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MONDAY FINAL - ANDERSON DENIES LINE OF WINNING INDY TITLE

As much as Greg Anderson would have loved to have seen teammate Jason Line win his first Mac Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals, he was going to make him earn it. Anderson beat Line on both ends of the drag strip to capture his sixth Indianapolis title.

Six wins or not, to Anderson each time winning drag racing’s most prestigious drag race has a special feeling.

“I apparently have been lucky to win this as many times as I have but each time you win this race, it feels like the first time you’ve won it,” Anderson said. “The stage is so big for this event. The competition elevates so much for this event.

“It’s amazing because every driver brings something special to the event. The field is tighter than ever – every time you come to this race. It’s an absolute knock-down drag out race. I’ve just been very fortunate to reach the finals and to race Jason was just a bonus.”

Anderson grabbed .032 out of the gate and never looked back en route to a 6.552 second pass at 210.55 miles per hour. Line absorbed the loss despite a quicker 6.538, 210.83.

“We set our goals so high to have two Summit cars in the finals with each race,” Anderson said. “The competition is tough out here -- sometimes that seems like an unreachable goal.  That’s why, after the semi-finals, we felt like we had already won the race. This team has so much to be proud of.”

The KB Racing empire almost had more to be proud of when after winning the first round, teammate Ronnie Humphrey came within 21 points of putting a third team car in the NHRA’s Countdown to 1 playoff. If Humphrey had beaten quarter-final opponent Allen Johnson, he would have faced line with one point away from a berth.

The business implications of putting a third car in the playoffs was a reality not lost on Anderson.

“It hasn’t happened in all of the years we’ve been racing and it wasn’t going to happen then,” said Anderson, of the temptation to manufacture the outcome. “We just have too much pride to do anything like that. The reason these wins mean so much is because you have to earn them. We would have loved to have seen him make it but regardless, he’s had an incredible season.”

The Indy final marked the 18th time the teammates have raced in the final round since KB Racing expanded into a three-car team.

Anderson dominated the early qualifying, leading the first two days in extreme heat. When the temperatures dropped into a more favorable tune-up, Line passed Anderson to present a one-two shot headed into race day.

Anderson reached the final on the strength of victories over Mark Martino, Rodger Brogdon and Mike Edwards.

For his part, Line stopped Buddy Perkinson, Erica Enders and Allen Johnson.

Anderson believes Line now has a taste of how special this event can be.

“I love Indy, this place is magic and I think with this final round, Jason has a sniff of how special this place is,” Anderson said.

QUICK HITS: RACE REPORTING IN RAPID FASHION

ROUND ONE

OFF TO A GOOD START – Greg Anderson has won Indy six times and in pursuit of a seventh got off to a good start. Anderson, who led qualifying for the first two days of the event, nailed down elapsed time of the first round with a 6.547, 211.03 to beat Mark Martino.

Martino, of Stoney Creek, Ont., ran a career best 6.595 in the loss.

TEAMMATE FARES WELL – Jason Line still seeks his first Indy win and in the first round laid down a strong baseline with a 6.558 second pass at 210.73 miles per hour to beat a red-lighting Buddy Perkinson.

STILL ALIVE – Pseudo KB Racing teammate, Ronnie Humphrey, entered the first round with a slim chance of overtaking Ron Krisher for the tenth spot in the Pro Stock point standings. With Larry Morgan failing to make the show, Humphrey leapfrogged into 11th and took out Krisher.

GETTING BETTER – Admittedly, Victor Cagnazzi-powered cars struggled in qualifying with Rodger Brogdon as the seventh quickest and Erica Enders, one tick behind in the eighth spot.

Both drivers ran quicker than their qualifying efforts with Brogdon posting a 6.578 in beating V. Gaines while Enders posted a 6.596 to drive around Kurt Johnson.

“We got ‘em on a holeshot, thanks to my boys,” Enders said. “This car is nothing to mess with because of the boys we have behind this race car.”

JOHNSON ELIMINATES THE DEFENDING CHAMPION – Allen Johnson extended his 2011 dominance over defending event champion Greg Stanfield in the opening round. Johnson ran a 6.589 to increase the series to a four wins to two margin.

FIRST TIMERS – In their first 2011 meeting, Mike Edwards beat Shane Gray with a 6.555, 210.37. Gray grabbed .06 off of the line, but his 6.635 fell short at the finish line.

In another first meeting, this time featuring two first time Indy participants, Vincent Nobile beat Chris McGaha.

QUARTER-FINALS

KRISHER CLINCHES – All Ronnie Humphrey had to do was beat Allen Johnson and then he could have faced teammate Jason Line in the second round trailing only one point outside of the top ten. Humphrey had the car performance but the starting line faltered.

Humphrey left the starting line with a .102 which spelled almost instant defeat. Johnson tripped the win light by a 6.582 to 6.570 margin.

THE KID FOULS – Mike Edwards advanced to the semis when Vincent Nobile, a cinch for the Rookie of the Year honors, fouled. Edwards won with a 6.568.

Jason Line also gained an easy victory when Erica Enders fouled.

HEY, I SAY BOY, LOOKA HERE – The Foghorn Leghorn cartoon character on Rodger Brogdon’s Pro Stocker epitomized the frustration of racing Greg Anderson 11 consecutive times and losing all 11.

The number after their twelfth meeting on Monday afternoon made it an even dozen.

Even though Brogdon was quicker out of the gate, Anderson took advantage of a top-end wiggle from the former’s Cobalt to score the victory with a 6.544, 210.93.

SEMI-FINALS

ALL KB, ALL THE TIME – The KB Racing cars were dominating in the Pro Stock semi-finals and nearly identical. Only .001 separated Jason Line and Greg Anderson’s winning times.

Line gave up .04 on the starting line to Allen Johnson but was able to run him down at the finish line with a 6.550. Johnson lost with a 6.612.

On the other side of the ladder, Anderson beat Mike Edwards by a 6.551 to 6.576 margin.
 

FINAL

ANDERSON WINS AGAIN - Greg Anderson  scored his 70th career victory by defeating teammate Jason Line in the final round. The victory also marked the sixth time he's won Indy.

Anderson won by out reacting Line and leading him across the finish line with a 6.552, 210.55.

The victory gives Anderson sole possession of fourth on the all-time wins list.

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SUNDAY NOTEBOOK - PRO STOCK QUALIFYING IS IN THE BOOKS

THROW ME A FREAKING BONE - In Indy, the KB Racing team has been a house divided.

Not that there was tension or strife between the two drivers Jason Line and Greg Anderson. The problem has been one driver has experienced extreme amounts of success, five victories at the Mac Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals, while the other remains winless.

Sunday’s final session was Jason Line’s way of pointing out that he wants some of the action.

Line, the winless one of the two world championship drivers, surpassed Anderson in qualifying en route to the No. 1 position with a 6.603, 209.01 pass.

“He’s had a lot of success and I have had none, so I asked him if he could just throw me a bone this time. I’m sure he’s disappointed but at the same time I know he’s happy we are one and two. We are in a good place right now.”

Anderson finished second in qualifying only .007 behind Line.

“Greg is tough on race day and he always rises to the occasion,” Line said. “I wouldn’t want to be someone who has to race them on Sunday.”

The one-two qualifying finish marked the 27th time they’ve doubled up as teammates. Pseudo teammate Ronnie Humphrey ran strong as well, slipping into the 5th spot.

As good as his car ran today, Line wasn’t brimming with pride over his driving performance during the final day of qualifying.

“I have not done a good job driving today,” Line said. “I have struggled here in the past but I’d like to do what it takes to get this out of my head. We have a good car so if we don’t do well, it’s on me.”

Line’s top run represented his fourth No. 1 of the 2011 season and 21st of his career.

THE STRIP IS HIS - As a matter of fact, he does own the road. The drag strip located at Lucas Oil Raceway of Indianapolis is now named “Bob Glidden Drive”.

Those who raced against Bob Glidden in the 1970s and 1980s new the drag strip already belonged to him.

Glidden, a nine-time NHRA U.S. Nationals Pro Stock champion, will have his name on a street sign mounted on the starting line.

NHRA President Tom Compton presented Glidden with a plaque and unveiled the new sign.

“Bob Glidden’s accomplishments at the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals are legendary,” Compton said.  “To this day, Bob still holds the record for most wins at this event, the world’s largest and most prestigious drag racing event, and it is only fitting that this hallowed drag strip be aptly named Bob Glidden Way.”

Glidden, who lives in nearby Whiteland, Ind., was taken aback by the ceremony.

“It’s been a storybook career for me,” said Glidden. “Thank you to all the fans and NHRA and all the support they’ve given us over the years. We owe everything that we have and are to NHRA Drag Racing.”

Glidden’s domination of the Pro Stock category extends well beyond Indianapolis.   He won an unprecedented 10 NHRA world championship in 16 years, including five consecutive titles from 1985 to 1989, and amassed 85 national event victories.  In the summer of 1978, Glidden won nine straight national events.  He also qualified No. 1 at a record 23 consecutive races, including all 14 events in 1987.

    FINALLY! - Allen Johnson will start No. 4 tomorrow in the elimination rounds against defending event champion Greg Stanfield in the opening stanza.

Johnson was unqualified headed into the final day of qualifying and wasted no time in placing his Mopar squarely in the mix, driving to the No. 6 position on the strength of a 6.643,207.91. He improved in the final session with a 6.623, 208.33.

“We’re still not perfect, but that’s a good thing,” said Johnson, who will go for his second win of the season tomorrow and his first ever at the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals. “The car still has a hundredth left in it. Now that the car is solid, we need to go out there and be consistent, and I need to drive well.”

A healthy logbook made the difference on Sunday.

“We just went back to our base and looked at our notes,” said Johnson.  “Tomorrow is going to be a little better, with a little better air. The team took the entire car apart last night, and they were here until 2 a.m. The work paid off, as we had a much better car tomorrow. We’ll keep plugging and hopefully have a bad to the bone car for tomorrow as well.”

WORKING THE MARKET - Kurt Johnson has been busy plying his latest trade – marketing major.

The second-generation Pro Stock driver has been working the angles, promoting and showcasing his wares. The result has been a number of one-race sponsorships composed primarily of drag racing manufacturers as opposed to the traditional Corporate America venues.

“We’ll take the big corporate sponsors, but at this time, it’s about surviving,” said Johnson, who considers himself a better engine builder than marketer. “That’s what is available and we have to live it out here one day at a time. I don’t think this survival thing is limited to us in drag racing. It’s world-wide.

“We’re learning the marketing business as we go along.

This weekend, Johnson is competing in Indianapolis with the assistance of Total Seal.

“I can’t thank the folks at Total Seal enough,” Johnson said. “It was a last minute call and Matt Hartford stepped up. They brought money to the table and it’s been awesome. We have a lot of good people trying to float the boat.”

Once the Mac Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals is complete, Johnson will pick up the phone and start making calls again.

“We are looking for some help for the next six races,” said Johnson. “The ole’ blue rocket has been running pretty good lately. If we could win tomorrow, that’d put another $50,000 in our pockets.”

For Johnson, winning makes the best sales pitch.

“The better the race car runs, the better sales tool we have to pitch,” said Johnson. “It’s all about selling product and it’s a two-way street out there. We’re looking at winning races to so well can get exposure and in turn sell product.”

Johnson plans to run the NHRA Full Throttle event at zMax Dragway. Beyond that remains to be seen.

SAFELY ON THE BUBBLE - For Ron Krisher, the best offense is a strong defense.

The tenth ranked Krisher entered this weekend’s Mac Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals presented by Lucas Oil holding a little over two round lead over No. 11 Larry Morgan.

“Larry’s the one who has to do something,” said Krisher. “He has to go two rounds further in eliminations than me.”

Krisher failed to make the cut in the first two sessions of qualifying, but stepped up in a big way during Saturday’s evening session when he ran a 6.662 elapsed time.  He entered Sunday’s final qualifying session six spots ahead of Morgan.

“For now, I will just let the Countdown take care of its self and concentrate on getting the car down the track better,” said Krisher.

The battle for the tenth and final spot was decided in the final qualifying session when Morgan failed to qualify.

SIGN OF THE TIMES – Although Indy is largely about tradition; the annual Labor Day event is no respecter of them. Warren Johnson, the Pro Stock division’s winningest driver, will have a ringside seat for Monday’s final eliminations.  Johnson failed to crack the 6.674 bubble.

Sitting on the bubble was rookie Buddy Perkinson, driving the Mark Wolfe Pro Stocker powered by Larry Morgan horsepower.

Also earning their first Indy starting positions were rookie drivers Vincent Nobile, Chris McGaha and Mark Martino.

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SATURDAY NOTEBOOK - ANDERSON IS HOT ON HOT TRACK AND AN INDY ICON RETURNS

TUNING A CAR WHILE IN HELL – The only challenge tougher than tuning a Pro Stocker down a 140-degree track is one covered with snow. Defending series champion Greg Anderson doesn’t prefer the impossible task of running quick on either but if he has to choose, he’ll take the former.

During the NHRA Mac Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals presented by Lucas Oil, Anderson has been slipping and sliding to quick times and it isn’t on the frozen stuff either.

The second day of qualifications challenged the mettle of the most seasoned tuner and for Anderson; it was just another challenge which goes with the territory.

Anderson posted the quickest elapsed time among the 28 racers making an attempt, highlighted by his 6.629-second, 208.01 mph pass on Saturday evening, where the conditions were the best of the weekend so far.

If his run holds, it will mark his 76th No. 1 qualifying performance of his career.

“The conditions have continued to change throughout qualifying, but this Summit Racing team just keeps hitting the mark time after time, keeping both Jason (teammate Line) and myself on top of this field,”  said Anderson.  “With every session, the teams are naturally starting to get a handle on this racetrack, making it tougher and tougher to stay ahead, but we’ve been making some good decisions with all three cars (Ronnie Humphrey is currently sixth in his Summit Genuine Hotrod Hardware Pontiac), putting us in this position.

“However, this is Indy, and we have one more day to set the field.  If that wasn’t enough, we’re supposed to get some weather coming in tonight that will create a completely different set of tuning conditions, which could scramble the field from top to bottom.  Still, we’re going to the hotel with smiles on our faces, and ready to handle whatever gets thrown at us tomorrow.  So far, so good.”

HEY YOU, MR. LEGEND – Ask him about his appointment as an NHRA drag racing legend, and Bob Glidden, will just smile. He’ll likely offer, “I feel like a lucky                   old fart.”

Call it luck. Call it whatever. But the numbers justify Glidden’s appointment.

Ten world championships, 85 national event victories and nine U.S. Nationals Pro Stock championships comprise only the NHRA portion of his resume.

“[Wife] Etta and I, the kids, have spent our lives drag racing and what we have today is because of our involvement with the NHRA,” Glidden said. “Believe me, I appreciate their recognition.”

Glidden was long been regarded as one of the hardest workers in the Pro Stock division, a reputation which earned the Mad Dog nickname for his relentless work ethic. And for Glidden, when the hard work crossed paths with opportunity, it didn’t matter if he was racing a Ford Pinto, Ford Fairmont or EXP.

As successful as he was with the oddball combinations, Glidden cherishes the memories he made with his 1987 Thunderbird. Not even his undefeated 1978 Ford Fairmont could steal favor from the Thunderbird.

“I just liked the look of that old Thunderbird,” Glidden said. “Our first run set the class record. We ended up winning about 18 races with that car.”

Glidden made his NHRA debut at the 1972 NHRA World Finals in Ontario, Ca, with little more than hopes and dreams. He finished runner-up to Bill Jenkins.

“We had about $18,000 invested in everything we owned,” said Glidden, admitting the little known factoid. “This included our truck, race car and spare engine. We went to our first race in Ontario, Ca., and won $12,400 for finishing runner-up. That would be the equivalent of winning $400,000 today.

ANOTHER LEGEND WEIGHS IN – Shirley Muldowney, who had a grandstand at Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis named after her Saturday, has a driver in mind she’d like to see win the factory hot rod division – Erica Enders.

“No disrespect to the other women racers, but my favorite is Erica Enders,” said Muldowney. “She’s got the goods. She’s going to get her first victory someday and I bet you it’s this weekend. It would make me so happy. I sit on the edge of my couch with my fingers crossed [watching the race on TV].

Muldowney won the NHRA U.S. Nationals Top Fuel title in 1982.

“My favorite moment in drag racing …” Muldowney said. “Kicking Conrad Kalitta’s a** here in 1982 and we did it in fine style. I left on him. His car, it leaves kinda’ good but then it’s all over for him. I have to give him credit. He had nothing to be ashamed of that day. He was a gentleman.”

WELCOME TO PRO STOCK – She couldn’t have found a better big stage with which to make her big league debut. This is how Grace Howell described her NHRA Pro Stock debut as the new driver of Jim Cunningham’s Ford Mustang.

“It felt awesome,” said Howell, whose previous driving experience was limited to Super Stock and Stock competition. “The car shook the tires but it was just an amazing experience just to run down the track. Being here in Indy and driving Jim Cunningham’s Mustang is just an incredible experience.”

After two days of qualifying, Howell has managed a best 7.354 elapsed time at 149.23, a run which came in her third attempt. Howell admits she’s getting comfortable with each run.

“Of course it was intimidating on that first run,” Howell said. “But Jim Yates has been preparing me to get to this point. I’m just happy to be at this point getting my feet wet.”

Getting her feet all the while fulfilling a lifelong dream bodes well for Howell.

“Doing this is what I’ve wanted to do all of my life,” Howell said. “I’ve always loved Pro Stock. I raced Stock and Super Stock for about ten years and before that, Junior Dragsters. This is just a dream come true.

“Just being around this Ford Mustang team and Jim Cunningham will be the greatest thing I take away from this experience. I’m so happy for the opportunity to do this because I’ve always been a huge Ford fan. To be here in this Mustang and at Indy, is a big dream come true.”



NOT A HAPPY CAMPER - Allen Johnson was eighth after the single qualifying round yesterday, recording a 6.707-second pass at 207.72 mph despite scorching track temps of 124 degrees. Conditions were even hotter (129 degrees) during Saturday’s opening session and despite the hardship, Johnson stepped up to sixth with a 6.691, 207.78 effort.

The track cooled down significantly for the final qualifying pass of the day, but Johnson’s Mopar Dodge shook the tires and slowed to a 6.733,207.56 pass, leaving him 13th and unqualified.

“I’m not happy at all,” said Johnson. “We’re struggling a little bit. We’ll go out there tomorrow, hold our chins up and go for it and do the best that we can do.”

Johnson and his J&J Racing crew may have to deal with entirely different track conditions tomorrow, as cooler weather is in the forecast for the Indianapolis area.

“We’ve got a lot of data, and a lot of good notes, and we’ll rely on them tomorrow to make the changes we need to do in order to adapt to weather," said Johnson. "Hopefully we can move up tomorrow.”

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FRIDAY NOTEBOOK - A HOT DAY IN DAY IN INDY

IT’S A HOT ONE OUT THERE – Indianapolis was hot – 96 degrees to be exact.

And for Greg Anderson, the defending Pro Stock series champion categorized the first day of provisional qualifying for the Mac Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals as somewhere between this year’s Chicago event and the 2004 St. Louis event.

“It’s hot out there, it feels like we are racing on the sun,” Anderson said.

Anderson and teammate Jason Line ran identical 6.650 second passes, but claimed the top spot by virtue of a 208.40 mph speed.

“But, the heat is the same for everybody out there and you have to find a way to run it,” Anderson said. “When it gets that hot you just have to do the best that you can.”

Anderson was the top qualifier of the largest field of assembled Pro Stockers competing this season with 30 entries. If the run holds through Sunday, it will mark his fourth No. 1 qualifier of 2011.

“Regardless of the conditions, we are off to a good start,” Anderson said. “I believe as the weekend continues, these temperatures will drop and the cars will get quicker.

“Right now, it has to be tough on those fans in the stands. I cannot remember it being this hot at Indy before.”

Saturday qualifying for the Pro Stockers will feature qualifying sessions at 3:00 PM, and conclude the day at 6:30.

ON THE EDGE – Larry Morgan knows the odds are stacked against him this weekend.

Morgan entered this weekend 32 points out of the top ten, with only four rounds of competition remaining for the 2011 Full Throttle Drag Racing Series regular season.

Morgan, a ten-time NHRA Pro Stock winner and nine-time top ten points finalist, isn’t sweating the deficit. Right now, to pass Krisher he needs to outlast No. 10 Ron Krisher by at least two rounds during Monday’s final eliminations.

“There’s no reason to be nervous about it,” Morgan said. “I am going to do the best I can do. We just need to go rounds. Whatever happens will happen.”

Morgan finished Friday’s lone qualifying session as the tenth quickest with a 6.714. Krisher was 24th after one session.

“I think back in the early days of my career, I took finishing in the top ten for granted,” Morgan said. “But you can’t do that today because there are 20 very capable cars … capable of getting a place in the top ten. You had better be on your game and if you do qualify, you are within .04 of one another.”

Morgan’s finest run of successful years was between a six year span beginning in 1989 when he drove to consecutive top ten finishes. He admits to being a totally different driver now.

“I might have been a little torn up back then,” Morgan said.




HE’S A MEATBALL, BUT AT LEAST IT’S INDY – Just qualifying for Indy would be enough for Frank Gugliotta. The former IHRA Pro Stock icon is racing this weekend in a Ford Mustang built by Joe Schott and powered by an engine supplied by Jim Cunningham.

“We’re at Indy,” Gugliotta said, pausing to smile. “I’ve been wanting to qualify at an NHRA event for years. It’s the big guys.”

Gugliotta, who ranks 12th all-time on the IHRA Mountain Motor Pro Stock tour with 12 wins, just wants to play in the big league game.

He has no visions of having a day in the sun and visiting the winner’s circle.

“I just want to qualify,” Gugliotta said. “I don’t care if I end up No. 16. That would make me happier than you would know. Any race would be great to qualify, but to do it at Indy, are you kidding me?”

IT’S STILL INDY – Mike Edwards has clinched his playoff spot which leaves one important aspect worth fighting for – the prestige of winning.

"So much emphasis has always been put on this one race," he said. "When I was lucky enough to win the event in 1998, it brought so much to my team that it is hard to describe. To the world of drag racing, the U.S. Nationals is like the Super Bowl, or in other forms of racing the Daytona 500 or Indy 500, it just has a little bit more meaning than the other stops on the NHRA tour."

In order to put his best foot forward, Edwards has been working non-stop.

"We came back to the shop, kind of took an inventory of where we were at and what we needed to accomplish and went to work, making sure everything was fresh and we had no issues," he added. "Then we have spent quite a few days at the local track in Tulsa making laps trying to find that extra little advantage that might get us into the winner's circle come Monday."

In recent Indy events, Edwards has come close to winning. In 2008 he reached the semifinals, and backed that up in 2009 with the same performance. Last season, he took it a step further by reaching the final before falling to Greg Stanfield. During that run, Edwards has held the No. 1 qualifying position the last two seasons.

"We know we can run fast at Indy, and have always performed well throughout my career," he said. "We came close last year, and just missed getting that second trophy. I know I have the best team in Pro Stock and with all them focused on this one goal this weekend; I know we are more than ready to work our tails off to leave with the Wally."


 
BACK WHERE THEY WANT TO BE, KINDA SORTA – Rodger Brogdon admittedly suffered through a season of parts where some worked and others didn’t meet expectations.

“There’s no question we had some issues mid-season,” stated Brogdon, “but everything now looks to be performing the way we expect, and when you’re not being surprised on every other lap it helps you build consistency. We put the EDGE Pontiac into the semi-finals at Seattle and were on our way to the finals in Brainerd when we got a little too aggressive and rattled the tires against Erica in the semi-finals there.”

Brogdon believes his team had the potential to win at least four races,

Gainesville, Houston, Topeka and Brainerd, and this weekend he’s ready to put it all behind him.

“With the momentum we’ve got going right now, we’re hoping the come Monday evening we can put all those ‘shoulda-beens’ behind us and enjoy an Indy win,” Brogdon said.


PERKINSON RETURNS – Buddy Perkinson, who drove Jim Cunningham’s Pro Stocker earlier this season, was the 15th quickest after the first day of qualifying.

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