From Phil Burgess, NHRA National Dragster Editor
CONCORD, N.C. (Sept. 24, 2023) – Greg Anderson, winless since his victory at the 2022 season finale in Pomona, scored at his hometrack event for local backer Rick Hendrick, defeating his KB Titan Racing teammate Dallas Glenn in the final for his 102nd career win, 6.55 to 6.59. One of just five drivers in NHRA history with more than 100 national event victories, it was Glenn whom Anderson also defeated in Indy last year for his milestone 100th win.
Anderson had won just one round in the three races since runner-upping behind Erica Enders in Topeka, bested Jerry Tucker, Camrie Caruso, and, in a big upset, No. 1 qualifier Enders in the semifinals to reach the 174th final of his distinguished career.
"It was incredible," said Anderson. "It was my day. I haven't had any 'my days' this year, so it's definitely sweet to do it here at Charlotte, my home track with all my family here, all my friends, all my support of the Hendrick group. It's just perfect. It's been a long year for me. It's been a struggle. We're capable of winning just haven't been able to make four perfect runs down the racetrack where you're the car didn't make a mistake or the driver did make a mistake, and we did that today. The car was fantastic and I didn't screw it up.
"It's going to be an exciting Countdown and I'm sure today scrambled the points up quite a bit and it basically put a lot of people right back in the hunt, myself being one of them. So I'm not out of it yet. I certainly felt a little bit like that happened last week and if I'd had another weekend this weekend like last weekend, I would be out of it, but we're back in the hun with four races to go."
Glenn, who led the points for 10 races starting with his win at the Winternationals only to surrender it after an early exit in the playoff opener last weekend, had a chance to retake the points lead if he won the final but will instead sit third behind Matt Hartford and Enders.
Glenn reached his eighth final of the season and the 16th of his career by powering his RAD Torque Systems Camaro past two of his Elite Motorsports rivals, Troy Coughlin Jr. and Aaron Stanfield, to reach the semifinals, where he defeated Deric Kramer with an off-pace 6.61 after Kramer appeared to roll the staging beams and foul.
The halfway point of the NHRA Countdown to the Championship will be at World Wide Technology Raceway for the NHRA Midwest Nationals Sept. 29 - Oct. 01.
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Photo's: NHRA | Racing Pro Media (RPM)