Anderson earns career 77th No. 1 qualifier award with Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals pole
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind., September 6, 2015 – On Sunday at the 61st annual Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals, Greg Anderson sealed the deal on the 77th low qualifier award of his career. Powering the red Summit Racing Chevrolet Camaro, Anderson will start from the No. 1 spot for the fourth time at Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis, and he will be seeking a record seventh Indy title beginning with a first-round meeting with Aaron Stanfield.
Anderson, whose most recent Indy pole was at the U.S. Nationals in 2006, accumulated a total of 11 bonus points throughout qualifying; in three of the four rounds, his Summit Racing Chevrolet Camaro was the best of the bunch.
“I ended up a couple points short of getting a round back on Erica [Enders, incoming points leader], so it’s all going to come down to tomorrow,” said Anderson. “I’m going to have to go one round further than her, or I’m not going to be the No. 1 seed going into the Countdown to the Championship. The table is set, and I’ve got a great racecar with my Summit Racing Chevrolet Camaro.
“It’s going to be very hot tomorrow, but I like that. I think my car has been the best on hot racetracks all year, and when I looked at the forecast, I just kind of smiled. The weather is tough on the crew on days like that, but that’s when my little Camaro seems to shine. She’s almost been on autopilot all four runs here this weekend, so we are very, very pleased.”
The single qualifying session on Friday was canceled due to rain. On Saturday, Anderson was out of the box with a 6.612-second pass at 209.01 mph that sent him up to the No. 2 position. His 6.562, 210.70 sent him to the top in the later pass on the first full day of qualifying, and in the first session, on Sunday, Anderson was back at it with a 6.563, 210.97 that was best of the round. He closed out qualifying with another impressive pass, a 6.591, 210.44 that bested his competitors. Anderson, who holds the record as the currently competing Pro Stock driver with the most Indy wins, would like nothing more than to add another special trophy to his collection.
“Getting a seventh Indy win would mean the world,” admitted Anderson. “It’s been a while since I’ve had a good run up here, and this place means more to me than anywhere else in the country. To win at Indy means everything, and I guess I live for Monday and for that moment. It’s the best day of the year.
“We look forward to tomorrow. We could make a huge move. You have to be on your game and you’re going to have to have a good day if you expect to hold onto your spot going into the Countdown to the Championship in two weeks in Charlotte or expect to move up. You can’t be shy at Indy, and this racetrack will take almost anything you throw at it. Let’s get it on tomorrow.”