NHRA: Greg Anderson looks to end Bristol Dragway drought (2024)

Greg Anderson has good memories of his yearly trips to the mountains of Northeast Tennessee.

In 2001, the five-time NHRA Pro Stock champion won his first career race at Bristol Dragway. He solved the famed Thunder Valley puzzle again in 2004.

For various reasons, Anderson hasn’t won at Bristol since then.

During a Zoom conference last week, Anderson was asked about that dry spell entering the 23rd annual Super Grip NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals at Bristol Dragway on June 7-9.

“I wouldn’t say Bristol has been kryptonite, but I haven’t won there often enough,” Anderson said. “Bristol has always been a very bumpy racetrack, which definitely adds a new twist that we don’t see at other tracks.

“I’m not complaining about it. Racing at Bristol is neat. But for some reason, I haven’t been able to close the deal. And I don’t have an answer why, but I feel great going there this year.”

With two victories this season, Anderson led the Pro Stock points until Sunday’s New England Nationals in Epping, New Hampshire.

Anderson lost to Aaron Stanfield in the opening round of eliminations, while Troy Coughlin edged six-time series champ Erica Enders in the Pro Stock finals.

For years, there has been a hot rivalry between Anderson’s KB Titan Racing team and the Elite Motorsports operation that fields cars for Enders and other drivers.

Dallas Glenn, who drives for KB Titan, currently has a 44-point edge over Enders in Pro Stock points. Anderson is third.

As for the verbal and horsepower battles between the Pro Stock powers, Anderson embraces the drama.

“I don’t see anything wrong with it,” Anderson said. “All that does is breed a little extra competition and maybe makes you dig down and find that extra gear.

“As long as the result is great racing, let’s do it. Game on. I don’t mind anything negatively being said about me one little bit. You just settle your scores on the racetrack.”

Anderson holds the Pro Stock record for career wins with 105 and ranks second in the NHRA history in overall victories.

The next proving ground for the driver of the HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro comes this week at Bristol Dragway.

To the delight of Anderson and other NHRA competitors, track officials have recently made a number of improvements to the track surface. That includes new asphalt.

“It was almost like riding a bucking bronco there at times,” Anderson said. We’re super glad that those bumps have been addressed. It’s gonna be a new challenge, but I love new challenges

“Bristol is another one of Bruton (Smith’s) beauties. And it’s just fun to race there.”

KINGSPORT SPEEDWAY: Friday’s program featured action on and off the track in the Late Model class between defending track champ Jacob York (Asheville) and Kingsport’s Keith Helton.

In the second of two 40-lap features, a fight involving multiple punches occurred in the pits after the rivals were involved in a crash that heavily damaged both cars.

Alex Miller (Erwin) finally emerged as the winner after the car driven by apparent victor Hunter Morgan (Kingsport) was disqualified for a rule infraction.

Greg Bohanon (Asheville) took second with Alan Miller, father of Alex, in third.

Helton controlled every lap in the first 40-lap feature.

Castlewood’s Rob Austin, one of the region’s successful racers over the past two decades, added to his trophy collection by sweeping the two Street Stock races.

Abingdon’s Kevin Canter maintained his perfect 2024 record in the Mod 4 class, while Bohanon won in Super Street.

The list of winners also included Brandon Sutherland (Johnson City) in Pure 4, Jackson Crawford (Rogersville) in Beginner FWD and Nathan Pate in Crown Vic.

WYTHE RACEWAY: For the second straight week, the $5,000-win Late Model feature for the American All-Star Series was rained out Sunday. The schedule also promised action for the Mideast Modifieds and Mideast 602 Late Models.

Another weekly program is scheduled for this Saturday with seven divisions.