Greg Anderson spent much of his week leading up to the NHRA Southern Nationals 160 miles north of Commerce, Ga., testing in the motorsports hamlet of Concord, N.C.

There were lots of cars testing at zMax Dragway and it was as if the test session was a mini NHRA Pro Stock national event.

The conditions were identical in North Carolina to what he would eventually encounter in Georgia just days later. Had you told the multi-time champion that would be the case, he would have never believed it.

Spend time racing long enough at Atlanta Dragway and perfect weather conditions is something that likely will never come to mind.

Greg Anderson spent much of his week leading up to the NHRA Southern Nationals 160 miles north of Commerce, Ga., testing in the motorsports hamlet of Concord, N.C.

There were lots of cars testing at zMax Dragway and it was as if the test session was a mini NHRA Pro Stock national event.

The conditions were identical in North Carolina to what he would eventually encounter in Georgia just days later. Had you told the multi-time champion that would be the case, he would have never believed it.

Spend time racing long enough at Atlanta Dragway and perfect weather conditions is something that likely will never come to mind.

There’s a first time for everything as the first day of qualifications yielded low 70-degree temperatures and an incredible 35% humidity.

“We’ve never had these kinds of conditions here before. When we got here and checked the weather meter, we thought it was broke,” Anderson admitted. “It’s never been this dry and the barometer this high, when we’ve raced here.”

Anderson likened the conditions on the first day of qualifying at the NHRA Summit Southern Nationals to those usually encountered when racing at venues such as Houston Raceway Park or Gainesville Raceway.

“This time of the year it’s usually eighty degrees,” Anderson said. “You have high humidity. But when we saw what we had to work with this morning, we knew it was a special day. Tomorrow might not be as great, this was a one of a kind day here.”

Anderson ran a 6.574 to open the day and a 6.568 to finish up the day atop the 12-car provisional field.

A day like Friday is what Anderson has needed for a long time. He has qualified no lower than third in the first five races but has yet to last past the semi-finals.

“I have been in a bit of a funk this season,” Anderson said. “The race car has been good but I’ve made mistakes driving the car. I need a get well weekend where the car runs good and I don’t mess up.” 

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