icon Bob Glidden’s remarkable 597. Pro Stock legend – and Anderson’s former boss Warren Johnson holds the all-time record at 873.
 
“It’s great to see that type of thing, and that’s a real neat deal – but the truth is that we are more focused right now on the performance of our cars and getting them where we want them to be. Until we get that, we won’t be satisfied, but by achieving the results we are so focused on, we are also going to be able to achieve milestones. I can promise you that we are all looking forward to that.”