NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

The current run of Pro Stock teammates Jason Line and Greg Anderson has been nothing short of incredible to start the 2016 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series season. The Summit Racing Equipment teammates have combined to win all 11 races in the new era of Pro Stock, with points leader Line picking up his sixth victory last weekend in Bristol.

 

Line knows that this unbelievable stretch won’t last forever, but the two-time Pro Stock world champion is hoping it does go at least one more race at this weekend’s 10th annual Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals at Summit Racing Equipment Motorsports Park.

 

The pressure will be immense at his sponsor’s race and track, but Line plans on simply embracing that moment in his Summit Racing Equipment Chevrolet Camaro.

 

“It’s hard not to think about,” Line said of the implications of the weekend’s event. “The only thing you can do is know that it’s there and try to turn it into a positive thing and use it to help you and not hinder you. It’s really just focusing a lot and keeping it all in perspective. We’ve got good hot rods right now.

 

“All things must come to an end, but I would hate to have it come to an end there. It’s been such a phenomenal year so far. It’s been a dream season and I’m excited about all of it. There’s so many reasons to be happy. I really enjoy these summer races. I can bring my family with me, and that’s always a lot of fun.”

 

Doug Kalitta (Top Fuel), Jack Beckman (Funny Car), Anderson (Pro Stock), and Karen Stoffer (Pro Stock Motorcycle) were last year’s winners of the event. For the first time, the race will be televised nationally on FOX Sports 1. It also marks the halfway point of the season and finishes off a stretch of four consecutive race weekends.

 

The rigorous stretch has been nothing but business as usual for Line and Anderson, continuing their dominance in the new-look Pro Stock class, which features race cars with fuel-injected engines, shorter wheelie bars, flat hoods, and a 10,500-rpm rev limiter. Anderson won the first two races of this "Eastern Swing," but Line was impressive in Bristol, qualifying No. 1 for the sixth time this season and knocking off Anderson in the final round. It is already the seventh time Line, who has 43 career victories, and Anderson have met in a final round this season, as the team continues to develop and find improvements despite the dominant start.

 

“The biggest thing is the job done by our car guys, from [crew chief] Rob [Downing] and everyone else,” Line said. “They’ve done a phenomenal job making sure we get down the track and get down fast, even when the track or the conditions are a little iffy. That’s really impressive, and they’ve done a great job helping Greg and I look good.”

 

Line has started strong and never let up, advancing to 10 final rounds. But he also has a confidence in his Camaro that is unlike any time in his standout career. He hopes to continue to build on the already impressive momentum as the Mello Yello Countdown to the Championship nears, but his faith in his car is at an all-time high.

 

“For me, I don’t go up there thinking I’m going to shake or anything like that,” Line said. “I don’t even think about it. I know it’s going to go down the racetrack. It’s a nice feeling to have that kind of confidence. It’s a great thing, and it’s really quite a feeling.”

 

Line doesn’t expect it to be fleeting, but he is the first to admit that talented competition in Pro Stock is gaining, and it is a class filled with standouts. It certainly includes Anderson and their KB Racing teammate Bo Butner and also features two-time Norwalk winner Vincent Nobile, back-to-back and reigning world champ Erica Enders, 2012 champ Allen Johnson, veteran driver Shane Gray, Chris McGaha, and five-time world champ and Ohio native Jeg Coughlin Jr.

 

But Line is focused on doing well at Summit Racing Equipment Motorsports Park in Norwalk. He looks forward to enjoying the festive atmosphere in Northeast Ohio following the Cleveland Cavaliers’ NBA championship on Sunday, as well as the growing surge of interest he has felt from NHRA fans all season.

 

“All my friends from Ohio are texting me, and it’s just a very positive vibe right now,” said Line, who won in Norwalk in 2009. “I also feel like everybody is excited about the future of this sport, with the television deal, and the fan support has just been awesome. It’s also a great time in Norwalk. It’s a great place, and there are great drag race fans up there.”

 

NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series qualifying will feature two rounds at 5 and 7:45 p.m. on Friday, June 24, and the final two rounds of qualifying on Saturday, June 25, at 12:30 and 3:15 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled for 11 a.m. on Sunday, June 26.

 

To purchase general-admission or reserved seats, call Summit Racing Equipment Motorsports Park at 419-668-5555. Tickets also are available online at www.summitmotorsportspark.com. Kids 12 and under are free in general-admission areas with a paid adult.