In the days preceding this weekend's Mac Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis, racers in every
category will be talking about the significance of the event, often describing it as the biggest
race of the Full Throttle Drag Racing season. However, there will be no such words of praise
coming from Summit Racing Pontiac pilot Jason Line, as this race has proven to be one of the
greatest challenges of his Pro Stock career. While the Wright, MN native has excelled at almost
every other stop on the circuit, he has struggled to succeed at O'Reilly Raceway Park, with only
two quarterfinal finishes to his credit, a blemish he looks to eradicate this weekend.
"For some reason, the U.S. Nationals have just not been kind to me," said Line. "I did make it to
the fourth round there once in my Stocker, but other than a couple round wins, I've had my share of
issues at Indy in Pro Stock, including having the brake pedal break during the burnout in 2005. It
might be bad luck or it might have something to do with the time of year. We're usually really
busy and I'm wide open thrashing to make sure we're ready for the stretch run, which in the past
might have caused me to lose focus, which is something you cannot do in this class.
"But this year our Summit Racing team is in pretty good shape. We still have plenty of work to do,
but both Greg's (teammate Anderson) and my cars have been running well of lat e. That should allow
me to concentrate on my driving so I can finally go some rounds and contend for the win on Monday."
Fortunately, Line does not put a lot of stock into his past history at any event, whether good or
bad, preferring instead to focus on the challenges that lie ahead. Fueled by the combination of
having a five-time U.S. Nationals winner as his teammate and his own team's race-winning
performance in recent weeks, there is an atmosphere of cautious optimism in the Line camp, as they
prepare for the final race before the start of the six-race championship playoff, the Countdown to
One.
"Without a doubt, this year represents my best chance to win the U.S. Nationals, and I fully intend
to take full advantage of the opportunity," stated Line. "Our Summit Racing team has a long
history of success at this race with Greg winning there five times, so we'll have plenty of good
information to draw from during the course of the weekend, which combined with our performance over
the last few months, puts us in a really good position.
"I know I haven't been a fan of O'Reilly Raceway Park in the past, but I have to admit it would be
pretty big to make it to the winner's circle there. Not only would it allow me to add my name to a
very distinguished list of previous winners in Indianapolis, but it would also be my fifth win of
the season, which would be a new career best.
"You also can't discount the fact that this is the last race before the Countdown, so you naturally
want to do well. We want to head in to the playoffs on a positive note, and if things work in our
favor, we could take over the No. 1 spot and the 20 bonus points that go with it heading in to
Charlotte. Any way you look at it, we have plenty of reasons to succeed, so I think it's about
time we put our issues with Indy behind us and took home our first U.S. Nationals winner's trophy."
Fast Facts on Jason Line & the Summit Racing Pontiac crew at the Mac Tools NHRA U.S.
Nationals:
Jason is at odds with ORP: In six career starts at O'Reilly Raceway Park, Jason has an
uncharacteristic two round wins, and is still looking to advance beyond the second round.
Looking to add the Big Go to the list: Should Jason win this weekend, it will be his first Pro
Stock win at O'Reilly Raceway Park, making it the 14th different track where he has won in his Pro
Stock career.
Jason Aims to be No. 19 on the U.S. Nationals Winners' List: If Jason is able to win this weekend's
Mac Tools U.S. Nationals, he will become the 19th different Pro Stock winner at the "Big Go".
Line has started well at the U.S. Nationals: In six career starts, Jason has a total of four Top
Five starts and a 6.33 average starting position.
Event Schedule:
Friday, September 4: A single qualifying session at 5:30 p.m.
Saturday, September 5: Two qualifying sessions at 12:00 noon & 5:45 p.m.
Sunday, September 6: Two qualifying sessions at 11:30 a.m. & 2:30 p.m.
Monday, September 7: Final eliminations starting at 11:00 a.m.
Television Coverage (all coverage on ESPN2):
Qualifying (2=2 0shows): Sunday, September 6 - 11:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
- and - 5:00 p.m. -
7:00 p.m.
Eliminations: Monday, September 7 - 1:00 - 6:00 p.m.
RaceDay: Sunday, September 6 - 11:00 - 11:30 a.m.
(All times Eastern)
Established in 1968, Summit Racing Equipment is the leading high performance parts and accessories
company. Summit Racing offers the largest selection, lowest prices, and best customer service in
the high performance industry via catalogs, Internet, and Retail Super Stores. The company is
headquartered in Tallmadge, Ohio with retail locations in Tallmadge, Ohio; Sparks, Nevada; and
McDonough, Georgia. For more information, please visit http://www.summitracing.com
