The trip to New England Dragway has proven to be a very strong outing for Greg Anderson and the HendickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro so far this weekend, and eliminations for the 13th annual NHRA New England Nationals haven’t even begun. Anderson, driving his HendrickCars.com entry out of the 11-time championship winning KB Titan Racing stable, swept in an astounding 145th low qualifier award on Saturday at the event, and in doing so won a second Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge bonus race on the season.
The table is set for Sunday to complete the trifecta, and with a bye run in the first round, Anderson is starting the charge for a 115th Pro Stock win on solid footing.
“I’ve had some good fortune the last couple of weeks, and I hope that continues on,” said Anderson, who defeated Troy Coughlin Jr. in the final of the #2Fast2Tasty Challenge by just .003-second, 6.545, 209.17 to 6.592, 208.20. “It was a great day at the office, and I think we’ll have similar conditions tomorrow. I feel like you’re going to have to run even faster to win. The racetrack is good, the air is good, and it’s just a great weekend to be here.”
Anderson’s HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro has been the cream of the crop for much of the year, and in Epping, N.H., this weekend he’s picked up a good load of bonus points. With the quickest car in the first and second sessions on Friday (6.548 and 6.508, respectively), the six-time world champion scored six additional bonus points for the day. On Saturday, he was second-quickest overall in two sessions, for a plus-four in marks and a fifth No. 1 start of the season.
“I believe I’ve had the fastest car all year long, and it’s bailed me out a lot of times. That’s what it’s all about; you have to have it all together – that’s the only chance you’ve got,” said Anderson, who was the No. 1 qualifier for four consecutive races earlier this year – Phoenix, Pomona, Charlotte, and South Georgia. In Maryland last weekend, he clocked a 6.464 on Sunday that was low elapsed time of the event.
According to NHRA statistician Bob Frey, on raceday at New England Dragway, Anderson has the opportunity to achieve another milestone in a career in which he is the most winning Pro Stock driver in the history and second-most winning in any NHRA class, behind only John Force. If Anderson should reach the New England Nationals final, it would be the 200th of his career, including four Four-Wide finals in which he was finished either third or fourth in the quad. After the victory in Maryland last weekend, Anderson has reached 195 two-lane finals.
“I’ve got a tough side of the ladder, no doubt about that,” stated Anderson, who will face either Aaron Stanfield or Jeg Coughlin Jr. after taking a competition bye run in the opening act. The other two pairings on Anderson’s side include a match between Erica Enders and Troy Coughlin Jr., and reigning world champion Dallas Glenn vs. Shane Tucker.
“It worked out great for me today, but I know that come tomorrow, everybody wants to whup my ass – whether it’s my team or the other team,” said Anderson. “I know that going up there, and I have to do my job or I’m going to get beat.”
The first round of Mission Foods Drag Racing Series eliminations for the 13th annual NHRA New England Nationals are set to begin on Sunday at the revised, earlier time of 10:30 a.m. ET at New England Dragway.
The post Fifth No. 1 of the Season, Second Mission #2Fast2Tasty Title in Greg Anderson’s Hands at New England Dragway first appeared on Drag Illustrated.
