TEAM SUMMIT’S GREG ANDERSON MAKES
FINAL ROUND IN PENNSYLVANIA
Reading, Pa (October 2, 2016) – Team Summit Racing’s Greg Anderson made it to the finals of the Dodge NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway.
On-and-off rain over the weekend gave teams just one chance to qualify for eliminations. Team Summit Racing gave their cars a conservative tune-up so they could make it down the cold 70-degree race track.
GREG ANDERSON Summit Racing Equipment Chevrolet Camaro SS
Anderson qualified third in his Summit Racing Chevrolet Camaro, making a 6.580 second, 210.77 MPH pass. He defeated Jeg Coughlin Jr. (6.579/210.54 vs 6.629/208.17) and John Gaydosh (6.578/209.62 to 6.675/206.99) in the first two rounds of eliminations.
Anderson faced Summit Racing teammate Jason Line in the semi-finals. Line was too eager on the starting line and fouled out with a -.003 second red-light, giving Anderson the automatic win 6.576/210.28, to 6.569/210.28. The round was the 1,000th of Anderson’s career in NHRA competition.
Anderson faced Vincent Nobile in the final round. Nobile got a .021 second starting line advantage and kept the lead all the way to the finish line, taking the win with a 6.575/209.85 to Anderson’s 6.582/210.37.
“I didn’t cut a good light in the final. It adds up to a lot,” Anderson said. “The class is too tight right now so you can’t slip in any area. We had our slowest run in the final round, and there’s no excuse for that. We’ll go home and work hard for a week, and see if we can come to Dallas with a stronger effort.”
Anderson remains second in the Pro Stock points standings.
JASON LINE Summit Racing Equipment Chevrolet Camaro SS
Line qualified second with a 6.575/211.20 run. In Round One opponent Val Smeland broke and Line took the win with a 6.559/210.87, setting low E.T. of the round. He defeated Alan Prusiensky in Round Two (6.578/210.31 to 6.685/206.26) but a foul start in the semi-finals cost him a victory over teammate Greg Anderson.
“It’s just one of those things. Sometimes you live by the light and die by the light,” Line said. “Once again the ladder cost us. The two fastest cars had to face each other in the semifinals; definitely not a good thing.”
Line remains first in the Pro Stock points standings.
TIM WILKERSON Ford Shelby Mustang Nitro Funny Car
Wilkerson qualified twelfth with an 11.102/141.11 pass. He defeated Robert Hight in Round One in a pedaling competition on a 76-degree race track, 5.367/280.25 to 8.245/92.84.
Wilkerson faced current Funny Car points leader Ron Capps in the second round. Wilkerson shook and smoked the tires at the 330-foot mark and Capps made it to the finish line first, taking the win with a 3.898/325.61 to Wilkerson’s 5.865/122.12.
“I really thought I had it handled in the first round,” Wilkerson said. “I didn’t see Robert and I was trying to let the car settle down so I could step back on the gas pedal nice and slow. So I got a little bit of a break involved that time,” Wilkerson said. “Second round, I said we’re going to get on the other side of this tire smoking problem. I fell off the other side of the mountain too far.”
Wilkerson made a big jump in Funny Car Championship points standings, moving from ninth to seventh place.