JASON LINE SPEAKS UP: ACCENTUATING THE POSITIVE

by John DiBartolomeo    Thu, 2021-04-01 20:38

It’s been said that one of the things which upset NHRA founder Wally Parks was for drag racers to fight amongst themselves. Working together to stress the positive aspects of the sport is the only way for drag racing to rise above and move ahead. Negativity in the public eye does no good. “We need to make sure we leave something behind for another kid from Minnesota,” says native Minnesotan and (do we dare say?) now former Pro Stock racer Jason Line.

Line, along with friends Bo Butner and Dave Connolly, recently promoted and ran the Southern Sportsman Shootout for Stock and Super Stock competitors. That effort may have proved to him the adage that there are three sides to every story; yours, mine, and the truth. “It was sort of eye-opening for me to see the other side of our sport,” he says. “Being put in their [NHRA’s] shoes taught me a lot about the goings-on at a race. For maybe a short time at that race, I had a bit of empathy for NHRA when things started to go wrong.”

When broken down to its basic form, drag racing is one of the only motorsports where you can race just about anything, not just a “real race car.”

The truth is that as far as the Southern Sportsman Shootout was concerned, like any other race, there are times when things don’t always go as planned. But the group; including the racers themselves; all worked together for an amicable outing, one that had almost all racers leaving with one question on their mind, “When is the next one?”

Let’s face it, there are problems within the sport of drag racing. We all know that. But there are problems in every other sport, activity, or even life itself. Sometimes it takes quite a bit to look past those problems and see the good.

“Admittingly,” Line says, “I’ve been known get myself in trouble by opening my big mouth, as most of us can. Sometimes experience works against us but NHRA has been fantastic for me. It provided me with an opportunity which may not have been possible in any other way had it not been for them. I would just like to make sure it continues and sometimes it takes stepping up and saying something, but not in a way that demeans the sport. I certainly don’t want to be a part of the problem, but rather a part of the solution. Like it or not, we’re likely influencing someone in some way or another. Why not do it in a way that’s positive?

Jr. Dragsters have opened the sport up to even more people as whole families can now enjoy the thrill of competition.

“That doesn’t mean closing a deaf ear to the problems,” Line adds. “No, bringing them up in a manner where all parties listen can bring upon a solution. I’m not always on the same page with the NHRA, but that doesn’t mean either one of us is wrong or right. I don’t know the solution and it’s very easy to say bad things especially behind a keyboard. But if you put yourself in their shoes, you just may begin to understand that any of the problems we have didn’t happen overnight. It’s not going to change overnight either.”

When broken down into its basic form, drag racing offers the ability to race any kind of car, not just a “race car.” Be it a full-blown racer or even a brand new 2021 Chevrolet Malibu; after all, it is still under warranty (shhh, don’t tell anyone that). And with the advent of Jr. Dragsters, the sport has opened up so many more people to enjoy not only the speed and competition, but also has brought families together to enjoy something we as racers often take for granted.

With Jason Line’s “retirement” from active Pro Stock competition, it will give him more time to get behind the wheel of his Stocker, bringing the 1993 NHRA Stock Champion back to his roots.

Line, the 1993 NHRA Stock Eliminator champion has been a staunch supporter of sportsman drag racing despite him earning a living by letting go of a clutch pedal in the Pro Stock car. In addition to wheeling a KB Racing-owned Camaro in the class, Line has also wheeled a number of Stock Eliminator cars when time permits. “You have to remember where you came from,” he says, “because you may have to go back there someday.”

Now having retired from actually wheeling the Pro Stock car, Line continues to be a big part of KB Racing, continuing to work in the shop helping to build horsepower and win races. “Ken Black is one of the nicest persons you’ll ever meet,” said Line. “I’d jump off a building for him. He has provided me with a living in much the same fashion as NHRA, something I’ll forever be thankful for. But times change.”

As most are aware, 2020 was a year of change. Where we go from here is anyone’s guess. But making sure the sport survives should be paramount in all of our minds. Jason Line knows that.

While no longer letting go of the clutch pedal of one of KB Racing’s Camaros, Line continues to work with the team in order to win more championships.

 

 

 
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