When Greg Anderson and the KB Racing team tried to manipulate the Pro Stock ladder at the Finals at Pomona, Calif., in 2019, taking a shot at the Elite Performance group, Jeg Coughlin labeled it “shenanigans.”
Those were legal shenanigans, and this weekend at Las Vegas, Elite boss Richard Freeman decided to give KB a dose of its own medicine.
“Happened to us in ’19,” Freeman said, asserting that turnabout is “fair play.”
He said, “Well, I mean, we got to take every shot we can. Greg’s got a great car, and the rest of these guys do, too. So take our best cars, put them at the top and see what happens.”
That 2019 scheming was to make sure that Greg Anderson could line up with Erica Enders. And Enders welcomed the challenge then, just like she doesn’t mind the gamesmanship as her team turns the tables on KB.
She said he knows her team has her back: “It’s really awesome. I never had any doubt in it. But to know that they have really great race cars and are willing to go out there and shut it off . . . You know, it’s not something new. Stock and Super Stock racers have manipulated the ladder for years and years and years. It’s something within the last five years in Pro Stock, but they’ve done it to us a number of times. And I’m just staying on my game. I’m going to do my thing. I take it to the stripe every single time, and we’ll see how it works out. We got to go do our best tomorrow.”
Referring to No. 1 qualifier Anderson, like her a four-time champion, Enders said, “He’s got a stout race car, but I got a great team.”
The first-round pairings will include two KB-Elite match-ups one between two Elite racers, which will help KB.
Anderson will race Troy Coughlin Jr., and the points leader in the HendrickCars.com Chevy Camaro said he knows exactly what Coughlin’s car is capable of: “It’s capable of running very fast, and Troy’s capable of cutting a hell of a light. So I know it’s going to be a heck of a challenge, but that’s the way it should be.
“And honestly, I’ve said it forever this year: Anybody can beat anybody first round,” Anderson said. “Honestly, it doesn’t matter. You can lose first round, no matter who’s up there. So it should be good. It should be fun. And this is the way it honestly should be.
“That’s a lot of pressure. We’re not even at Pomona yet and the pressure is through the roof,” he said. “So I love it. I guess I started this deal. I’m glad to be a part of it on the other end of it this time.”
Coughlin is ready to have a good old-fashioned drag race. He said, “The world title isn’t in the cards for us this year, but we continue to grow. And I love to compete, no matter what’s at stake. So we’re going to have fun this weekend. If we can get in there and take out some of teams fighting Erica for the championship, then we’ll be really happy. And sure, a win would be awesome.”
KB’s Dallas Glenn, who certainly wants to outshine Top Fuel’s Josh Hart in Rookie of the Year voting, will meet another young gun of the Pro Stock class in the first round. Glenn will race Aaron Stanfield.
Glenn said, “To get a win in the Countdown would be something special and be a major confidence- booster going into the off-season. It would be a major boost to come through and succeed at the toughest moments of the season. The added pressure of the playoffs adds another level of enjoyment to all this, so we just want to keep pushing forward. I’ve learned how difficult it is to win the Countdown, and you have to take advantage of every opportunity you get.
“I feel like I’m in a good spot to perform well at these next two races,” Glenn, a four-time finalist, said. “I feel like the car is the best it’s ever been. I just need to do my job, and everything will work out. Overall, I feel pretty good about my first season. I had really high expectations because I know what I’m capable of, but it’s extremely difficult to win races in this class and especially in the Countdown. You have to be perfect in every aspect and everything has to fall into place on that particular weekend.”
KB’s Kyle Koretsky will line up against Cristian Cuadra.
The all-Elite match will feature a pair of class champions, Enders and latest addition Bo Butner.
