Summit Racing Jason Line NHRA Pre Race: Line Determined to
Double Up at Four-Wide Nationals
Contact: Jon Knapp
Summit Racing PR
Ph: 704.662.3121
J2Racing@aol.com
Line Determined to Double Up at Four-Wide Nationals
Mooresville, N.C., March 24, 2010 – A win in the NHRA’s Full Throttle Drag Racing Series comes with several benefits. First and foremost is the coveted “Wally�?? winner’s trophy, awarded to the driver at the top end of the track immediately after the final. In addition, there is the financial reward paid to all professional competitors, as well as points earned towards that year’s championship.
However, there are other, less tangible advantages that can manifest themselves well after the initial celebration is over. As they prepared for this weekend’s Four-Wide Nationals in Concord, NC, Summit Racing Pontiac pilot Jason Line discussed the positive influence his dramatic win in Gainesville had on the team, beginning with the most basic reward.
“Anytime I win, I buy the team pizza, which I guess you could consider a benefit,�?? joked Line. “But seriously, it’s all good. I know this is what we are paid to do, but a lot of racers do this for years without experiencing what it feels like so after you win, everyone seems to have a little extra spring in their step. It’s a long year and we work non-stop trying to improve the performance of our Summit Racing Pontiac, so it’s nice to get rewarded for our efforts.
“It’s also satisfying to do it for our sponsors and all the people who support us. But in this case, I believe the biggest benefit from winning Gainesville was that I was able to put a smile on Ken’s (team owner Black) face. I spoke to him last week, and he was as excited about it as we were. That alone makes it worthwhile, and a big motivator to do it again.�??
Any post-race celebrations have been short-lived, however, as the KB Racing crew immediately turned their attention towards the upcoming event at zMAX Dragway. Located less than a half-hour’s drive from the team’s headquarters in Mooresville, the team will use the time normally reserved for travel to get in some extra preparation, which could prove useful given the four-wide racing format being used for the first time this weekend. As Line acknowledges, further improvement will be necessary in order to make a return trip to the winner’s circle.
“Nobody cares about what you did yesterday, so we’re not about to kick back and rest on our laurels,�?? said Line. “Besides, we enjoy finding ways to make this program better, so it’s never a big deal to get back to work. Of course, with this weekend’s race being in our back yard, all our families and friends will come out to watch us, so there’ll be a little extra pressure to do well.
“There are a lot of benefits to having a home race. You get to sleep in your own bed, and your family is with you at the track every day, which, being the homebody that I am, I really enjoy. Of course, there are more people who want to stop by and visit, which can potentially be a distraction. Therefore, it’s up to us to stay focused and take care of business.
“It’s cool to see the Carolina fans get excited about drag racing. Being in the middle of NASCAR country, it’s good to offer them something a little different. They’re able to get right in the middle of the action and interact with all of the teams and drivers, which we get a kick out of doing, and judging by their enthusiastic response, they enjoy it as well.
“Of course, this will be our first experience with the four-wide format, and although I’m not exactly sure what to expect, we’ll address it when we get to the track. For now, we’re in a learning mode, trying to figure out what it’s going to take to make our Summit Racing Pontiacs happier, so we can do a better job of getting down the racetrack. We’re not about to be satisfied with one win, and it would be sweet to double up in front of the home crowd at zMAX Dragway.�??
Jason Line zMAX Dragway Scorecard –
Races
Wins
Finals
#1 Qual.
Rounds W
Rounds L
Pct.
2
0
0
0
2
2
.500
Notes for Jason Line & the Summit Racing Pontiac crew
At zMAX Dragway:
Autograph session: Jason Line will be signing autographs on Thursday, March 25 from 7:15 – 8:15 p.m. at the Wal-Mart located at 150 Commons in Concord, NC.
Line looks to better his zMAX Dragway finishes: Jason has advanced to the quarterfinals in each of his two prior starts at zMAX Dragway.
Jason is Ready to add Concord to his resume: Jason comes into the weekend looking to score his first national event win at zMAX Dragway. Should he do so, it will be the 14th different track at which he will have won in his career.
Line is a Top Half starter in Charlotte: Jason has started in the top half of the field in each of his two zMAX Dragway starts, highlighted by his fifth-place qualifying performance one year ago.
Doubling Up: Having won the last race in Gainesville, Florida, Jason is looking to win back-to-back races for the second time in his career, having won the Joliet and Englishtown races in consecutive outings in 2005. Jason has eight previous final round appearances following a win, most recently in Brainerd one year ago.
Event Schedule:
Friday, March 26: Two qualifying sessions at 1:15 & 3:45 p.m.
Saturday, March 27: Two qualifying sessions at 11:45 a.m. & 2:15 p.m.
Sunday, March 28: Final eliminations starting at 12:00 noon
Television Coverage (all coverage on ESPN2):
Qualifying: Saturday, March 27 – 7:00 – 9:00 p.m.
Eliminations: Sunday, March 28 – 5:00 - 7:30 p.m.
RaceDay: Sunday, March 28 – 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 www.summitracing.com.
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