Line Hopes to Extend Team Summits Winning Record in Chicago
MOORESVILLE, N.C., July 7, 2015 – The Summit Racing NHRA Pro Stock team has had quite a year so far. Jason Line, driver of the blue Summit Racing Chevrolet Camaro, was in possession of the points lead after winning the very first race of the 2015 Mello Yello Drag Racing Series season, and currently, KB Racing teammate Greg Anderson is the points leader with his red Summit Racing Chevrolet Camaro. In all, Team Summit has reached the final round at eight of the first 12 national events, and twice the final round has featured both of the Summit Racing Camaros.
Line has two trophies so far earned this year and will be aiming for a third at this weekend’s 18th annual Route 66 NHRA Nationals in Chicago. Early in Line’s career, the stadium-style facility just outside of the Windy City was good to him. His first memories there are as a sportsman racer hailing from a small town in Minnesota.
“I raced my Stocker there at the inaugural national event in 1998,” recalled Line, who turned pro in 2003. “Right away, I thought, ‘Wow, this is a cool place.’ I remember being very impressed, and I think most people feel like that the first time they race there. It’s still one of the nicest places we get to visit on the Mello Yello tour.”
Line was unstoppable in Chicago early in his career. In fact, the very first Pro Stock trophy he earned was at Route 66 Raceway with Anderson in the other lane.
“I won three in a row there, starting with my first Pro Stock win in 2004. That was back when I was good,” joked Line, now a 37-time winner in his Summit Racing Pro Stocker and a two-time world champion. “I like going there, and obviously I have some pretty good memories at that racetrack. No matter how tough a season seems to be going for me, I can usually go there and have a pretty good weekend. I definitely look forward to going there, and it’s always fun because a lot of the Division 5 guys I used to race with are there, so we get to reconnect.”
Last season, Line was runner-up in Chicago to KB Racing teammate Vincent Nobile. In all, he has been to six final rounds at Route 66 Raceway.
“That racetrack has been pretty good to me,” said Line, currently No. 3 in the Pro Stock points. “I’d like to have the opportunity to get back to the final round this weekend, and I think we have a pretty good shot. We’ll know in just a few days.”