91����

Can anybody stop Jason Line?

The Pro Stock points leader and two-time Mello Yello world champion has completed the best stretch of races in his career in the first eight races of the 2016 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series. He has been in every eliminations round thus far, winning five races and finishing as runner-up to KB Racing teammate Greg Anderson at the other three events.

Line is one final-round appearance from tying Pro Stock legends Bob Glidden and the late Lee Shepherd for most finals to start a season at nine.

“I'm quite sure my name doesn't belong being mentioned with those two,” said Line. “It would be cool. I would be lying if I said it wasn't. It takes a lot of good fortune. Just the fact to go up there and make that many runs and not shake or have a mechanical failure, just something go wrong, that in itself is kind of phenomenal. If it happens, it happens. That's great. If it doesn't, that's great, too. It’s been a heck of a good run.”

Line’s Summit Racing Chevrolet Camaro has been phenomenal in 2016. Line admits that his attitude toward the new rules package that includes electronic fuel injection, a 10,500-rpm rev limiter, and shorter wheelie bar wasn’t positive in the latter half of 2015, but he accepted the new challenge this winter and came out of the gate swinging. More than 500 dyno pulls were made at their Mooresville, N.C., shop this winter, and the team has continued its search for horsepower during the season with more dyno pulls and engine development before it starts a stretch of four consecutive weekends of racing beginning in Epping.

“It's been a heck of a start,” said Line. “I chuckled a couple times because people have brought up the fact that we are the ones who complained the most about the new rules package and the rules changes, and it would appear that we've benefited the most. I don't know. Like I say, we didn't ask for this change, but we've tried to embrace it the best we could. Obviously, we've been very fortunate to come out as successful as we have been.”

While Line might very well continue his momentum for the foreseeable future, he isn’t expecting to enjoy the performance cushion he has had thus far.

“Other teams, they're all getting better every week,” said Line. “I mean, just like us, if the shoe was on the other foot, we'd be working hard to get better. You don't want to get beat up that many races in a row. Let me tell you, they're working hard and getting better every week.”

In particular, the Gray Motorsports and J&J Racing teams have made big strides of late, as evidenced by how close Shane Gray and Allen Johnson were to Line and Anderson in performance on race day in Topeka. The Elite Motorsports outfit has the resources behind it to get caught up sooner than later, and Phoenix runner-up Chris McGaha has shown flashes this season.

“Pro Stock goes in cycles,” said 2014 and 2015 world champion Erica Enders. “They did a great job this winter. It’s been a challenge for us, and it’s frustrating to not run as well as we’d like to when you see everybody working so hard. The effort is there, and the money is there. We’ll get there.”

“What we need is another winter,” said McGaha. “We’ve thrown everything at it and tried a bunch of stuff this year. We’re chipping away at it, and I think it’s going in the right direction.”

Gray made an interesting decision to skip the Phoenix event after evaluating where his team stacked up at the start of the year. Now he and those who run his engines, such as Alex Laughlin, seem to be trending upward.

“It’s getting better,” said Gray. “We know what things are wrong; it’s been a matter of trying to fix them. All in all, we’re pleased with the direction. We’re not where the Summit cars are, but we’re getting closer.”

“We’re gaining a little,” said Marathon Petroleum Dodge Dart co-owner/engine builder Roy Johnson. “In another week or two, we’ll get a little closer. It would be nice to break the spell, but that’s a dang good team over there.”