Greg Anderson reaches milestone with Bristol win By Kelly Wade

On Sunday at the 24th annual Super Grip NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals, Greg Anderson drove his HendrickCars. com Chevrolet Camaro to the 1,000th round win of his career and then capped the effort with the 110th Pro Stock victory of his career, joining John Force as the only two drivers who have accomplished the feat.

Even better? The reigning and six-time world champion did it at the very dragstrip where he claimed the first Pro Stock win of his career in 2001.

“ I just love racing in Bristol. It’ s magical for me. Thunder Valley has meant so much to me. You know, I’ m just having fun, I’ m having fun racing, and I realize how lucky I am at this age to be able to do it, do it competitively, and still

have a chance to win races,” said Anderson, who crested 1,000 round wins with his semifinals win light over David Cuadra before running low elapsed time of the event( 6.623 at 205.91 mph) in his victory over Dallas Glenn, who left just. 002 too soon and lit the red light.

Anderson, who built KB Racing with team owner Ken Black from the ground up in the early 2000s, was quick to give credit to the team surrounding him.

“ It isn’ t Greg Anderson who got all those round wins,” he said.“ It was KB Racing and now KB

Titan Racing. It was Rob Downing, myself, Jason Line, and then we merged with Titan Racing Engines a few years ago and now have all these great new teammates. The power of this team shows on the racetrack.

“ We’ re a better team than we’ ve ever been, and that’ s what I’ m most proud of,” Anderson continued.“ I’ ve somehow been able to surround myself with people that can make me look like a star. I don’ t think I’ m anything special; they’ ve done that. My hat is off to everyone who’ s been part of this team, to Ken Black who started it all, and to all the great sponsors we’ ve had over the years from Summit Racing Equipment to HendrickCars. com and Chevrolet. They’ ve all had a hand in this. It’ s not an individual honor.”

The victory in Bristol was the third for Anderson, who has stood as the most winning driver in the history of the class after surpassing Warren Johnson in 2021 at Texas Motorplex with his 98th win. In 2022, Anderson reached the enormous milestone of 100 Pro Stock wins, and he did so at the historic and revered U. S. Nationals in Indianapolis.

“ I didn’ t think the 1,000th round win would come as soon as it did,” admitted Anderson.“ I remember when I tried to get my 50th race win and stalled out and couldn’ t do it, and then when I finally broke the ice, I stalled at the 75th and the 100th. I kind of figured that was the way it was going to go with this, too, but these last few races, we’ ve been able to rack up round wins and now here we are. It’ s a pretty neat deal and a pretty big feather in the cap.”

Anderson couldn’ t recall a round win in his career that stood out more than the rest and instead spoke of the tough racers that he’ s had to battle along the way.

“ I get to work with Dave Connolly now. He and I locked horns for many years, and I lost to him every bit as much as I beat him. He’ s a great racer,” Anderson recalled.“ All those years with Jeg Coughlin in his prime; he had great equipment, and I feel like he wore me out and took a lot of those race wins away. Then plenty of years with Erica Enders. I’ ve had several different rivalries and a lot of great racers I had to go through. I feel like I’ ve lost a lot more than I’ ve won. It’ s crazy to be here. I’ m a lucky guy.” DI

PHOTOGRAPHS BY NHRA

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