KB Racing LLC: Line finishes runner-up at Bandimere Speedway
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE KB RACING LLC NHRA POWERADE DRAG RACING SERIES SUMMIT RACING EQUIPMENT PONTIAC GTO PRO STOCK JASON LINE - DRIVER MEDIA CONTACT: Mickey Schultz PHONE: 425-557-8899 E-MAIL: mschultz@bellsouth.net 27TH ANNUAL NHRA MOPAR MILE-HIGH NATIONALS BANDIMERE SPEEDWAY - MORRISON, COLO. (DENVER) JULY 14-16, 2006 QUALIFYING: #1: 7.062 seconds at 195.65 mph ELIMINATIONS: Round 1: Line (7.094/194.46) def. Mike Thomas (7.210/19252) Round 2: Line (7.120/193.68) def. Richie Stevens, Jr. (7.193/192.36) Round 3 (semifinals): Line (7.124/194.04) def. Greg Anderson (7.157/193.77) Round 4 (finals): Line (7.141/194.13) lost to Dave Connolly (7.173/193.07) Line finishes runner-up at Bandimere Speedway MORRISON, Colo. (July 16, 2006) - With the air temperature reaching over 100 degrees and track temperatures even higher, Jason Line finished runner-up to Dave Connolly at this weekend's 27th annual NHRA Mopar Mile-High Nationals. It was the second final round for the pair this season, with each having one win. Also, for Line it was the third final round for 2006 and his 18th final round of his career - he has ten career wins. Running low elapsed time of the opening round, Line defeated Mike Thomas. Line ran a 7.094-second pass to 7.210 for Thomas. Line moved to the second round against Richie Stevens, Jr. With Stevens getting away first at the green light, Line had to use the power of his KB Racing LLC-owned, Summit Racing Equipment-backed Pro Stock Pontiac GTO to defeat Stevens in the second round. Stevens gained a 34 thousandths of a second advantage at the start but Line's 7.120-second pass caught Stevens at the top end of the Bandimere Speedway quarter-mile. This set up an important battle with his teammate Greg Anderson in the semifinal. Against Anderson, Line used a starting line advantage to hold off Anderson for the win. Line has a reaction time of .051 seconds, gaining a jump of .050 on Anderson at the green light. At the finish line it was an elapsed time of 7.124 seconds for Line. Anderson followed with a 7.157-second pass. In an all GM final round, it was the GTO of Line against the Cobalt of Dave Connolly. In the final round action it was all Connolly, who jumped out to an early lead then held off the hard charging Line. Line ran the best elapsed time, but Connolly tripped the finish line lights first. It was an elapsed time of 7.141 seconds for Line, while Connolly recorded a time of 7.173 seconds. "All in all, it could have been worse," Line said, following the victory by Connolly. "We came up to the Mountain (Bandimere Speedway) where it's easy to struggle and the Summit Racing Pontiac ran really good, actually. We came up a little bit short - that's all. Personally, it's the best start to the Western Swing that I've ever had, so to head off to the second race of this set of races with a runner-up is not a bad start. I just need to do a better job of driving." Line, who was the No. 1 qualifier, earned low elapsed time (7.062 seconds) and top speed (195.65 mph) of the event. Both were Bandimere Speedway track records. With Line win in the semifinals and his runner-up finish, Line took over the lead in the NHRA POWERade Pro Stock point battle. With just 10 races remaining, Line leaves this event on top with 897 points. His teammate Anderson, who had held the NHRA POWERade Pro Stock point lead since the season-opening event, now has 875 points, good for second. Connolly is third with 846 points. The Western Swing, three races on three consecutive weekends in July, continues. The NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series now moves to Pacific Raceways in Kent Wash., near Seattle. The second of the three races, the NHRA Schuck's Auto Supply Nationals, will get underway on Friday, July 21. ESPN2 will air same-day television coverage of eliminations for the 27th annual NHRA Mopar Mile-High Nationals from 9 p.m. until 12 midnight (Sunday, July 16). The elimination show repeats early Monday morning (July 17) from 2:30-4:30 a.m. Television times are Eastern Time (ET) and subject to change at anytime. Check local listings. KB Racing LLC is owned by Las Vegas businessmen Ken Black and his son Kenny Black. KB Racing LLC fields two Summit Racing Equipment Pro Stock Pontiac GTOs, one driven by Greg Anderson and the other by Jason Line in the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series. Anderson has won three consecutive POWERade Pro Stock Championships (2003-2005). Line finished third in the 2005 POWERade point standings and was honored with the 2004 Automobile Club of Southern California Road to the Future award, presented to the most outstanding rookie in a professional category. This year KB Racing LLC also began fielding a Top Fuel Dragster, managed by Kalitta Motorsports, with rookie Top Fuel driver Hillary Will handling the driving duties. ####