For the first time since the KB Racing team’s inaugural season in 2002, four-time NHRA Pro Stock champion Greg Anderson took to the track last week in a Chevrolet-branded race car, shaking down his new Summit Racing Camaro at Rockingham Dragway in preparation for its debut at this weekend’s NHRA Supernationals in Englishtown, N.J.. Over the course of two days, Anderson and crew braved the 90-degree heat in the North Carolina Sandhills, making a total of fourteen runs, posting elapsed times in the 6.5-second range with speeds topping 209 mph. Despite the limited experience, the current championship points leader is enthused by the prospect of once again competing as a member of the Bow Tie Brigade.
“We are excited to bring out our Summit Racing Camaro in Englishtown,” said Anderson. “It’s a tremendous looking car that drives and feels great, with really good visibility. After two days of testing we’ve learned that it definitely has different performance characteristics from the car we’ve been running, but the one thing we can see already is that it has a lot of potential.
“It wants to run the big end of the race track as well as if not even better than our Pontiacs, and it’s just a matter of rubbing on it a little more to get the front half of the track right. We certainly expect a few bumps in the road as we sort out the chassis, but as far as this Camaro body goes they did a great job. I’ve won a lot of races and championships in Pontiacs, but I can’t wait to run this first event in my new Chevrolet, doing what we can to put them back in the winner’s circle.”
As if giving Chevrolet’s legendary muscle car its first Pro Stock win since 2001 was not enough, Anderson will have several other reasons to do well this weekend. Not only will his KB Racing team’s next victory be the 100th of its relatively brief ten year history, but beloved team owners Ken and Judy Black will also be in attendance for the first time since the Las Vegas event two months ago.
“Ken continues to make remarkable progress, so he’s going to fly completely across the country to see us and witness the debut of the new Camaro,” said Anderson. “So far, he’s only seen pictures of it, so he can’t wait to see it go down the track in person. Besides, don’t forget that we also have the possibility of KB Racing’s 100th win.
“We almost got it in Topeka two weeks ago, but maybe the racing gods decided they wanted Ken and Judy to be on hand for it to happen. After all, there’s nothing we would rather have than to put our Summit Racing Camaro in the winner’s circle for our 100th win with Ken Black in attendance. That would be a storybook weekend, and it’s the goal we have going in to Englishtown.”
In a somewhat ironic twist, should Anderson score the multiple milestone win in the Garden State, it will come at the same track where he captured his team’s first Wally in 2002 behind the wheel of a Chevrolet Cavalier. It was the first of the KB Racing’s team seven successive victories at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park, spanning a period from 2002-2008, with Anderson the winner on four occasions. Naturally, he hopes history will repeat itself this weekend.
“Raceway Park is one of my favorite tracks,” said Anderson. “I’ve had a lot of final round appearances and a lot of winner’s circle celebrations there, so it’s naturally an event I look forward to every year. It’s a sea-level type track where we always seem to have good air and a big barometer, making it one where the Pro Stock guys lick their chops, because given the right conditions, you could see records set - in fact, I set both ends of the national record there in 2003. When you can run fast and have fun, as a race car driver you naturally get excited going there. I’ve had a good relationship with Englishtown over the years, and look to continue it in a big way this weekend.”
Greg Anderson & the Summit Racing Camaro crew
By the Numbers – Old Bridge Township Raceway Park edition:
4 – a) Wins by Anderson in Englishtown coming into this weekend, which is tied with Bob Glidden and Warren Johnson for the most in Pro Stock history in New Jersey.
b) No. 1 qualifying performances by Anderson at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park.
5 – Final round appearances by Anderson in New Jersey, most recently in 2008.
5.57 – Average starting position for Greg in his previous 14 Raceway Park starts.
8 – Times Anderson has qualified in the top four positions in his previous 14 Englishtown starts.
25 – Elimination round wins by Greg in his previous 14 Raceway Park starts, versus 10 losses for a .714 win percentage.
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