Sun, 26 Feb 2017, 12:43 PM Team Summit in Best possible Position Heading into Raceday at NHRA Arizona Nationals |
Courtesy of Kelly Topolinski |
CHANDLER, Ariz. -
 Jason Line
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Final qualifying in Phoenix marks the second consecutive race and 42nd time overall that Anderson and Line have qualified No. 1 and No. 2. Line has been low qualifier 18 times with Anderson No. 2, and Anderson has been the pole-sitter 24 times with Line No. 2.
He was happy with the outcome of qualifying for the second race of 24 on the 2017 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series schedule. However, even though he had the quickest car in each Saturday session, Line wasn't thrilled about the day's performance as he sat before the media wearing the coveted green No. 1 qualifier hat. In the early Saturday pass, Line recorded a 6.534-second run at 211.23 mph, and in the final round of qualifying he clocked a 6.535, 211.33.
"Yesterday was good, but today wasn't a great day," said the Mooresville, N.C.-based driver who claimed the 51st low qualifier award of his career as an NHRA Pro Stock driver. "I tried a few things, and we didn't do a fantastic job - actually, I didn't do a fantastic job. What we were trying needs a little more work before we bring it out, for sure."
Line had the luxury of testing due to wheeling his blue Summit Racing Chevrolet Camaro to a crisp 6.509-second pass at 212.19 mph in the second qualifying session - the quickest ever in the new Pro Stock era of electronic fuel injection (EFI). In testament to progress made over the course of the last year, the monster run was not far off the Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park track record of 6.498, set in 2013 by Mike Edwards.
Notably, the standing track record was set during the time of carbureted engines and before EFI was mandated for the Pro Stock class ahead of the 2016 season.
"You'll see some 6.4-second passes this year, that's for sure," predicted Line. "It will be cool to get back into the .40s. It's always fun to go fast - that's what we're here for. Everybody is going forward, we're all making more power and doing things better, and that's going to make for some really good racing. It'll stink for me, but it will be really good for the fans."
As for Sunday in Phoenix, Line is preparing for a first-round meeting with Val Smeland, the driver he defeated in the first round of the NHRA Winternationals two weeks ago in Pomona. Anderson will square off with veteran driver Kenny Delco, a driver he raced twice in later rounds last season and got the better of each time.
"Yesterday was great, and we hit the target with both of our Summit Racing Chevrolet Camaros twice, but today we missed a little bit on both runs," said Anderson, who recorded a 6.550 at 211.53 followed by a 6.546, 211.23 in his red Summit Racing Chevrolet Camaro. "It got a little bit warmer out there today, and we just didn't make the right adjustments. But that's okay, we learned.
"We had two different conditions from yesterday to today, and then tomorrow might be racing in different conditions again. We have the data, though, we just have to make adjustments. I don't think we'll see quite as much sunshine tomorrow, so the racetrack should be great. I feel good, and I can't say it enough - I have all the confidence in the world in our crew chief, Rob Downing, making the best calls of anybody out there. So I'm excited. We just need to go and get a good night's sleep, wake up happy, and go to battle."
Final eliminations for the 33rd annual NHRA Arizona Nationals are scheduled to begin on Sunday at 11am MT at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park.
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