Anderson Makes Final Round at Maple Grove

Team Summit Racing’s Greg Anderson made it to the finals of the Dodge NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway.

On-and-off rain over the weekend gave teams just one chance to qualify for eliminations. Team Summit Racing tuned their cars conservatively so they could make it down the cold 70 degree race track.

Anderson qualified third in his Summit Racing Chevrolet Camaro, making a 6.580 second, 210.77 MPH pass. He defeated Jeg Coughlin Jr. (6.579/210.54 to 6.629/208.17) and John Gaydosh (6.578/209.62 to 6.675/206.99) in the first two rounds of eliminations.

Anderson faced Summit Racing teammate Jason Line in the semi-finals. Line was too eager on the starting line and fouled out with a -.003 second red-light, giving Anderson the automatic win 6.576/210.28 to 6.569/210.28. The round was the 1,000th of Anderson’s career in NHRA competition.

Anderson faced Vincent Nobile in the final round. Nobile got a .021 second starting line advantage and kept the lead all the way to the finish line, taking the win with a 6.575/209.85 to Anderson’s 6.582/210.37.

“I didn’t cut a good light in the final. It adds up to a lot,” Anderson said. “The class is too tight right now so you can’t slip in any area. We had our slowest run in the final round, and there’s no excuse for that. We’ll go home and work hard for a week, and see if we can come to Dallas with a stronger effort.”

Anderson remains second in the Pro Stock points standings.

Jason Line qualified second with a 6.575/211.20 run. In Round One opponent Val Smeland broke and Line took the win with a 6.559/210.87, setting low E.T. of the round. He defeated Alan Prusiensky in Round Two (6.578/210.31 to 6.685/206.26) but a foul start in the semi-finals cost him a victory over teammate Greg Anderson.

“It’s just one of those things. Sometimes you live by the light and die by the light,” Line said. “Once again the ladder cost us. The two fastest cars had to face each other in the semifinals; definitely not a good thing.”

Line remains first in the Pro Stock points standings.

Tim Wilkerson qualified twelfth with an 11.102/141.11 pass. He defeated Robert Hight in Round One in a pedaling competition on a 76-degree race track, 5.367/280.25 to 8.245/92.84.

Wilkerson faced current Funny Car points leader Ron Capps in the second round. Wilkerson shook and smoked the tires at the 330-foot mark and Capps made it to the finish line first, taking the win with a 3.898/325.61 to Wilkerson’s 5.865/122.12.

“I really thought I had it handled in the first round,” Wilkerson said. “I didn’t see Robert and I was trying to let the car settle down so I could step back on the gas pedal nice and slow. So I got a little bit of a break involved that time,” Wilkerson said. “Second round, I said we’re going to get on the other side of this tire smoking problem. I went too far to the other side, I guess.”

Wilkerson made a big jump in Funny Car Championship points standings, moving from ninth to seventh place.

Team Summit Notes: Top Fuel
Doug Kalitta qualified fourth (3.750/326.56). He defeated Ike Maier in Round One of eliminations but lost to Brittany Force in the second round. Kalitta is currently second in the points standings.

“Not the finish we were looking for,” Kalitta said. “I still have the best team behind me and we are going to continue to battle hard.”

J.R. Todd qualified 15th (5.589/125.19) but was defeated by Antron Brown in Round One. He is currently eighth in the points standings. 

“Unfortunately a quick end to our day,” Todd said. “We have three more shots at it this season and I know the team is gunning to pick up some more trophies before we are done.”

Team Summit Notes: Funny Car
Del Worsham qualified third (3.904/325.77). He defeated John Force in Round One but lost to Jack Beckman in the second round. Worsham is currently fifth in the points standings.

"A great effort, but it was not our day,” Worsham said. “The guys will regroup and we will be ready in a couple weeks when we go to Dallas.”

Alexis DeJoria qualified ninth (12.151/81.44) but was defeated by Ron Capps in Round One. She is currently 10th in the points standings.

Final Round Results from the Dodge NHRA Nationals
Top Fuel: Antron Brown (3.721/317.34) defeats Brittany Force (3.721/324.67)
Funny Car: Tommy Johnson Jr. (3.895/330.63) defeats Ron Capps (3.911/324.12)
Pro Stock: Vincent Nobile (6.575/209.85) defeats Greg Anderson (6.582/210.37)
Pro Stock Motorcycle: Eddie Krawiec (6.818/193.88) defeats Cory Reed (6.958/186.43)

Next Race
The NHRA Mello Yello Countdown to the Championship continues October 13-16 with the AAA Texas NHRA Fall Nationals at the Texas Motorplex in Ennis, Texas. Visit Drag Race Central for complete results from the Dodge NHRA Nationals.