Jason Line Makes Final Round at Winternationals

Team Summit Racing’s Jason Line made it to the the final round of the Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals in Pamona, California. Line faced KB Racing teammate Bo Butner, but it was the reigning champion Butner who took the win in a close match.

This was Line’s 11th final round appearance at Auto Club Raceway and fifth consecutive Winternationals final-round. His five previous wins have all been at the season-opener event.

In Round One of eliminations, Line earned the low elapsed time of the day with his 6.546 second/209.88 MPH defeat of Kenny Delco. In Round Two, Line’s .020 second reaction time and 6.588/208.42 pass advanced him past Alex Laughlin. In the semifinals, he faced the newest addition to the KB Racing stable, Deric Kramer. Kramer’s first Pro Stock semifinal round ended with a red light, sending Line to the final.

“It was a good weekend, even if I didn’t exactly get the result I wanted,” said Line. “I really wanted to win this race for Summit Racing—it’s their 50th anniversary and my next win will be my 50th in drag racing, counting my two Stock Eliminator trophies.”

Greg Anderson was the weekend’s number three qualifier. Anderson was the only driver to exceed 211 MPH in Pro Stock. Anderson had the top speed in Round Two of eliminations against Bo Butner with a strong 6.622/210.54 pass, but Butner took the win with 6.568/210.05.

“It was still a good weekend,” said Anderson. “You come to Pomona apprehensive because you never know what everybody has. There are a lot of fast cars out here. Our Summit Racing Chevrolet Camaros ran well—the power is there, the racecars are there, it’s just a matter of piecing it all together.”

Tim Wilkerson, driver of the Levi, Ray and Shoup Shelby Ford Mustang Nitro Funny Car, saw bursts of power during qualifying and took a win light in Round One of eliminations with a 4.036/304.12 pass, to Del Worsham’s 4.751/191.95.

That round win was bittersweet. “Unfortunately, it was terribly costly,” said Wilkerson.  “The car put a piston in the pan going through the lights, so it wrecked a bunch of things [in the engine] and we were charged for an oil-down. But the guys worked hard, and got it put back together.”

In Round Two, Jack Beckman, took the win with 3.901/330.23 to Wilkerson’s 4.253/220.51. “We were trucking right down the middle of the track. I really thought it was going to be fine, but then it pulled the tires loose,” explained Wilkerson.

“It was a good start, but we can do better. I’m really proud of my guys. They worked hard this weekend. It’ll be good to get to Arizona and keep working on our program.”

Final Round Results
Top Fuel—Doug Kalitta (3.779/324.28) defeated Tony Schumacher (4.715/145.93)

Funny Car—Matt Hagan (3.823/335.90) defeated Robert Hight (3.866/336.99)

Pro Stock—Bo Butner (6.549/209.62) defeated Jason Line (6.568/209.59)

What’s Next
The next event on the 2018 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series tour is the NHRA Arizona Nationals at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park in Chandler, Arizona, February 23-25.

 For more information and complete race results visit DragRaceCentral.com.