Line Wins Third Championship, Anderson Wins Auto Club Finals

Team Summit Racing driver Jason Line won the 2016 NHRA Mello Yello Pro Stock Championship at the 62nd NHRA Auto Club Finals in Pomona, California. Teammate Greg Anderson won the event. The pair of victories capped off a season that saw Line and Anderson winning 16 of 24 events and competing in 10 all-Summit Racing final rounds.

Line came to Pomona with a 23 point lead over teammate Greg Anderson. He clinched the championship with a semifinal round win. This is Line’s third championship; he won the title in 2006 and 2011.

Line qualified Number One with a 6.545 second, 211.33 MPH pass. He defeated Alan Prusiensky in Round One of eliminations (6.560/211.13 to 6.657/208.14); Chris McGaha in Round Two (6.605/209.33 to 6.607/209.43); and Erica Enders-Stevens in the semi-finals (6.590/210.54 to 13.902/63.67).

It was an all-Team Summit Racing final as Line faced teammate Greg Anderson. Anderson got the jump at the starting line with a .016 second reaction time and took the win.

“It was a great year and I want to thank all our competitors. They did a great job and made us work hard right to the end,” Line said. “Of course a big thanks goes out to the Summit Racing folks and (team owner) Ken Black. It’s been an incredible dream season.”

Greg Anderson qualified third with a 6.555/210.80 run. He defeated Aaron Strong in Round One (6.576/210.80 to 6.633/208.78), Shane Gray in Round Two (6.592/210.37 to 6.596/210.47), and KB Racing Teammate Bo Butner in the semi-finals (6.596/210.54 to 6.630/210.41).

Anderson defeated Jason Line in the final round, 6.580/210.24 to 6.570/211.43 thanks to a .028 second starting line advantage (.016 to .044 reaction time). The win puts Anderson in second place on the all-time NHRA Pro Stock win list, surpassing the legendary Bob Glidden.

“It came down to the final race of the year. Jason is the World Champion and I won the race. What a dream!” said Anderson. “To break Bob Glidden’s record is obviously fantastic. That’s something I never considered, could think about or imagine. Now that it’s happened it’s just unreal.”

Tim Wilkerson qualified ninth with a 3.920/328.38 pass. He defeated 2015 Funny Car Champion Del Worsham in Round One, 3.922/325.77 to 325.77.  In Round Two Wilkerson came up against Jack Beckman. Wilkerson was late off the starting line with a .175 second reaction time, and Beckman took the win, 3.910/327.82 to 4.007/276.69.

“I just had a bad second round there. I got up there and I really couldn’t see because of the sun shining in my eyes,” Wilkerson said. “We weren’t going to outrun a 3.91 anyways, but we’ve been testing out some new combinations and I’m really optimistic about how the car ran today.”

Wilkerson finished the 2016 season ninth in the Funny Car points standings.

Team Summit Results: Top Fuel
Doug Kalitta qualified second (3.709/327.90). He defeated Shawn Reed, Tony Schumacher, and Shawn Langdon to reach the final round, where he defeated teammate J.R. Todd for the win. Kalitta finished the season second in the points standings.

“I have a heck of a group—this entire team is awesome,” Kalitta said. “To close the season with a win is great. This is a trophy I have been chasing for a long time, and I am so glad to earn it." 

J.R. Todd qualified Number One (3.680/327.82). He defeated Troy Buff, Richie Crampton, and Antron Brown to reach the final round, where he lost to Doug Kalitta. Todd finished the season fourth in the points standings.

“All in all, a good weekend for Kalitta Motorsports having both Toyota dragsters in the final,” Todd said. “Hopefully this is a sign of things to come for next year. The performance of the car over the last three races has really come around. I like the direction we’re going in for 2017.”

Team Summit Results: Funny Car
Del Worsham qualified eighth (3.912/327.35), but lost to Tim Wilkerson in Round One of eliminations. He finished the season seventh in the points standings.

“This is not the way we wanted to end the season, but it was a great effort by all of my guys,” Worsham said. “We will work hard this off-season and come out swinging in 2017.”

Jeff Arend drove for the injured Alex DeJoria. He qualified 10th (3.930/317.19) and defeated Matt Hagan Round One, but lost to Courtney Force in Round Two. DeJoria finished the season 10th in the points standings. 

Paul Lee qualified 11th (3.935/305.36) but lost to Robert Hight in Round One.

Final Round Results from the NHRA Auto Club Finals
Top Fuel: Doug Kalitta (3.745/326.630 defeated J.R. Todd (3.704/327.90) 
Funny Car: Tommy Johnson Jr. (3.918/320.51) defeated John Force (3.918/321.81) 
Pro Stock: Greg Anderson (6.580/210.24) defeated Jason Line (6.570/211.43) 
Pro Stock Motorcycle: Matt Smith (8.044/117.34) defeated Angelle Sampey (Foul - Red Light)

2016 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series Pro Class Points Standings

Top Fuel 
1.  Antron Brown, 2,663
2.  Doug Kalitta, 2,533
3.  Steve Torrence, 2,482
4.  J.R. Todd, 2,455
5.  Shawn Langdon, 2,443
6.  Brittany Force, 2,399
7.  Leah Pritchett, 2,389
8.  Tony Schumacher, 2,387
9.  Richie Crampton, 2,279
10.  Clay Millican, 2,264

Funny Car 
1.  Ron Capps, 2,605
2.  Tommy Johnson Jr., 2,553
3.  Matt Hagan, 2,493
4.  John Force, 2,486
5.  Jack Beckman, 2,480
6.  Courtney Force, 2,414
7.  Del Worsham, 2,406
8.  Robert Hight, 2,368
9.  Tim Wilkerson, 2,314
10.  Alexis DeJoria, 2,184

Pro Stock 
1.  Jason Line, 2,639
2.  Greg Anderson, 2,636
3.  Shane Gray, 2,492
4.  Bo Butner, 2,453
5. Vincent Nobile, 2,449
6.  Drew Skillman, 2,424
7.  Chris McGaha, 2,327
8.  Allen Johnson, 2,277
9.  Erica Enders, 2,239
10.  Jeg Coughlin, 2,208

Pro Stock Motorcycle 
1.  Jerry Savoie, 2,595
2.  Eddie Krawiec, 2,571
3.  Andrew Hines, 2,564
4.  Angelle Sampey, 2,495
5.  Chip Ellis, 2,415
6.  Matt Smith, 2,389
7.  LE Tonglet, 2,372
8.  Hector Arana Jr, 2,315
9.  Cory Reed, 2,312
10.  Hector Arana, 2,279