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The quickest field in NHRA Pro Stock history took to Maple Grove Raceway track today for the 22nd running of eliminations at the NHRA Toyo Tires Nationals. Greg Anderson, who drives the KB Racing LLC / Summit Racing Equipment Pro Stock Pontiac, owned by Ken Black and his son Kenny, from Las Vegas, helped his chances of winning his fourth consecutive championship by winning the final round at the event today over Greg Stanfield.
For Anderson, it was his third win of 2006 in six final rounds and the 42nd of his career in 63 final rounds. At Maple Grove Raceway it was his second consecutive win in three final rounds. He defeated Jim Yates in the event last year.
En route to the final round this season Anderson turned back Max Naylor, Kurt Johnson and Mike Edwards.
In the opening round, minutes after his teammate Jason Line had lower the NHRA national record to 6.619 seconds, Anderson went one better - one thousandths of a second that is - when he reset the Pro Stock elapsed time standard by running a 6.618-second pass at 208.62 mph in defeating Max Naylor. Naylor recorded a pass of 6.683 seconds at 206.70 mph.
With the win in the first round, Anderson has now competed in 400 rounds of eliminations.
Anderson moved to the second round against Kurt Johnson, who visited the sand trap at the top end of the track on Friday when his parachutes didn't deploy following a 207.66 mph run. He was unhurt and his team was able to make necessary repairs on his Chevy Cobalt.
This one was over at the starting lights when Johnson red lighted, leaving the starting line .075 of a second too soon, and Anderson had a free ride to the semifinals. Anderson ran lower than his first round record-setting pass when he crossed the finish line against Johnson in 6.615 seconds at 208.84 mph, but he couldn't match Line's second round pass of 6.609 seconds, which once again lower the national elapsed time record.
In the semifinals, Anderson led from green light to win light, and turned back Mike Edwards. The three-time and reigning POWERade Pro Stock champion recorded his second consecutive 6.615 second pass. Edwards trailed Anderson stopping the finish line timing lights in 6.643 seconds.
In the final round, the drama was over at the starting line when Greg Stanfield fouled away any chance to win when he red lighted by leaving .017 of a second too soon. Anderson then raced to the victory in 6.656 seconds.
"It seems like I say this with every win, but I really needed that win," said Anderson following his victory over Greg Stanfield in the final round of the NHRA Toyo Tires Nationals. "This point battle is going to go down to the last race and I need to continue to try to get every point that is available. If I didn't win this today it would have meant I didn't gain a point on Jason. That's how tight this chase is.
"The Summit Pontiacs continued to show that they are the best out here. Jason and I must continue to separate ourselves from the rest of the field and then fight it out among ourselves to see who comes out on top. I've already said that I want this fourth straight championship real bad. I've got to be perfect if I'm going to win it all."
This win pulls Anderson to within 56 points of his teammate Line. Line, who collected 20 extra points for establishing a new elapsed time record (6.609 seconds), leads the NHRA POWERade Pro Stock point standings with 1453 points. Anderson is second with 1397 points. Dave Connolly continues to hold on to third but loses ground to both Line and Anderson. Connolly leaves Maple Grove with 1270 points, 183 points behind Line and 127 behind Anderson.
Although it has no bonus points attached to it, Anderson did reset the national speed record at 208.91 mph.
Anderson Wins at Maple Grove Raceway
Tightens Pro Stock Point Race
The quickest field in NHRA Pro Stock history took to Maple Grove Raceway track today for the 22nd running of eliminations at the NHRA Toyo Tires Nationals. Greg Anderson, who drives the KB Racing LLC / Summit Racing Equipment Pro Stock Pontiac, owned by Ken Black and his son Kenny, from Las Vegas, helped his chances of winning his fourth consecutive championship by winning the final round at the event today over Greg Stanfield.
For Anderson, it was his third win of 2006 in six final rounds and the 42nd of his career in 63 final rounds. At Maple Grove Raceway it was his second consecutive win in three final rounds. He defeated Jim Yates in the event last year.
En route to the final round this season Anderson turned back Max Naylor, Kurt Johnson and Mike Edwards.
In the opening round, minutes after his teammate Jason Line had lower the NHRA national record to 6.619 seconds, Anderson went one better - one thousandths of a second that is - when he reset the Pro Stock elapsed time standard by running a 6.618-second pass at 208.62 mph in defeating Max Naylor. Naylor recorded a pass of 6.683 seconds at 206.70 mph.
With the win in the first round, Anderson has now competed in 400 rounds of eliminations.
Anderson moved to the second round against Kurt Johnson, who visited the sand trap at the top end of the track on Friday when his parachutes didn't deploy following a 207.66 mph run. He was unhurt and his team was able to make necessary repairs on his Chevy Cobalt.
This one was over at the starting lights when Johnson red lighted, leaving the starting line .075 of a second too soon, and Anderson had a free ride to the semifinals. Anderson ran lower than his first round record-setting pass when he crossed the finish line against Johnson in 6.615 seconds at 208.84 mph, but he couldn't match Line's second round pass of 6.609 seconds, which once again lower the national elapsed time record.
In the semifinals, Anderson led from green light to win light, and turned back Mike Edwards. The three-time and reigning POWERade Pro Stock champion recorded his second consecutive 6.615 second pass. Edwards trailed Anderson stopping the finish line timing lights in 6.643 seconds.
In the final round, the drama was over at the starting line when Greg Stanfield fouled away any chance to win when he red lighted by leaving .017 of a second too soon. Anderson then raced to the victory in 6.656 seconds.
"It seems like I say this with every win, but I really needed that win," said Anderson following his victory over Greg Stanfield in the final round of the NHRA Toyo Tires Nationals. "This point battle is going to go down to the last race and I need to continue to try to get every point that is available. If I didn't win this today it would have meant I didn't gain a point on Jason. That's how tight this chase is.
"The Summit Pontiacs continued to show that they are the best out here. Jason and I must continue to separate ourselves from the rest of the field and then fight it out among ourselves to see who comes out on top. I've already said that I want this fourth straight championship real bad. I've got to be perfect if I'm going to win it all."
This win pulls Anderson to within 56 points of his teammate Line. Line, who collected 20 extra points for establishing a new elapsed time record (6.609 seconds), leads the NHRA POWERade Pro Stock point standings with 1453 points. Anderson is second with 1397 points. Dave Connolly continues to hold on to third but loses ground to both Line and Anderson. Connolly leaves Maple Grove with 1270 points, 183 points behind Line and 127 behind Anderson.
Although it has no bonus points attached to it, Anderson did reset the national speed record at 208.91 mph.
