Two-time Pro Stock world champion Jason Line may have struggled at scenic Pacific Raceways early in his career, but he has more than made up for it in recent seasons.
Line picked up his third win at the facility a year ago in his Summit Racing Equipment Chevrolet Camaro, tying him with teammate Greg Anderson for the most among active Pro Stock drivers. In fact, Line and Anderson are the only current drivers in the class who have more than one victory in Seattle.
Wanting to finish the three-week NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series Western Swing on a good note, Line, a Wright, Minn. native, hopes to break that tie with Anderson at this weekend’s 28th annual NHRA Northwest Nationals.
“Seattle started off as a really tough track for me, but in recent years it has been a really good place for me,” said Line, who won in 2014, 2011 and 2008. “I like going there. It’s a nice part of the country, and to be honest it’s a little Minnesota-ish. It reminds me of home and where I grew up racing, and that makes it a very enjoyable track to visit.”
Doug Kalitta (Top Fuel) and John Force (Funny Car) joined Line as winners of last year’s race. Once again the race will be televised on ESPN2. Serving as the only major American motorsport that visits the region each racing season, it is the 16th of 24 events in 2015, meaning just two races follow it before the Mello Yello Countdown to the Championship begins.
Another Seattle victory would put Line, who is currently third in the points standings, in a good spot heading into the Countdown to the Championship. His victory last year led to a thrilling final race a year ago, where he ultimately finished second to Erica Enders, who is currently second in points.
Knowing what affect a Seattle victory can have on the final stretch of the NHRA regular season and into the Countdown, Line is focused on another strong performance at Pacific Raceways. It finishes off a rigorous three-race stretch, but Line, who secured a spot in the Countdown after a semifinal appearance last weekend in Sonoma, insists he’ll have no problem being ready to perform this weekend.
“Our Chevy Camaros really like these racetracks, and we probably should have come out of Sonoma with the win,” Line said. “But Seattle gives us another chance, and we generally run really well there. It’s a good track for Team Summit, and we have a lot of confidence going into this race. It was good to secure our spots in the Countdown to the Championship last week, and now we want to finish the Western Swing on a high note and go back home with a trophy for KB Racing.”
Line has missed out on victories at the first two stops of the Western Swing, a minor sour spot considering he felt he had a car capable of winning in Sonoma, where he qualified second. But Line has posted two victories and three final round appearances this season, and his successful past in Seattle makes him one of the favorites this weekend.
Defending world champ and 2012 event winner Erica Enders, 2012 world champ Allen Johnson, Vincent Nobile, Larry Morgan, Drew Skillman and breakthrough Sonoma winner Chris McGaha, all figure to be drivers to watch in the 200-mph factory hot rod category. Line will also have to hold off teammate Anderson, who has four wins and the current points lead in what has been a huge bounce back year for the four-time world champion.
Knowing they have combined for six wins in Seattle, Line, who has 37 career Pro Stock victories, realizes he could see another final round matchup with his longtime teammate.
“Last year we raced Greg in the final, and we’ve had the chance to race our Summit Racing teammate in the final round there before, too,” said Line, who has wins in Pomona and Atlanta this season. “We’ll have to see if we can do that again this year. These are, historically, a fun couple of races for the KB Racing team – Sonoma last week and then Seattle.”
The Top Fuel class features a host of stars, including defending event winner Kalitta, as well as four-time race winner, points leader and defending world champion Tony Schumacher, who looks to tie Joe Amato for most Top Fuel wins at the facility. Other standouts who expect to compete for the event win include 2012 world champ and 2009 Seattle winner Antron Brown, who won last weekend in Sonoma, 2003 winner and three-time world champ Larry Dixon, Brittany Force, Spencer Massey, J.R. Todd, Shawn Langdon, Steve Torrence and Richie Crampton.
Force’s Funny Car win last season marked his eighth victory at Pacific Raceways, more than double the next Funny Car competitor. Force already has two wins in 2015, but will face off against a talented host of standouts, including Jack Beckman, who will try to sweep the Western Swing after scoring wins in Denver and Sonoma. Other standouts are three-time Seattle winner Tim Wilkerson, 2012 winner Courtney Force, two-time and defending world champ and 2013 winner Matt Hagan, Ron Capps, Tommy Johnson Jr., Cruz Pedregon, Robert Hight, Alexis DeJoria and Del Worsham.
The NHRA Northwest Nationals also will feature thrilling side-by-side competition in the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series.
