Summit Racing driver Jason Line is well known in the racing industry for skills beyond those he exhibits behind the wheel of his Pro Stock Pontiac. An accomplished engine builder and dyno operator, he has been a part of championship-winning teams in NASCAR’s premier series as well as the NHRA, and therefore recognizes the scope of what is involved in assembling a successful operation. As such, he is able to appreciate the tremendous effort put forth by over the years by the management at Bandimere Speedway, site of this weekend’s Mopar Mile-High Nationals in Denver, CO.
“Bandimere Speedway reminds me a lot of the track in Norwalk, in that it’s run by a family who does everything to make sure their facility is top notch,” said Line. “The entire Bandimere family, as well as Larry Crisp, have a lot of pride in their track, and rightfully so, taking care of the needs of both the racers and the fans. When the people responsible put so much of themselves into their work, it just makes it a great place to race, and that’s why our Summit Racing team enjoys going there every year.”
Coming off a runner-up performance at last week’s race in Sonoma, CA, Line and the KB Racing team are naturally anxious to return to the track as they look to score their second win of the 2010 season. Having already secured his participation in the NHRA’s championship playoff, the Countdown to One, the 2006 champion’s goal for the next two races is quite simple – to win as many rounds and races as they can to guarantee a high seeding. The fact that he has yet to reach Bandimere Speedway’s winner’s circle only serves as added motivation heading into the weekend. But in order to succeed, Line also knows they will have to fully adapt to the conditions in the Rocky Mountains, where the mile-high altitude deprives their race cars of valuable horsepower.
“Our Summit Racing Pontiac will require a ton of changes to run fast in Denver, which is a lot of work for just one race,” said Line. “To really maximize our performance on the mountain, we’d have to do a lot of R&D and develop components for racing in the altitude, but given this is the only time all year we race in this environment, it’s just not feasible. Therefore the majority of items we’ll be changing will have to do with the tune-up.
“Fortunately, we’ve been doing a better job with our race cars of late, as evidenced by how strong we ran last Sunday in Sonoma, which should help this weekend. Having reestablished our baseline, it should be a little easier to adapt to the unusual conditions at Bandimere. Hopefully, we’ll be able to go one step further than we did last year, and finally bring home a Wally from Bandimere Speedway.”
Notes for Jason Line & the Summit Racing Pontiac crew
At Bandimere Speedway:
Jason has done well in Denver: In his previous six starts at Bandimere Speedway, Jason has two final round appearances and three finishes of the semifinals or better. Jason’s most recent final round appearance in Denver came one year ago.
A Bandimere win is on Jason’s To Do List: Jason comes into this event looking for his first win at Bandimere Speedway. If he is successful, it will be the 14th different track at which he will have won in his Pro Stock career.
Line’s Denver Qualifying Stats: Jason has started in the top four positions in four of his six prior starts at Bandimere Speedway, including earning the No. 1 qualifying position in 2006. Jason’s average qualifying performance in Denver has been 5.83.
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