<img src="http://gallery.nitromater.com/files/6/5/j_line06.jpg" alt="j_line06" align="left"borders="0"/>
Coming into the NHRA Toyo Tires Nationals this weekend, Jason Line, who has lead the NHRA POWERade Pro Stock point standings since Denver, continues to pursue his first championship.
Line, driver of the KB Racing LLC-owned, Summit Racing Equipment-backed Pontiac GTO, leads the Pro Stock point standing by 59 points over teammate Greg Anderson, who holds the second position, and by 135 points over third place Dave Connolly. Kurt Johnson is in fourth, 296 points back and Allen Johnson (no relation to Kurt) rounds out the top five, 314 points behind first.
As he continues his battle to hold on to his tenuous lead, recent statistics released by the NHRA Media Department should go a long way to ease the pressure of Line's championship quest.
The NHRA statistics state that 83 percent of drivers in the four professional classes who have the lead after Indy (Mac Tools U.S. Nationals) go on to win the point championship. In Pro Stock it has happened only seven times in the last 32 years that the leader after Indy was not crowned the champion - the last time was in 1990.
Odds seem to be on Line's side. Does this ease the pressure on Line? Put simply, the answer is NO.
"These statistics are just that - statistics - so they don't make me anymore comfortable," said Line after Indy. "I believe their statistics. Numbers don't lie, but it's a new year, a different group of people, and the competition level have changed since last year and especially since 1990. I think history does tend to repeat itself, but in this case that remains to be seen.
"I think I have a one in three chance of winning the POWERade (Pro Stock) championship. I would like to say that I'm comfortable about winning, but I'm not. There are two reasons I feel that way - Greg Anderson and Dave Connolly. Does that mean I'm going to roll over and play dead? Certainly not. I feel I have as good a chance as they do.
"Competition is tough and there are a lot of variables. Greg is the only one of us three that has proved he can win the championship. For anyone of us to win, it will take perfect driving through these final five races to get the job done.
"Let me end the debate by saying that I'm going to win and if I don't, there is always next year. Come to think of it, it will be easier next year. You just have to hang close and win the last two races.
"Seriously, it's pretty cool that it has come down to the last five races. The countdown is on. That's a pretty neat deal. It will make it exciting for the fans and with two Summit Racing Pontiacs in the hunt, it's good for the whole KB Racing team."
Line holds the Maple Grove Raceway elapsed time track record at 6.669 seconds, which he set in October of 2004. He won here in 2004, when he defeated Anderson, and was No 1 at Reading last year.
Qualifying for Line and his KB Racing LLC/Summit Racing Equipment Pro Stock Pontiac GTO begins with two Pro Stock sessions on Friday, Sept. 15, scheduled for 2 and 5 p.m. and concludes with two additional Pro Stock sessions on Saturday, Sept. 16, at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Line begins his quest for the Toyo Tires Nationals Pro Stock title on Sunday, Sept. 17, with eliminations for all classes beginning at 11 a.m. All times are local Reading time (ET) and subject to change at anytime.
Qualifying highlights for the 22nd annual NHRA Toyo Tires Nationals can be seen on ESPN2 on Saturday (Sept. 16) from 4 to 6 p.m. ESPN2 will also air same-day television coverage of eliminations from 7 until 10 p.m., Sunday (Sept. 17). The elimination show repeats early Thursday morning (Sept. 21) from 3-5 a.m. Also, tune in to NHRA2Day on ESPN2, the weekly show that gives you the latest information about the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series. NHRA2Day can be seen on Sunday morning, Sept. 17, from 11:30 a.m. - 12 noon. Television times are Eastern Time (ET) and subject to change at anytime. Check local listings.
KB Racing LLC is owned by Las Vegas businessmen Ken Black and his son Kenny Black. KB Racing LLC fields two Summit Racing Equipment Pro Stock Pontiac GTOs, one driven by Greg Anderson and the other by Jason Line in the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series. Anderson has won three consecutive POWERade Pro Stock Championships (2003-2005). Line finished third in the 2005 POWERade point standings and was honored with the 2004 Automobile Club of Southern California Road to the Future award, presented to the most outstanding rookie in a professional category. This year KB Racing LLC also began fielding a Top Fuel Dragster, managed by Kalitta Motorsports, with rookie Top Fuel driver Hillary Will handling the driving duties.
Line Continues to Pursue Point Championship
Countdown Is On
Coming into the NHRA Toyo Tires Nationals this weekend, Jason Line, who has lead the NHRA POWERade Pro Stock point standings since Denver, continues to pursue his first championship.
Line, driver of the KB Racing LLC-owned, Summit Racing Equipment-backed Pontiac GTO, leads the Pro Stock point standing by 59 points over teammate Greg Anderson, who holds the second position, and by 135 points over third place Dave Connolly. Kurt Johnson is in fourth, 296 points back and Allen Johnson (no relation to Kurt) rounds out the top five, 314 points behind first.
As he continues his battle to hold on to his tenuous lead, recent statistics released by the NHRA Media Department should go a long way to ease the pressure of Line's championship quest.
The NHRA statistics state that 83 percent of drivers in the four professional classes who have the lead after Indy (Mac Tools U.S. Nationals) go on to win the point championship. In Pro Stock it has happened only seven times in the last 32 years that the leader after Indy was not crowned the champion - the last time was in 1990.
Odds seem to be on Line's side. Does this ease the pressure on Line? Put simply, the answer is NO.
"These statistics are just that - statistics - so they don't make me anymore comfortable," said Line after Indy. "I believe their statistics. Numbers don't lie, but it's a new year, a different group of people, and the competition level have changed since last year and especially since 1990. I think history does tend to repeat itself, but in this case that remains to be seen.
"I think I have a one in three chance of winning the POWERade (Pro Stock) championship. I would like to say that I'm comfortable about winning, but I'm not. There are two reasons I feel that way - Greg Anderson and Dave Connolly. Does that mean I'm going to roll over and play dead? Certainly not. I feel I have as good a chance as they do.
"Competition is tough and there are a lot of variables. Greg is the only one of us three that has proved he can win the championship. For anyone of us to win, it will take perfect driving through these final five races to get the job done.
"Let me end the debate by saying that I'm going to win and if I don't, there is always next year. Come to think of it, it will be easier next year. You just have to hang close and win the last two races.
"Seriously, it's pretty cool that it has come down to the last five races. The countdown is on. That's a pretty neat deal. It will make it exciting for the fans and with two Summit Racing Pontiacs in the hunt, it's good for the whole KB Racing team."
Line holds the Maple Grove Raceway elapsed time track record at 6.669 seconds, which he set in October of 2004. He won here in 2004, when he defeated Anderson, and was No 1 at Reading last year.
Qualifying for Line and his KB Racing LLC/Summit Racing Equipment Pro Stock Pontiac GTO begins with two Pro Stock sessions on Friday, Sept. 15, scheduled for 2 and 5 p.m. and concludes with two additional Pro Stock sessions on Saturday, Sept. 16, at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Line begins his quest for the Toyo Tires Nationals Pro Stock title on Sunday, Sept. 17, with eliminations for all classes beginning at 11 a.m. All times are local Reading time (ET) and subject to change at anytime.
Qualifying highlights for the 22nd annual NHRA Toyo Tires Nationals can be seen on ESPN2 on Saturday (Sept. 16) from 4 to 6 p.m. ESPN2 will also air same-day television coverage of eliminations from 7 until 10 p.m., Sunday (Sept. 17). The elimination show repeats early Thursday morning (Sept. 21) from 3-5 a.m. Also, tune in to NHRA2Day on ESPN2, the weekly show that gives you the latest information about the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series. NHRA2Day can be seen on Sunday morning, Sept. 17, from 11:30 a.m. - 12 noon. Television times are Eastern Time (ET) and subject to change at anytime. Check local listings.
KB Racing LLC is owned by Las Vegas businessmen Ken Black and his son Kenny Black. KB Racing LLC fields two Summit Racing Equipment Pro Stock Pontiac GTOs, one driven by Greg Anderson and the other by Jason Line in the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series. Anderson has won three consecutive POWERade Pro Stock Championships (2003-2005). Line finished third in the 2005 POWERade point standings and was honored with the 2004 Automobile Club of Southern California Road to the Future award, presented to the most outstanding rookie in a professional category. This year KB Racing LLC also began fielding a Top Fuel Dragster, managed by Kalitta Motorsports, with rookie Top Fuel driver Hillary Will handling the driving duties.
