PRO STOCK

Nobile’s crew celebrates with some Elite Racing crewmen, who lent a hand to get the team ready for the quick-turnaround final.

Vincent Nobile earned his first victory of 2016 by posting a 6.575 at 209.85 mph in his Mountain View Tire Chevy Camaro to defeat seven-time 2016 event winner Greg Anderson’s 6.582 at 210.37 in his Summit Racing Equipment Chevy Camaro. Nobile entered the event with two runner-up finishes on the season and ended a 56-race drought with the win. It marks the 10th victory of his career and first at Reading.

Nobile beat 2015 top rookie Drew Skillman, reigning world champion Erica Enders and Shane Gray before meeting Anderson in the final.

“It was a big day for Mountain View Racing and NAPA Auto Parts,” said Nobile. “We got the Chevrolet in the winner’s circle, and I’m semi-speechless. We turned it around right at the right time.

“Don’t get me wrong, at the beginning of the year we were like, ‘Give us our carburetors back.’ It certainly was a pain in the butt, not necessarily for me as a driver but for the crew chiefs and the guys working on the car.”

Greg Anderson qualified third in his Summit Racing Chevrolet Camaro, making a 6.580 second, 210.77 MPH pass. He defeated Jeg Coughlin Jr. (6.579/210.54 to 6.629/208.17) and John Gaydosh (6.578/209.62 to 6.675/206.99) in the first two rounds of eliminations.

Anderson faced Summit Racing teammate Jason Line in the semi-finals. Line was too eager on the starting line and fouled out with a -.003 second red-light, giving Anderson the automatic win 6.576/210.28, to 6.569/210.28. The round was the 1,000th of Anderson’s career in NHRA competition.

In the final round Nobile got a .021-second starting line advantage and kept the lead all the way to the finish line, taking the win with a 6.575/209.85 to Anderson’s 6.582/210.37.

“I didn’t cut a good light in the final. It adds up to a lot,” Anderson said. “The class is too tight right now so you can’t slip in any area. We had our slowest run in the final round, and there’s no excuse for that. We’ll go home and work hard for a week, and see if we can come to Dallas with a stronger effort.