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MADISON, Ill. (May 2, 2007) – After what he describes as two awesome outings, Greg Anderson and his Summit Racing Pontiac GTO now move to the St. Louis area for the 11th annual NHRA O’Reilly Midwest Nationals this weekend to see if the current point leader in the NHRA POWERade Pro Stock point standings can make it three wins in a row.
Speaking of awesome, Anderson was named the 2004 Speed Channel Driver of the Year, which included drivers from all forms of motorsports. When you compare the three-time champ’s stats in 2004 on a race by race basis with 2007, you find that both years produced an awesome start after six races – Pomona, Phoenix, Gainesville, Houston, Las Vegas 1, and Atlanta.
In 2004, Anderson won five of the six races, winning 23 rounds of eliminations, while losing once. This year, he has won four of the six races, winning 18 rounds, losing twice.
In the NHRA POWERade point battle, Anderson led the point standings from wire-to-wire in 2004. In 2007, using a new format to crown the POWERade champion, he has been on top of the standing five of the six races, falling down to No. 2 only after the second event in Phoenix.
Does Anderson feel that he can keep up the pace that he established in 2004? His answer may make his opponents breathe a little bit easier.
“While I have said, after most every race that we’ve run this season, that I’ve had an awesome car, I don’t think that I, or anyone for that matter, can duplicate in 2007 what was accomplished in 2004,” said Anderson as he readied his KB Racing LLC, Summit Racing Equipment Pontiac GTO for St. Louis. “The competition in Pro Stock is too close and there are a number of cars that are capable of winning races. These teams have copied our success at KB Racing and have done their homework. We’ve been lucky in some races this season and have not had both the car and the driver in sync at those races. Just look at the last two races – Las Vegas and Atlanta.
“At Las Vegas both the car and the driver were very happy. While, at Atlanta, the crew gave me an awesome car and the car was happy, but the driver didn’t have the same type of outing as Vegas. It was the car that won that race and the driver tried several times to let the guy in the other lane take it from us. Fortunately, (teammate) Jason (Line), and (crew chief) Rob Downing and his guys gave me enough power to win.
“It’s a long season with 17 races still to go, and I don’t feel that anyone is going to run away with the championship, especially with the new format, but I can assure you that both Jason and I are going to do everything we can to keep everyone behind our Summit Racing Pontiacs.
“We like the track at St. Louis and have had some success there which hopefully we can continue this weekend. It will be a little different than in the past years when, to beat the heat, we have run in both day and night. This year it will be back to our regular deal – all daytime eliminations. But look out for Friday night qualifying. If the air stays dry, you will see an awesome show from these Pro Stock cars.”
On the Gateway International Raceway quarter-mile in Madison, Ill., Anderson has been to four finals: He won in 2004 over Steve Johns and was runner up in 2000 (Ron Krisher), 2002 (Jeg Coughlin), and 2005 (Kurt Johnson).
Through six races everything “AWESOME” for Greg Anderson
MADISON, Ill. (May 2, 2007) – After what he describes as two awesome outings, Greg Anderson and his Summit Racing Pontiac GTO now move to the St. Louis area for the 11th annual NHRA O’Reilly Midwest Nationals this weekend to see if the current point leader in the NHRA POWERade Pro Stock point standings can make it three wins in a row.
Speaking of awesome, Anderson was named the 2004 Speed Channel Driver of the Year, which included drivers from all forms of motorsports. When you compare the three-time champ’s stats in 2004 on a race by race basis with 2007, you find that both years produced an awesome start after six races – Pomona, Phoenix, Gainesville, Houston, Las Vegas 1, and Atlanta.
In 2004, Anderson won five of the six races, winning 23 rounds of eliminations, while losing once. This year, he has won four of the six races, winning 18 rounds, losing twice.
In the NHRA POWERade point battle, Anderson led the point standings from wire-to-wire in 2004. In 2007, using a new format to crown the POWERade champion, he has been on top of the standing five of the six races, falling down to No. 2 only after the second event in Phoenix.
Does Anderson feel that he can keep up the pace that he established in 2004? His answer may make his opponents breathe a little bit easier.
“While I have said, after most every race that we’ve run this season, that I’ve had an awesome car, I don’t think that I, or anyone for that matter, can duplicate in 2007 what was accomplished in 2004,” said Anderson as he readied his KB Racing LLC, Summit Racing Equipment Pontiac GTO for St. Louis. “The competition in Pro Stock is too close and there are a number of cars that are capable of winning races. These teams have copied our success at KB Racing and have done their homework. We’ve been lucky in some races this season and have not had both the car and the driver in sync at those races. Just look at the last two races – Las Vegas and Atlanta.
“At Las Vegas both the car and the driver were very happy. While, at Atlanta, the crew gave me an awesome car and the car was happy, but the driver didn’t have the same type of outing as Vegas. It was the car that won that race and the driver tried several times to let the guy in the other lane take it from us. Fortunately, (teammate) Jason (Line), and (crew chief) Rob Downing and his guys gave me enough power to win.
“It’s a long season with 17 races still to go, and I don’t feel that anyone is going to run away with the championship, especially with the new format, but I can assure you that both Jason and I are going to do everything we can to keep everyone behind our Summit Racing Pontiacs.
“We like the track at St. Louis and have had some success there which hopefully we can continue this weekend. It will be a little different than in the past years when, to beat the heat, we have run in both day and night. This year it will be back to our regular deal – all daytime eliminations. But look out for Friday night qualifying. If the air stays dry, you will see an awesome show from these Pro Stock cars.”
On the Gateway International Raceway quarter-mile in Madison, Ill., Anderson has been to four finals: He won in 2004 over Steve Johns and was runner up in 2000 (Ron Krisher), 2002 (Jeg Coughlin), and 2005 (Kurt Johnson).
