Line Now Points Leader, Wilkerson Makes Final Round at Gainesville

The Pro Stock points battle continued to sizzle at this weekend's 51st annual Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals. Jason Line, driver of the silver Summit Racing Chevrolet Camaro, was just 11 points out of the top spot heading into the event at Gainesville Raceway, but a semifinals finish pushed him into the top spot.

"This has definitely been one of the most interesting seasons we've had, both on and off the racetrack," said Line.

With just four races remaining before the champion is crowned, Line and his Summit Racing teammates know that they have to make the most of every run down the race track. That was tough this weekend in Gainesville as the weather was quite unkind. The air was soupy and boiling with moisture all day Saturday, and although the sun graciously dipped out of sight on Sunday, a new challenge was presented as ominous dark clouds hung overhead while still more humidity wrecked the air.

In spite of the weather, Line qualified his Summit Racing Chevy in the top half of the field, qualifying seventh while Summit Racing teammate Greg Anderson qualified eighth.

Line and Anderson both made their quickest passes of the weekend in Round One of eliminations. Line's 6.617-second, 206.83 MPH journey down the quarter-mile trumped young Mason McGaha's well-played 6.636/206.61. However, Anderson's 6.619/206.70 was negated by a .201-second red light. It was his first foul start since 2018.

"I was ready to go with my head, but my leg wasn't," said Anderson. "Those two have to be on the same page, or you're in trouble. It was a rookie mistake, unfortunately, but the good news was that I had a good race car with my Summit Racing Chevy, and my teammate has the points lead."

Line faced incoming points leader Erica Enders in Round Two. The silver Summit Racing Camaro was off the starting line first, thanks to Line's .016-second reaction time. Enders tried to make up the difference from her tardy launch, but at the finish line stripe it was Line shining with a holeshot win, 6.651/206.86 to 6.642/206.04.

Aaron Stanfield was the only one who could stop Line at Gainesville Raceway, and he did so in the semifinals with a 6.634/206.54 to Line's 6.659/196.85.

"It was not exactly the day we wanted. We kind of struggled and never really got a good handle on the race track all weekend, but you'll have that," said Line. "The good news is that we moved into the points lead. The goal from here will be to hang onto it, obviously, and I think my Summit Racing Chevy is only going to get better and better."

Wilkerson takes LRS Ford to Gainesville Final
Gainesville Raceway seems to be flirting with nitro Funny Car pilot Tim Wilkerson. In nearly an exact replica of last season's events, Wilk qualified in the second at this weekend's Gatornationals and drove his Levi, Ray & Shoup Ford Mustang all the way to the final round.

Like last year, though, he came up just a touch short of earning the trophy. in an incredibly fast, incredibly close race Ron Capps tripped the final timer first, winning with a 3.937-second pass at 323.12 MPH to Wilk's 3.945/325.92.

Wilkerson was dishing out sub-4 second runs like candy on Halloween, dropping a 3.987 on Terry Haddock in Round One and and a crisp 3.945/325.22 to squelch Tommy Johnson Jr.'s Gainesville dream in Round Two. 

The semifinals brought about an all-Ford Performance round, with Bob Tasca III and his Ford Mustang in the opposite lane. In a stunning side-by-side race, Wilkerson and his LRS Ford kept just ahead of his opponent to win the round by .001-second, 3.955/324.51 to 3.958/325.61.

"That was sure fun, getting to race our fellow Ford campaigner over there," said Wilkerson. "It gave us some momentum going into that final round. It looks like our car is going to keep doing what it's doing, and I think that's a good thing."

Although pleased with the outcome of the weekend, Wilkerson is ready to end the dry spell that has carried on since the spring race in Charlotte in 2016. He and Team LRS were hoping to bring home his 21st career nitro Funny Car trophy.

"I was seriously unhappy when we got back here, because I really thought we were going to win," said Wilkerson. "But I'm pretty excited about what the next few races are going to look like. Hopefully, we'll go to the next one and beat one of them stinkin' Schumacher cars. We're a one-man band with a bunch of guys just doing their best. Richard Hartman [co-crew chief] is such a god-send. I'm lucky to have him and all my guys. On to the next."