Memphis: Jason Line preview

Line continues battle for title at Memphis MILLINGTON, Tenn. (August 17, 2006) -- As the 23-race NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series moves to Memphis Motorsports Park in Memphis, Tenn., for the NHRA O'Reilly Mid-South Nationals this weekend, Jason ...

Line continues battle for title at Memphis

MILLINGTON, Tenn. (August 17, 2006) -- As the 23-race NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series moves to Memphis Motorsports Park in Memphis, Tenn., for the NHRA O'Reilly Mid-South Nationals this weekend, Jason Line, driver of the KB Racing LLC-owned, Summit Racing Equipment-backed Pro Stock Pontiac GTO, continues to pursue his first NHRA POWERade Pro Stock point championship.

Foremost at this time among all the contenders to the top spot Line now holds are teammate and three-time POWERade champ Greg Anderson and the hard-charging Dave Connolly. Line took over the points lead from Anderson after his runner-up finish to Connolly at Denver, and has held the No. 1 position through four races.

"Since I have taken over the point lead, I've learned that you have to be close to perfect each race and have a lot of luck on your side," said Line. "While both our KB Racing Summit Pontiacs have performed flawlessly, I need to focus on every opportunity and every point that comes my way to stay on top. The best way I know to do this is to focus on winning the race at each track we go to during the last seven events.

"One secret I've learned from Greg is not to let the pressure get to you. Just do your thing and stick to your game plan no matter who is in the other lane. That's my strategy down the homestretch. I plan to give 100 percent each time out. This championship is still up for grabs, but I'm going to do my best for KB Racing, Summit Racing and my team who prepares this car."

During the four-race period from Denver through last weekend at Brainerd, the Minnesota-born, North Carolina-transplant, had gone to three finals, winning at Sonoma. At past races at Memphis, Line has one win in one final round. That win came in 2004 over Connolly.

With seven races remaining including the O'Reilly Mid-South Nationals this weekend, while it is anybody game, Line leads second place Anderson by 83 points and third place Connolly by 108 points. Jim Yates is fourth, 253 points back and Kurt Johnson rounds out the top five in fifth, 296 points behind the leader. There are 118 points up for grabs at each race, plus 20 bonus points for setting and leaving the event with a new elapsed time record. The bonus is available at each race.