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Commerce: GM Racing Saturday summary

Anderson Holds On As No. 1 Pro Stock Qualifier at Atlanta Dragway Current Points Leader Records Third Pole of Season, 54th of His Career COMMERCE, Ga., April 28, 2007 - Pro Stock driver Greg Anderson was the fastest of the fast yesterday after ...

Published: Apr 29, 2007, 4:57 AM

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Anderson Holds On As No. 1 Pro Stock Qualifier at Atlanta Dragway

Current Points Leader Records Third Pole of Season, 54th of His Career

COMMERCE, Ga., April 28, 2007 - Pro Stock driver Greg Anderson was the fastest of the fast yesterday after establishing Atlanta Dragway track records for elapsed time and speed in first-day qualifying, and today the three-time NHRA POWERade champ held on to claim No. 1 qualifier at the 27th annual Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals. Anderson drove his Summit Racing Pontiac GTO to a track-record elapsed time of 6.627 seconds at 208.30 mph, and today lowered the track-record speed mark to 208.71 mph. It was the third No. 1 qualifier of the season for the current Pro Stock points leader and the 54th of his career, and the Minnesota native has now qualified for 99 consecutive NHRA national events.

"Getting No. 1 qualifier is the first goal when you come into a race weekend, obviously, and with the extra incentive we have with Summit sponsoring the race, it worked out according to plan. We made four very consistent runs here this weekend in qualifying, which to be honest with you we haven't done at any race so far this year. This is probably our best string of qualifying efforts we've had all year. I'm very proud of the guys and the job they've done. We seem to have some consistency, so that's all great, but we're going to have to put that under the rug and come up with a tune-up for tomorrow. It looks like it's going to be hotter, greasier, and that's going to be another huge challenge out there. We can't get too confident and think we've got it figured out because you're going to have to be a little different for tomorrow. You're going to have to make some moves, and hopefully tomorrow we'll make the right ones and maybe put this Summit Racing Pontiac in the final."

Anderson and his KB Racing teammate Jason Line have gotten off to a fast start this season with four No. 1 qualifiers and five race wins between them, but the season is still young and NHRA's "Countdown to the Championship" has created a new playoff format where any one of eight drivers can qualify for the series championship after 17 of the season's 23 races.

"We're definitely proud of the job that (crew chief) Rob Downing and all these guys have done," Anderson said. "All of my guys from the engine shop back in Charlotte, this is a close race for us, so we brought them all down here. I'm so proud of them, and they ought to be proud watching these two cars out here. It's just tremendous what kind of power we have under the hoods of these (Pontiacs), and those guys are responsible for it. I can't thank them enough. It's great news that the cars are running like this. The only bad deal is we both are on the same side of the ladder, so if we match up it will be in one of the semifinals if we can make it that far. (Jason's) running great, without a doubt, so you hate to see that, but if we make it that far then you'll see a Summit car in the final, and that's a good thing."

Line has his Summit Racing Pontiac qualified No. 4 and will face Erica Enders in Round 1. Other Pontiac qualifiers include Mike Edwards (9th), Jim Yates (11th), Greg Stanfield (14th), and Warren Johnson (15th).

Jeg Coughlin continues to run strong in his Slammers Ultimate Milk/Jegs.com Chevy Cobalt after back-to-back No. 1 qualifiers in Houston and Las Vegas as well as a final-round appearance at Las Vegas before losing to Anderson. Coughlin is the highest qualified Chevy at No. 3 with an elapsed time of 6.653 seconds at 206.80 mph and will face Greg Stanfield in Round 1. Other Chevy qualifiers include Coughlin's teammate Dave Connolly in fifth, Kenny Koretsky (8th), Kurt Johnson in the ACDelco Chevy Cobalt (12th), and former Georgia Tech basketball star turned Pro Stock racer Tom Hammonds (16th).

In Funny Car, Jeff Arend has been impressive his first time in his new blue CSK Chevy Impala SS, leading Team Chevy as the No. 3 qualifier with both a career-best elapsed time and speed of 4.712 seconds at 327.66 mph. Tony Pedregon is right behind Arend in the Q Racing Chevy in the No. 4 position with a 4.740 e.t. at 318.84 mph, and Mike Ashley drove his Dodge to the No. 1 qualifier with an elapsed time of 4.704 seconds at a track-record speed of 331.04 mph.

-credit: gm racing

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