Topeka: Jason Line preview

Jason Line looks to Topeka for a rebound

TOPEKA, Kan. (May 25, 2007) -- Sometimes extra time to prepare for a race is good for a driver. Extra time is the case for Jason Line, driver of one of the two Summit Racing Equipment Pontiacs fielded by KB Racing LLC, due to the postponement of the Bristol event until July6-9 to repair unexpected problems encountered during the resurfacing of the 700-foot concrete launch pad.

"Extra time is always good," said the reigning NHRA POWERade Pro Stock champ. "For me it was a double blessing. It gave me extra time to clear my head after a string of races that I'd just as soon forget. But more importantly, it gave me extra time to develop more horsepower for both Summit Racing Pontiacs. That's the good news. The bad news is that we now have a whole bunch of races all together over the next two months."

Since Phoenix, the second race of the season, Line has dropped from a high of second in the NHRA POWERade Pro Stock point standings after exiting in the early rounds. He now looks to the Topeka race to rebound. "Hopefully this is behind me and my KB Racing team. My Summit Racing Pontiac is too good not to be going to the later rounds. I hope Topeka will be the start of turning this season around," said Line, as he looked to the 19th annual NHRA O'Reilly Summer Nationals being held June 1-3 at Heartland Park Topeka.

Line has been racing at Heartland Park Topeka since it opened. "I grew up in the sportsmen ranks in Division 5. In fact, I ran the first race at Heartland Park Topeka that they ever raced there and lost in the semifinals to Al Corda," recalled Line, who won both the NHRA Division 5 Stock Eliminator championship and the NHRA Stock Eliminator championship in 1993. "It will be good to see a lot of old friends and my family will be there. I'm looking forward to seeing them and if I can get the job done, it would be especially nice to have my family in the winner's circle with me."

Line holds down the fourth spot in points in the first segment of the Countdown to the Championship. He has 427 points, 252 points behind his teammate Greg Anderson who leads all challengers. He is 39 points behind third place Jeg Coughlin, and 52 in back of Coughlin's teammate Dave Connolly, who is in the No. 2 position.

"You know when you get behind somewhat in points you have a tendency to like this new Countdown to the Championship a lot better. After all, they even up the points after each of the first two sections," laughed Line. "All kidding aside, my job will be to finish in the top eight after this first section but it sure would be nice to be one or two. That's what we're working toward."

-credit: kbr