GM Racers Close Out Western Swing at Fast Infineon Raceway
Jason Line Defends Pro Stock Crown in Summit Racing Pontiac
SONOMA, Calif., July 24, 2007 - The GM contingent of NHRA competitors will make the trek south from Seattle to the beautiful wine country of Northern California for the 20th annual Fram Autolite NHRA Nationals at Infineon Raceway. This event marks the conclusion of the three-race Western Swing, and the end of an even longer stretch of six national events on consecutive weekends.
At 15 feet above sea level, the Infineon Raceway surface is the second lowest in altitude on the NHRA POWERade tour and sits only five feet higher than Houston Raceway Park. Depending on the air temperature and humidity level, the venue has proven to be extremely fast. That was confirmed at last year's race when Greg Anderson drove his Summit Racing Pontiac GTO to what was then the national elapsed-time record at 6.631 seconds, and number of other drivers posted what was then their own career-best times and speeds. Jason Line looks to defend his Pro Stock win here at Infineon Raceway where he drove his Summit Racing Pontiac GTO to his third of four wins last season en route to the POWERade Pro Stock championship.
GM RACING STATS AND FACTS
. With Dave Connolly's Pro Stock win at Seattle in a 2007 Cobalt, Chevrolet now has 3,580 points and continues to lead second-place Dodge by 1,900 points in the race for the NHRA Manufacturer's Cup. So far this season Chevy Cobalt Pro Stock drivers have won six national events, advanced to 12 final rounds, earned four No. 1 qualifying awards and set low elapsed time of the meet five times. Chevy Cobalt Super Stock drivers led by Peter Biondo, Jay Higgens and Ryan McClanahan have contributed 1,800 points to Chevy's points total.
. Connolly's win at Seattle 140th all-time victory in the NHRA Pro Stock category.
. Pontiac GTO drivers in the Pro Stock category have also delivered with their fair share of national-event victories and final-round appearances. Through 14 races Pontiac drivers have won seven national events, advanced to 11 final rounds, set low elapsed time of the meet eight times and top speed at all 14 contests. Of those seven victories, Summit Racing Pontiac driver Greg Anderson has won six, and his teammate Jason Line has won one. Anderson has also set top speed of the meet 11 times and Line three times.
. Anderson's 49th career win at Englishtown, N.J., on June 24 was Pontiac's 178th all time in the NHRA Pro Stock category. Anderson also has 47 career wins in a Pontiac, the most ever by any Pro Stock competitor in a Pontiac, followed by Warren Johnson with 42 wins in a Pontiac, and Jim Yates with 25. All 25 of Jim Yates career national-event victories have been in a Pontiac. All three drivers have won in a Firebird, a Grand Am and a GTO.
. Anderson's Pontiac holds both the Infineon Raceway Pro Stock track e.t. (6.631 seconds) and speed (207.82 mph) records set at last year's event.
. Among active drivers, Warren Johnson and Jim Yates are tied with the most career victories at the Fram Autolite Nationals with three wins apiece. Johnson won his events at Infineon Raceway in 1992, 1996 and 1998, and Yates captured his wins in 1995, 1997 and 1999. Greg Anderson has two wins (2004-05) and is the only Pro Stock driver other than Darrell Alderman (1990-91) to go back-to-back at Infineon Raceway. Team Chevy's Jeg Coughlin won this race in 2003, ACDelco Chevy Cobalt driver Kurt Johnson captured his lone victory here in 2000 and Summit Racing Pontiac GTO driver Jason Line is the defending champion. Tom Martino, crew chief on Ron Krisher's Valvoline Chevy Cobalt, won this event in 2001 driving a Pontiac.
. Of Chevrolet's 140 Pro Stock victories, Kurt Johnson is tied with the legendary Lee Shepherd for the most wins behind the wheel of a Chevrolet at 26. Jeg Coughlin Jr. has 15, and Bruce Allen and Dave Connolly have 12.
. Only three races remain on the schedule before the first cut to the Countdown to the Championship following the Toyo Nationals in Reading, Pa., on Aug. 17-19. Right now there are six drivers in GM-branded cars in the top eight including POWERade points leader Greg Anderson (Pontiac) with 1,135 points, Jeg Coughlin (Chevrolet) is in second place with 1,029 points, Dave Connolly (Chevrolet) is in third place with 1,003 points, Jason Line (Pontiac) is in fifth place with 781 points, Kurt Johnson (Chevrolet) is in sixth place with 702 points and Warren Johnson (Pontiac) is in seventh place with 632 points.
. Checker Schuck's Kragen Chevrolet Funny Car driver Del Worsham holds the track speed record at 325.69 mph set in 2005. Worsham also won this event in 2001.
. Other former Funny Car winners currently driving a Chevy Impala include Cruz Pedregon (1996, 1998) and Tim Wilkerson. Chevy Impala team owner Don Prudhomme won this event in Funny Car in 1989 and Top Fuel in 1992.
Qualifying coverage of the Fram Autolite Nationals will be telecast on ESPN2 on Saturday, July 28, beginning at 6 p.m. Eastern. NHRA Race Day will kick off eliminator coverage on July 29 starting at 11 a.m. Eastern on ESPN2, and a three-hour telecast of final eliminations will start at 8 p.m. Eastern.
