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MADISON, Ill., May 3, 2008 - Having put a Summit Racing Pontiac GXP in the Pro Stock final round in each of the season's first six races, it should come as no surprise that KB Racing teammates Jason Line and Greg Anderson are qualified No. 1 and 2, respectively, after final qualifying for this weekend's 12th annual O'Reilly NHRA Midwest Nationals at Gateway International Raceway. Line, with a win at Las Vegas and runners-up at Atlanta, Gainesville and Phoenix, recorded his first No. 1 qualifier of the season and 14th of his career with a track-record elapsed time of 6.571 seconds at 209.23 mph. Anderson, with a class-leading two wins on the season (Pomona, Houston) rebounded from a first-round loss at Atlanta by qualifying second at 6.590 seconds at 208.52 mph. The new Pontiac GXP has four wins to its credit in this young season with Mike Edwards adding to Anderson and Line's total by getting the win last week at Atlanta in NHRA's 600th Pro Stock race.
"It's very exciting to be No. 1, and even better to have my teammate (Anderson) No. 2," Line said. "Being 1-2 is the ultimate thing for us. I haven't looked at the weather but I know it's supposed to get warmer. It'll be a whole new ballgame for us…I feel very confident that our guys are as good as anybody. It was a good day for us, and it's been an exciting week for me."
Dave Connolly showed he's in midseason form after only two races in the Charter Communications Chevy Cobalt by qualifying third with an elapsed time of 6.595 seconds at 208.49 mph. The talented 25-year-old looks to put on a good show for new sponsor Charter Communications, headquartered in St. Louis.
"I felt we could definitely go out and run a 6.59," Connolly said after the run. "We wanted to make a conservative run the first time (Saturday), just get down the track and make sure we stay in the show and race on Sunday - especially when your new sponsor comes out to see you for the first time. That run showed us we were going in the right direction. The car responded to the changes (crew chief) Tommy Utt made and it seemed to like it. I feel comfortable in the car. We took our Chevy Cobalt to the winner's circle last year and that's what we want to do for Charter on Sunday."
A pair of Chevys rounded out the top five in Pro Stock qualifying as Connolly's teammate Jeg Coughlin Jr. qualified the JEGS.com Chevy Cobalt fourth and Kurt Johnson in the ACDelco Chevy Cobalt posted a track-record speed of 209.39 mph en route to his No. 5 qualifying position.
"With conditions changing the way they did, we knew we would have to make some major adjustments to the ACDelco Cobalt," Johnson said. "Unfortunately, we only had two prior runs to tune from, with one coming earlier this year in Valdosta (GA), and the other from last year's ACDelco Gatornationals. I guess you could say we got by. We did try to get after it a little on this last run, but we were still conservative, and as a result, it was a little soft. However, I believe we have a combination that might be just what we need for tomorrow, so we're optimistic about our chances.
"If the forecast holds, tomorrow's conditions should be right between the last two days, putting it in the 1,200-1,400 foot elevation range, as opposed to the 550-900 foot we saw today, and, after all, we tune off the air. In any case, we have all the parts we need to race, and we plan to use them tomorrow."
In Funny Car, veteran Tim Wilkerson came into St. Louis second in points and showed no signs of letting up in front of his "home" crowd after claiming his fourth No. 1 qualifier of the season and 14th of his career. The Sprinfield, Ill., native drove the Levi, Ray, & Shoup Chevy Impala SS to an elapsed time of 4.744 seconds at 326.16 mph to lead Team Chevy in qualifying. Chevy drivers have now claimed the top spot in Funny Car qualifying in six of the first seven races to start this season. Cruz Pedregon, who was No. 1 qualifier at Houston, qualified the Advance Auto Chevy Impala SS fifth with an elapsed time of 4.786 seconds at 322.04 mph. Other Chevy qualifiers include Del Worsham in eighth, Tony Pedregon in 13th and Tony Bartone in 16th.
"I feel pretty fortunate that we were No. 1 qualifier at all, let alone four times," Wilkerson said. "We really seem to have the knack of hitting the run at the right time. I'm not trying to brag to you and tell you we know what we're doing. So far it's a knack. But we're very happy with that, especially with as many people as we have here today. Dick Levi (of sponsor Levi, Ray and Shoup) is over there in the pit area, and just as happy as he can be. Believe me, I need that for my program. These cars, they don't run on a lot of happiness, they run on a lot of cash."
General Motors Corp. (NYSE: GM), the world's largest automaker, has been the annual global industry sales leader for 77 years. Founded in 1908, GM today employs about 266,000 people around the world. With global headquarters in Detroit, GM manufactures its cars and trucks in 35 countries. In 2007, nearly 9.37 million GM cars and trucks were sold globally under the following brands: Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, GM Daewoo, Holden, HUMMER, Opel, Pontiac, Saab, Saturn, Vauxhall and Wuling. GM's OnStar subsidiary is the industry leader in vehicle safety, security and information services. More information on GM can be found at General Motors | Corporate Website | GM.
Teammates Line, Anderson Put Pontiac 1-2 in Pro Stock Qualifying at St. Louis
Wilkerson Stays Hot in LRS Chevy with Fourth Funny Car Pole of the Season
MADISON, Ill., May 3, 2008 - Having put a Summit Racing Pontiac GXP in the Pro Stock final round in each of the season's first six races, it should come as no surprise that KB Racing teammates Jason Line and Greg Anderson are qualified No. 1 and 2, respectively, after final qualifying for this weekend's 12th annual O'Reilly NHRA Midwest Nationals at Gateway International Raceway. Line, with a win at Las Vegas and runners-up at Atlanta, Gainesville and Phoenix, recorded his first No. 1 qualifier of the season and 14th of his career with a track-record elapsed time of 6.571 seconds at 209.23 mph. Anderson, with a class-leading two wins on the season (Pomona, Houston) rebounded from a first-round loss at Atlanta by qualifying second at 6.590 seconds at 208.52 mph. The new Pontiac GXP has four wins to its credit in this young season with Mike Edwards adding to Anderson and Line's total by getting the win last week at Atlanta in NHRA's 600th Pro Stock race.
"It's very exciting to be No. 1, and even better to have my teammate (Anderson) No. 2," Line said. "Being 1-2 is the ultimate thing for us. I haven't looked at the weather but I know it's supposed to get warmer. It'll be a whole new ballgame for us…I feel very confident that our guys are as good as anybody. It was a good day for us, and it's been an exciting week for me."
Dave Connolly showed he's in midseason form after only two races in the Charter Communications Chevy Cobalt by qualifying third with an elapsed time of 6.595 seconds at 208.49 mph. The talented 25-year-old looks to put on a good show for new sponsor Charter Communications, headquartered in St. Louis.
"I felt we could definitely go out and run a 6.59," Connolly said after the run. "We wanted to make a conservative run the first time (Saturday), just get down the track and make sure we stay in the show and race on Sunday - especially when your new sponsor comes out to see you for the first time. That run showed us we were going in the right direction. The car responded to the changes (crew chief) Tommy Utt made and it seemed to like it. I feel comfortable in the car. We took our Chevy Cobalt to the winner's circle last year and that's what we want to do for Charter on Sunday."
A pair of Chevys rounded out the top five in Pro Stock qualifying as Connolly's teammate Jeg Coughlin Jr. qualified the JEGS.com Chevy Cobalt fourth and Kurt Johnson in the ACDelco Chevy Cobalt posted a track-record speed of 209.39 mph en route to his No. 5 qualifying position.
"With conditions changing the way they did, we knew we would have to make some major adjustments to the ACDelco Cobalt," Johnson said. "Unfortunately, we only had two prior runs to tune from, with one coming earlier this year in Valdosta (GA), and the other from last year's ACDelco Gatornationals. I guess you could say we got by. We did try to get after it a little on this last run, but we were still conservative, and as a result, it was a little soft. However, I believe we have a combination that might be just what we need for tomorrow, so we're optimistic about our chances.
"If the forecast holds, tomorrow's conditions should be right between the last two days, putting it in the 1,200-1,400 foot elevation range, as opposed to the 550-900 foot we saw today, and, after all, we tune off the air. In any case, we have all the parts we need to race, and we plan to use them tomorrow."
In Funny Car, veteran Tim Wilkerson came into St. Louis second in points and showed no signs of letting up in front of his "home" crowd after claiming his fourth No. 1 qualifier of the season and 14th of his career. The Sprinfield, Ill., native drove the Levi, Ray, & Shoup Chevy Impala SS to an elapsed time of 4.744 seconds at 326.16 mph to lead Team Chevy in qualifying. Chevy drivers have now claimed the top spot in Funny Car qualifying in six of the first seven races to start this season. Cruz Pedregon, who was No. 1 qualifier at Houston, qualified the Advance Auto Chevy Impala SS fifth with an elapsed time of 4.786 seconds at 322.04 mph. Other Chevy qualifiers include Del Worsham in eighth, Tony Pedregon in 13th and Tony Bartone in 16th.
"I feel pretty fortunate that we were No. 1 qualifier at all, let alone four times," Wilkerson said. "We really seem to have the knack of hitting the run at the right time. I'm not trying to brag to you and tell you we know what we're doing. So far it's a knack. But we're very happy with that, especially with as many people as we have here today. Dick Levi (of sponsor Levi, Ray and Shoup) is over there in the pit area, and just as happy as he can be. Believe me, I need that for my program. These cars, they don't run on a lot of happiness, they run on a lot of cash."
General Motors Corp. (NYSE: GM), the world's largest automaker, has been the annual global industry sales leader for 77 years. Founded in 1908, GM today employs about 266,000 people around the world. With global headquarters in Detroit, GM manufactures its cars and trucks in 35 countries. In 2007, nearly 9.37 million GM cars and trucks were sold globally under the following brands: Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, GM Daewoo, Holden, HUMMER, Opel, Pontiac, Saab, Saturn, Vauxhall and Wuling. GM's OnStar subsidiary is the industry leader in vehicle safety, security and information services. More information on GM can be found at General Motors | Corporate Website | GM.
