KB Racing LLC: Greg Anderson seeks back-to-back wins to start season

Greg Anderson seeks back-to-back wins to start season*

Chandler, Ariz. (February 22, 2005) -- Greg Anderson enters the NHRA Checker Schuck's Kragen Nationals at Firebird International Raceway fresh from a win at the season-opening Winternationals. The driver of the KB Racing LLC-owned, Summit Racing Equipment-backed Pontiac GTO hopes to continue the trend this weekend.

"Even though everything came together at the last race, we can't rest on our laurels," said Anderson, who was runner-up at this event last year and won here in 2003. "We have had moderate success at Firebird but have never been great here. This year we need to adapt to the track and continue the numbers we laid down at Pomona. We can't let our guard down."

At the Winternationals in Pomona, Calif., Anderson set the low elapsed time of the event (6.634 seconds) and a track record at 209.04 mph, not far off his career best speed of 209.26 mph. His elapsed time tied the Auto Club at Pomona track record held by his teammate Jason Line.

Anderson credits the opening race performance to the work the KB Racing team put in on their new GM DRCE3 (General Motors Drag Racing Competition Engine, third generation) during the off-season.

"We have been working on the DRCE3 for several years now, but it wasn't until we finished last season that we gave it our full attention," recounted Anderson, a three-time NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series Pro Stock Champion (2003-2005). "We felt this was the best way to gain ground on the competition. Everybody here at the shop and on the road has contributed to the initial success we've had with the DRCE3. We feel we made the right decision and see a lot of potential for improvement over the coming races and throughout the year with the DRCE3.

"We have another bullet (engine) ready for Phoenix. As I've said we need to adapt to Firebird and if both the driver and the car are happy then we should have another good outing this weekend."

In closing, for those of you that like numbers, an interesting statistic on Anderson provided by Jeff Romack, the GM PR Rep for drag racing: ...the last four years show that the Summit Racing Pontiac driver has won 43 percent (40 out of 93) of his races, and qualified in the No. 1 spot at 53 percent of the contests he's entered (43 out of 93) since his first championship title in 2003.

*QUALIFYING:* Qualifying for Pro Stock cars begins on Friday, Feb. 23 with two sessions at 1:30 and 4 p.m. Qualifying for Pro Stock cars concludes on Saturday, Feb. 24, with two sessions at 12 noon and 2:30 p.m. Final eliminations for all teams begin at 11 a.m. on Sunday. _Times are local Phoenix time (MT) and subject to change._

*TELEVISION:* Qualifying highlights for the 23rd annual Checker Schuck's Kragen Nationals can be seen on ESPN2 / ESPN2 HD on Saturday (Feb. 24) from midnight until 1 p.m. ESPN2 / ESPN2 HD will also air same-day coverage of eliminations on Sunday (Feb.25) from 7-10 p.m. The elimination show repeats early Wednesday morning, Feb. 28, from 4-6 a.m. Also, NHRA Race Day is back providing the drag racing fan with the latest information about the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series. The CSK Nationals installment of NHRA Race Day can be seen this Sunday (Feb. 25) from 11-11:30 a.m. _Television times are ET and subject to change without notice. Check your local listing._

*KB RACING LLC* is owned by Las Vegas businessmen Ken Black and his son Kenny Black. In the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, KB Racing LLC fields two Summit Racing Equipment Pro Stock Pontiac GTOs, one driven by Greg Anderson, a native of Duluth, Minn. who now lives in the Charlotte, N. C. area, and the other by Jason Line, a native of Wright, Minn. who now lives in the Charlotte, N. C. area, and a Top Fuel dragster, managed by Kalitta Motorsports, and driven by Hillary Will, a native of Fortuna, Calif. who now resides in Ypsilanti, Mich. Anderson won three consecutive POWERade Pro Stock Championships (2003-2005) and finished second in the point standings in 2006. Line, who finished second in points in his rookie season in 2004 and third in 2005, is the reigning 2006 POWERade Pro Stock Champion. Line was honored with the 2004 Automobile Club of Southern California Road to the Future Award, presented to the outstanding rookie in a professional category. Will finished No. 10 in her rookie season in Top Fuel in 2006 and was nominated for the Automobile Club of Southern California Road to the Future Award. The Pro Stock shop of Anderson and Line is in Mooresville, N. C. and the Kalitta Motorsports racing operation is in Ypsilanti, Mich.