Fast Anderson Races to a Fourth zMAX Dragway Final
CONCORD, N.C., March 29, 2015 – Greg Anderson added to his notoriously powerful past at zMAX Dragway with a stellar showing on Sunday at the 6th annual NHRA Four-Wide Nationals, visiting yet another Concord final round in his Summit Racing Chevrolet Camaro and resetting his own personal records along the way.
“zMAX Dragway has always been good to us,” said Anderson, who was No. 3 in NHRA’s Mello Yello Drag Racing Series points at the conclusion of the event. “I can’t wait to test here again, and I can’t wait to race here in the fall. It’s great to call this my hometown racetrack, and I’m very proud of the job that they’ve done. We were fast here with the old surface, and we’re still fast now with this new surface. The future looks great for KB Racing in Concord.”
It was a long drought for the now 75-time Pro Stock national event winner, but after winning two weeks ago at the NHRA Gatornationals in Gainesville, Anderson was right back on the horse. He rode into his hometown racetrack near Charlotte with the fiery red Summit Racing Chevrolet Camaro and showed that old KB Racing power, blasting to a qualifying best time of 6.502-seconds at 213.64 mph and starting from the No. 4 position. It only got better from there.
In the first round of the Four-Wide Nationals, Anderson clocked a quick .033-second reaction time and fired off a 6.467 at 215.13 mph, shattering both ends of his previous career best numbers. Anderson and Jonathan Gray advanced, while Allen Johnson and V. Gaines were sent home.
Team Summit turned up the heat for round two, and Anderson launched with a .032 and efficiently tripped the final timer with a stout 6.478 at a booming 215.48 mph, knocking out his own personal best once again and claiming top speed of the meet and the zMAX Dragway track record with the second-fastest pass in the history of Pro Stock. Anderson again advanced along with Jonathan Gray, while Erica Enders-Stevens and Chris McGaha were both halted with trouble on the racetrack.
Anderson moved ahead to the 118th final round of his eventful career and his fourth at zMAX Dragway. In the previous three rounds he contested there in Concord, N.C., the Mooresville resident was undefeated. Filled with confidence and hope, the KB Racing team prepared Anderson and the red Summit Racing Chevrolet Camaro for the money-round match with Larry Morgan, Gray, and KB Racing powered Vincent Nobile.
Again, Anderson was great at the starting line, clocking a respectable .024 and surging towards the finish line with the trophy in sight. Unfortunately, Morgan was first off the starting line and first to the finish for a 6.464, 214.52 win over Anderson’s 6.475, 214.93. Third and fourth in the quad were Jonathan Gray and Vincent Nobile, who respectively recorded 6.498 and 6.508 passes. Anderson was technically runner-up.
“Larry did a great job of driving, and there was no luck involved there – he took that win; he made it happen. We gave it a good run, and No. 2 isn’t bad, but it’s just not No. 1 so we have to keep working,” said Anderson. “But to be first in Gainesville two weeks ago and then second this week for the first two times out in my little red Summit Racing Chevrolet Camaro, that makes me pretty darn happy. Obviously, the next step is to get back to victory circle, and I’ve got a car that can do it now. I was happy coming in here, and I’m happy leaving. It’s fun racing again. It’s really that simple. This little red Chevy is going to be fast. We didn’t get it quite right in low gear this weekend, but it’s got potential to be a lot faster. I’m tickled, and I think it’s going to continue to be a lot of fun this year.”