KB Racing LLC: Line to use BIR to get ready for the next
segment of the Countdown
*FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
KB RACING LLC
NHRA POWERADE DRAG RACING SERIES
KB RACING LLC/SUMMIT RACING EQUIPMENT PRO STOCK PONTIAC GTO
JASON LINE -- DRIVER
ROB DOWNING -- CREW CHIEF
MEDIA CONTACT: MICKEY SCHULTZ
PHONE: 920-733-2330
E-MAIL: PR4KBRacingLLC@earthlink.net*
*28TH ANNUAL NHRA LUCAS OIL NATIONALS
BRAINERD INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY (BIR) -- BRAINERD, MINN.
AUGUST 9-12, 2007*
*Line to use BIR to get ready for the next segment of the Countdown*
BRAINERD, Minn. (August 7, 2007) -- Jason Line's racing career began at
Brainerd International Raceway (BIR) and he hopes to continue the past
success he has had on the track here at the 28th annual NHRA Lucas Oil
Nationals this weekend.
"I spent a lot of time on the track in Brainerd early in my racing
career," said Line, "and it's always good to return. I've had success
at BIR and hope that this weekend will kick-start my bid for the Pro
Stock championship.
"The next two races, including the one here this weekend, need to propel
you into the next segment of the Countdown. Even though we have a spot
in the second segment, you must be ready at Indy and the five races that
follow or you will be left behind. A win here would go a long way in
giving this KB Racing team momentum for the Countdown to the Championship."
The two KB Racing Summit Pontiacs have been permanent fixtures in the
last four NHRA POWERade Championships. Line took everything in 2006 and
his teammate Greg Anderson won three consecutive titles from 2003
through 2005.
In last year's final round at BIR, against Dave Connolly, Line was
runner-up in his Summit Racing Equipment Pontiac. It is his only trip
to the final round in three tries since turning professional in 2003.
Line, a native of Wright, Minn., started his racing career in 1985 as a
bracket racer, racing at BIR in a '68 Chevy Chevelle.
After a timeout for military service (U.S. Air Force) from 1987-1991,
Line resumed his racing career in 1992 behind the wheel of his 1966
Chevrolet Belair R/Stock Automatic Station Wagon. He won his first NHRA
Stock Eliminator national event at Brainerd that year and was the 1993
NHRA Division 5 Stock Eliminator champion and the 1993 NHRA Stock
Eliminator World Champion.
Line also won the Stock Eliminator category at the 1997 NHRA NorthStar
Nationals at BIR driving a 1970 Buick Grand Sport D/Stock Automatic.
*COUNTDOWN TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP: Five of eight Pro Stock drivers --
Anderson, Coughlin, Connolly, (Allen) Johnson, and Line -- have now
clinched a spot in segment two of the Countdown.
*
Countdown to 8: After 14 events, Jason Line is No. 5 in the current
point standings as he enters the Lucas Oil Nationals, one of two
remaining races in the first segment in the Countdown to the
Championship. Line's teammate, Greg Anderson, leads the NHRA POWERade
Pro Stock standings with 1253 points, which also puts him in the lead
for the first segment (first 17 races) of the Countdown to the
Championship (23 races). Anderson is followed by Jeg Coughlin in second
(1,083 points), just 170 points behind. Coughlin's teammate Dave
Connolly is third (1,078), 175 back. Allen Johnson is fourth (930), 323
behind and reigning NHRA POWERade Pro Stock champion Line is fifth
(877), 376 points behind the leader.
Rounding out the top eight are: No. 6 Kurt Johnson (754 points/-499
behind), No. 7 Warren Johnson (684/-569), and No. 8 Larry Morgan
(662/-591).
*Still alive:* Those still within striking distance of eighth are: V.
Gaines (-15 behind eight), Richie Stevens, Jr. (-16), Jim Yates (-106),
and Greg Stanfield (-108).
*COUNTDOWN FORMAT:* In its simplest form, the Countdown breaks the $50
million, 23-event NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series season up into three
distinct segments: the 17-race Countdown to 8, the four-race Countdown
to 4 and the two-race Countdown to 1.
After the 17 regular season races, all teams will continue vying for
points, with full fields, but only the top eight drivers continue to vie
for the championship in the four-race second segment. The top four
drivers after the four-race playoff then move to the third and final
segment that will be run over the final two races -- the NHRA ACDelco
Las Vegas Nationals in Las Vegas and the NHRA Auto Club Finals in
Pomona. While all teams will continue vying for points, with full
fields, only one of the four can be crowned the 2007 champion.
*Also of special note* is that after the first segment the top eight
drivers in each of the four professional classes will have their points
adjusted in 10-point increments with No. 1 receiving 2,000 points and
No. 8 receiving 2,070 points. After the second segment the top four
drivers in each of the four professional classes will have their points
adjusted again in 10-point increments with No. 1 receiving 3,000 points
and No. 4 receiving 3,030 points.
*QUALIFYING:* Pro Stock begins qualifying for 28th annual NHRA Lucas Oil
Nationals on Friday, Aug. 10, with two sessions at 2:45 and 5:30 p.m.
Qualifying for Pro Stock then concludes on Saturday, Aug. 11, with two
sessions at 11:15 a.m. and 2 p.m. (Pro Stock Motorcycles run first, Pro
Stock cars last, in all qualifying sessions.) Final eliminations for
the Lucas Oil Nationals begin for all teams at 11 a.m. on Sunday, Aug.
12. *All qualifying and eliminations times are local Brainerd, Minn.
time (CT) and subject to change. *
*TELEVISION:* Qualifying highlights for the 28th annual NHRA Lucas Oil
Nationals can be seen on ESPN2 / ESPN2 HD early Sunday morning (Aug. 12)
beginning at 12:30 a.m. and concluding at 1:30 a.m.. ESPN2 / ESPN2
HD will also air same-day coverage of eliminations on Sunday (Aug.
12) from 7-10 p.m. The elimination show repeats early Wednesday
morning, Aug. 15, from 4-6 a.m. Also, be sure to tune into NHRA Race
Day, the show which provides the drag racing fan with the latest
information about the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series. The Lucas Oil
Nationals installment of NHRA Race Day can be seen on Sunday (Aug. 12)
on ESPN2 / ESPN2 HD 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.
*SUMMIT RACING EQUIPMENT: * Since 1968 Summit Racing Equipment
(www.summitracing.com), headquartered in Tallmadge, Ohio, has been the
leader in high performance, offering a huge selection of parts for
virtually everyone from racers to street rodders, muscle car
enthusiasts, off-roaders, and sport compact fans. Summit does business
based on a simple formula: give our customers the parts they want, at a
fair price, ship those parts fast, and back them with the best customer
service on the planet. Summit Racing Equipment services its customers
from three warehouses in Tallmadge, Ohio, Sparks, Nev., and McDonough,
Ga. Summit Racing Equipment is the primary marketing partner of KB
Racing LLC, which fields the Summit Racing Equipment Pontiac GTOs driven
by three-time NHRA POWERade Pro Stock champion Greg Anderson and
reigning NHRA POWERade Pro Stock champion Jason Line. Summit Racing
Equipment is also an associate sponsor on the KB Racing LLC-owned,
Kalitta Motorsports-managed Top Fuel Dragster of Hillary Will.
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