The Summit Racing NHRA Pro Stock team is
well-versed in racing. KB Racing holds 160 Pro Stock wins and eight NHRA Mello Yello
Drag Racing Series championships heading into Sunday at the Auto Club NHRA Finals,
making them one of the most winning teams in the history of the sport, let alone the
class.

But the group isn't just intelligent and capable in terms of generating and applying
horsepower; they also know how to race. In qualifying at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona
and with the championship on the line, the team put together an old-school bracket
racing strategy to ensure that Greg Anderson, driver of the red Summit Racing
Chevrolet Camaro, would have the opportunity to race points leader Erica Enders in
the first round of eliminations and take their fate into their own hands.

The scenario coming into Pomona was that if Enders were to qualify, Anderson would
be mathematically eliminated from championship contention. His teammates, Summit
Racing Chevrolet Camaro driver Jason Line and Bo Butner, driver of the Jim Butner
Auto Group Chevrolet powered by KB Racing, would remain in striking distance of the
big trophy if he could take out Enders in the first round on their behalf.

When it became evident in the first session of qualifying that Enders would, indeed,
make the field, Anderson and his team moved forward with a plan used commonly in
bracket racing. He lifted off of the throttle as he neared the finish line stripe
and hoped that his qualifying position would land directly across from Enders, who
was in the No. 2 spot.

"I'm out of it mathematically and have nothing to gain, so we figured we might as
well take a shot at trying to round it up early and get a shot at her," said
Anderson on the first day of qualifying, immediately unveiling their intentions.
"That's really the only chance we've got, so that's what we decided to do to try to
give the rest of the class at least a slight glimmer. We'll see how it works out."

Through each qualifying round, Anderson's concerted efforts to gauge when to lift to
keep him in the right position produced the desired results, much to the frustration
of the opposing – and very vocally offended – team across the way.

"I don't really see what's wrong with it," said four-time champion Anderson, in
response to the outrage of Enders and the Elite Motorsports group. "Do they expect
me to come to the race and just hand it over? It's not technically over yet. You
have to keep swinging 'til the bell rings. That's what I'm going to do. I'm going to
try. It's a long shot, a miracle, really.

"It's going to take, first, getting qualified right, and second, trying to beat her
in the first round. It's a long, long shot, but I'm going to try all I can, and I
don't see what's wrong with that. They shouldn't either. They have a lot of pride in
their team, that's a great team over there. Why would they worry about me?"

When it was all said and done, Anderson accomplished the first part of his goal.
Qualified in the No. 15 position, he was guaranteed a first-round meeting with
Enders.

"Unfortunately, we probably got the easy part done – although that was not easy,
that was very difficult and probably just pure luck that we ended up in that spot,"
said Anderson, acknowledging the work cut out for him on Sunday. "That job is done,
but now it's the big job tomorrow. It's going to be fun. It's going to be a blast.
This is what NHRA Pro Stock racing is all about right here. If anybody isn't excited
about first round tomorrow, I'd think there's something wrong with them."

Line, a three-time world champion in the category and currently No. 3 in the points,
must win the race on Sunday if he is to claim a fourth Pro Stock championship. He
claimed a slew of bonus qualifying points in order to do his part and remain in the
game. The same holds true for Butner, who must win and needed the bonus qualifying
points to stay alive.

Line scored 11 bonus points to Enders' four. His Summit Racing Chevy was the
quickest Pro Stock car in the third session and second-quickest in both Q1 and Q4.
He was fourth-best in the second qualifying round to plump his accumulation of
valuable "baby points," which could very well come into play if he should meet Jeg
Coughlin Jr. (No. 2 in the standings) in the final. If the two should meet there and
Line should win, it would give him the season title by one point.

"Qualifying was big, for sure. A little strategy involved," said Line, who recorded
a best time of 6.544-second at 210.01 mph and races Shane Tucker in round one. "We
shouldn't have gotten ourselves in this position in the first place, but [Elite
Motorsports] has done a great job, and we have to catch them. We're trying to do the
right things and give ourselves an opportunity to win for Team Summit."

Butner, the 2017 Pro Stock champion, brought in eight bonus points in qualifying –
exactly what he needed. He will square off with Val Smeland in round one as he
starts from the No. 4 spot with a best time of 6.557, 210.83.

"We talked about this a couple of races back, and then seeing how [Anderson] did in
Vegas, this was our only choice," said Butner, a longtime Sportsman competitor who
has experienced a great deal of success as a bracket racer. "Maybe some people were
frowning on it, but it's just what you do. We're not going to give up the
championship. Greg let it be known that he's out for Jason or myself to win. A KB
Racing Chevy Camaro needs to win the championship.

"It's going to take a miracle, we know, but I like our chances with Greg Anderson
racing Erica Enders first round. The fate has already been decided, so we're going
to wake up tomorrow like it's Christmas. It feels great that we have enough bonus
points and we're not locked out. It could end up being a very cool day."

Eliminations for the Auto Club NHRA Finals will begin on Sunday at Auto Club Raceway
at Pomona at 11 am PT.

And on a similar note, any bets on how first round between force and hight will go? Shades of Texas past? Both unethical if not down right wrong.

I hope Erica kicks his ass 1st round and drives that ***** back!!

Switch circumstances! The other team has great sportsman racers too, they would do the same thing!
Let it rip!

Like it or not, it’s legit, it’s legal. If you don’t help your team mate you may as well be racing for the other team.

quote:

Originally posted by stk 758 BP!:
Switch circumstances! The other team has great sportsman racers too, they would do the same thing!
Let it rip!

Like it or not, it’s legit, it’s legal. If you don’t help your team mate you may as well be racing for the other team.

Funny how people say " they all do it ", when I only see one or two teams that do. Erica even stated " we don't race that way ". Reminds me of another group all ways attempting to manipulate the outcome of a contest.

quote:

Originally posted by Big Steve:
I hope Erica kicks his ass 1st round and drives that ***** back!!

And takes another picture next to his trailer, he's probably still butt hurt over that one.

quote:

Originally posted by Bubbletop409:

quote:

Originally posted by Big Steve:
I hope Erica kicks his ass 1st round and drives that ***** back!!

And takes another picture next to his trailer, he's probably still butt hurt over that one.

^^^^this^^^^

Poor Greg...
He’s not my favorite PS racer btw..

Like the countdown is a real championship. Who would ever have thought racers could miss regular season races and win a championship.

I think his strategy is fair, but I sure hope she whips his tail. Take care. Tom Worthington

quote:

Like the countdown is a real championship.

^^^^^ This. It's a show, not racing. Never ceases to amaze me how grown men with real life experiences cling to a naive philosophy of "fair and just". It's about money, sponsorship and the TEAM winning the game.

quote:

Originally posted by Canted Valve:

quote:

Like the countdown is a real championship.

^^^^^ This. It's a show, not racing. Never ceases to amaze me how grown men with real life experiences cling to a naive philosophy of "fair and just". It's about money, sponsorship and the TEAM winning the game.

I'm sure once again that will be forces excuse. Cheaters like him definitely undermine the credibility of what was once a sport.

Looks like Greg's strategy almost worked...but it's Erica for the win in round 1.

Good to see Erica beat whine-anderson, & force gave the win to hight.

Alot of people who have been involved in any kind of championship chase has done something similar. Following a racer into the lanes or having a friend try to pair up with a certain racer is very common. I have done it myself on more than 1 occasion. I have seen racers dam near wreck getting into the lanes to pair up. On the IHRA side many yrs ago ,Ricky Behr towed to a track he had never been to so he could protect his lead in the Championship battle. Mission was accomplished.

Back when I was running for the track championship the one year, the guy in 5th had all the math done. Knew he had to take me down round 1.

I was 6th in line, eft lane. 5 cars in front of me, the right lane empty, and he parked right beside me motioning others to move ahead. LOL Same result as today, didn't work

While it may not be illegal, it’s certainly not ethical. Stacking the ladder in an attempt to gang up and eliminate one person in my opinion is just wrong, I’m not a Force fan for just this reason. This ain’t bracket racing, spectators paid a ton of money to watch them race, not play games. If this is the way Professional Racing is done, I can absolutely stop watching or attending one more NHRA National event.

Until now I really didn’t care who won the Pro Stock Championship, this changed my mind.....and perhaps where, and who I buy my parts from again. Please tell me that this is NOT the way Summit does business.

I don’t believe that I’ve ever seen Jeggie or Erica doing this. This is disappointing, and Mr. Anderson wants to brag about it?????

Bob

at the end of the day it is racing and is about winning. I liked the fact that Anderson did what he did. my beef is the interview on race day. instead of sounding like a scared pu55 Anderson should have said, I landed on the ladder like Anthony Bertozzi and now I am fixing to take one of Erica's chins and beat her down with it.

that would have made for great tv race fans.

in my opinion she should have said it takes three of them b1tches to beat me. then she would have earned some of my respect. don't cry about the qualifying sheet.

ep-Fuzz told me one time he was going to follow me up......and he did. I respect that

Done it many times, when I was racing to WIN.

I'm not surprised.

Whiney Anderson knew he had a snowball's chance in the Saraha, and chose to play the game. EE knew it, too. Glad she won. She's a decent driver; particularly at the tree.

It is, as said, more of "entertainment" now than racing which I personally don't care for.

I am not a fan of either of these two! But I will say that you race to win and that now we are in the "racing teams" era (just like No Prep LOL)why wouldn't you work as a team! Yes, tanking in eliminations is not good for the sport! No question here but using strategy like they tried to get a team member a chance at a championship with out tanking a race against a team member,,,, if you got issues there I don't know what to say other than wake up. Is OK to give a team member a motor or whatever to continue to race? Don't here people crying about that! They race to win and there is nothing wrong with that! Team Elite, toss out your cry baby soup and grow up!