Anderson Sets National Pro Stock Speed Record, Moves Up to Second in Points
The Full Throttle Drag Racing Series headed to Virginia Motorsports Park October 9-11 for the Virginia NHRA Nationals in Richmond, Virginia. Team Summit drivers Greg Anderson, Tim Wilkerson, and Brandon Bernstein battled in their respective fields for a shot for the win in the final. Anderson and Wilkerson raced to runner-up finishes while Bernstein pushed his car to the limit and won his race in true Summit Racing fashion to claim his 18th career victory.
Team Summit Results: Pro Stock
Greg Anderson began the weekend by qualifying third with a 6.547/211.16 pass. In the opening round of eliminations, Anderson posted the second quickest elapsed time in Pro Stock history and reset the national speed record with his 6.517/212.36 to 6.599/207.88 victory over Dave Northrop. Anderson then beat Ronnie Humphrey in a narrow 6.528/212.33 to 6.551/211.66 battle, and raced past Larry Morgan, 6.528/212.06 to 6.576/210.34, to enter his 87th career final round against Mike Edwards. Edwards gained a small .019 to .027 starting line advantage over Anderson and held on to take the win, 6.526/211.43 to 6.522/212.03, with a narrow .004 second margin of victory. Anderson’s excellent showing allowed him to move up one spot to second in the points standings.
Jason Line knew he would need to maintain the forward progress he’s made in the last two races to have a shot at winning the championship. Things went according to plan in the first two rounds of eliminations. Line eliminated rookie Ryan Ondrejko with a career-best 6.534/211.96 to 6.624/208.91. He maintained his pace in the second round to defeat fellow playoff contender Greg Stanfield, 6.548/211.59 to Stanfield’s problem-plagued 13.188/64.89 pass. This set the stage for a crucial semi-final encounter against Mike Edwards. Unfortunately, the contest was over at the starting line as Line left .015 seconds early, handing the automatic win to Edwards. Line dropped one place to third in the points standings.
Kurt Johnson qualified second with a 6.546/210.64. Johnson lost to John Nobile in Round One. Johnson is ninth in the points standings.
Larry Morgan qualified 10th with a 6.580/210.05. Morgan defeated Johnny Gray and John Nobile in the first two rounds before losing to Greg Anderson in the semi-finals. Morgan is 12th in the points standings.
Warren Johnson qualified 11th with a 6.585/210.31. Johnson was beat to the finish stripe by Ronnie Humphrey in the opening round. Johnson is 11th in the points standings.
Rickie Jones did not race at the Virginia NHRA Nationals. Jones is 10th in the points standings.
Team Summit Results: Top Fuel
Brandon Bernstein qualified sixth with a 3.832/312.42. Bernstein defeated Scott Weis, Scott Palmer, Cory McClenathan, and Antron Brown to end a 52-race winless streak and claim his 18th national event win. The win propelled Bernstein from seventh to fifth in the points standings.
Doug Kalitta qualified ninth with a 3.865/314.75. Kalitta beat Shawn Langdon and Larry Dixon in rounds one and two before coming up short against Antron Brown in the semi-final. Kalitta is ninth in the points standings.
Team Summit Results: Funny Car
Tim Wilkerson qualified fourth with a 4.052/310.13. Wilkerson trailered Cruz Pedregon, Robert Hight, and Mike Neff in the first three rounds before losing to Del Worsham in the final. Wilkerson moves from eighth to fifth in the points standings.
Next Race
After a three week break, The NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series rumbles into Las Vegas, Nevada October 29-November 1 for the second-to-last race in the Countdown to One playoffs, the NHRA Las Vegas Nationals.
Drag Race Central
For up-to-the-minute drag racing news and in-depth results for the 2009 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, visit http://www.DragRaceCentral.com. Drag Race Central has all the drag racing news about your favorite professional and sportsman class drag racing teams, including feature stories, press releases, and photos. Check it out today!
