NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

There are the usual reasons Greg Anderson is looking forward to returning to his home track, Brainerd International Raceway.

There’s the chance to meet up with family and friends, revisit memories from a track where the Duluth, Minn., native grew up racing, and it’s what he calls a break from the heat and humidity in Charlotte, N.C., where the Ken Black Racing team is located.

But more than anything, it’s an opportunity to shine in his Summit Racing Equipment Chevrolet Camaro when the extra attention comes his way. Anderson has always thrived in the races where there is more pressure, whether it is at his sponsor’s race or a trip back to his home track. The four-time Pro Stock world champion has three victories in Brainerd and will look to move into a tie for the most in Pro Stock history at the track during this weekend’s 35th annual Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals at Brainerd International Raceway.

“We’ve learned to embrace it and these types of races seem to motivate us,” said Anderson, who is currently second in Pro Stock points with an impressive seven wins. “History has proven that these are the types of races we seem to do best at. The added pressure makes you drive harder and it seems to work out the best for us. A lot of teams maybe shy away from that and maybe use it as an excuse. But we don’t want that. We want to use it as a motivator. I love it and think it’s great.”

Richie Crampton (Top Fuel), Robert Hight (Funny Car), Erica Enders (Pro Stock) and Eddie Krawiec (Pro Stock Motorcycle) were last year’s winners of the pivotal event that will be broadcast on FOX Sports 1 (FS1) for the first time. FS1 is also adding 30 minutes of live NHRA programming on Saturday to televise the final rounds of Top Fuel and Funny Car from the postponed event in Seattle. The added telecast will air from 3 to 3:30 p.m. ET and will feature the Funny Car final between Del Worsham and Ron Capps, as well as the Top Fuel final between Antron Brown and Steve Torrence. Both final rounds will take place during the third round of qualifying.

The Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals, the 17th of 24 events during the 2016 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series season, is also the penultimate race of the regular season before the Mello Yello Countdown to the Championship begins. Anderson and his longtime teammate and current points leader Jason Line, also a Minnesota native, have each enjoyed a brilliant season in the redesigned Pro Stock class.

They each have seven victories, with Anderson most recently winning in Sonoma, Calif. It has made them both heavy favorites heading to the Countdown to the Championship, but with a talented group of competitors coming on strong, Anderson, who has 85 career victories, knows there is no time to relax.

“You constantly try to find more horsepower and you don’t sit on what you have,” Anderson said. “We wouldn’t have won 14 races by now if we hadn’t continued to go forward. You have to do that or you’re going to get passed by. There are a lot of great competitors in this class and they want to knock us off the mountain. We have to find a way to make a better package for the next race and that’s the mindset we’ve had all year.”

That mindset has led to brilliant and confident driving from Anderson throughout the season. He has parlayed that into 11 final round appearances and wins at four of the past eight races. Having a dominant car is certainly ideal and Anderson has made the most out of it this year.

“Confidence has always gone a long way for me,” Anderson said. “When I’ve got a race car that I know will be fast every time down the track, that seems to have a positive effect on me. It’s critically important to have a clear mind. When you’re thinking about what might go wrong and you’ve got a cloudy mind, you’re going to struggle to cut reaction times. We’ve got that great car this year and all I have to do is go up and execute.”

Anderson will look to get his first win at Brainerd International Raceway since 2011 and to take even more momentum into the Countdown to the Championship. Trying to prevent that is a loaded Pro Stock class that includes Line, defending event winner Enders, who has claimed the last two world championships, four-time Brainerd winner Jeg Coughlin, Bo Butner, Allen Johnson, who won in Denver, 2015 top rookie Drew Skillman, Vincent Nobile, Chicago No. 1 qualifier Shane Gray and Texan Chris McGaha.

But a motivated Anderson racing at his home track could make for another special weekend for the longtime Pro Stock standout.

“I’ve got a lot of great memories at this track,” Anderson said. “I raced there with my father and made a lot of great friends there. It’s a neat feeling and a special one to win. It’s just a great feeling to win at your home track where you put in all those years learning how to race. It’s just great to go back there and we’re definitely going in with a lot of confidence.”

Mello Yello Drag Racing Series qualifying will feature two rounds at 3 and 5:30 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 19, and the final two rounds of qualifying on Saturday, Aug. 20, at 1 and 3:30 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled for 11 a.m. on Sunday, Aug. 21.

To purchase general-admission or reserved seats, call 218-824-RACE (7223) or 866-444-4455. Tickets also are available online at www.brainerdraceway.com. Kids 12 and under are free in general admission areas with a paid adult.