Buddy Perkinson will rejoin the NHRA Pro Stock wars at this weekend’s Carlyle Tools NHRA Carolina Nationals at the zMax Dragway in Concord, N.C. behind the wheel of a third car out of Ken Black’s KB Racing stable, joining former champions Greg Anderson and Jason Line in their Summit Racing Equipment Camaros.
Perkinson, a 21-year old native of Prince George, Va., will drive the blue Camaro piloted by Line earlier in the year alongside the formidable duo that’s won six NHRA Pro Stock championships and a staggering 104 national events.
“Buddy may be young, but he has already proven his abilities as a driver out there,” said Line. “He got his start in the Jr. Drag Racing League and did pretty well in Comp, and when he moved up to Pro Stock a few years back, we knew he’d be a tough competitor. We’re excited to have him racing with us at what we consider our home track this weekend, and it will be interesting to see what he can do in a KB Racing Chevrolet Camaro.”
 “We’ve been working on this for quite awhile,” said an enthusiastic Perkinson. “I think everyone involved just wanted the timing to be right, and I know they wanted to be sure they could put us in a competitive car. The KB Racing team is running back up front where they belong, and that helped everything fall into place. The time was right.”
Perkinson, despite his young age, has ample racing experience, beginning his career in the NHRA Jr. Drag Racing League before graduating to Competition Eliminator in 2010. He made his Pro Stock debut in 2011 behind the wheel of Jim Cunningham’s Ford Mustang entry. His most recent outing on the tour was the four-wide Concord event in the spring, where he drove a car with power supplied by veteran Larry Morgan.
“I’m not sure what I’m feeling more right now – excited or nervous,” laughed Perkinson. “I can tell you though, it feels good to know that when we roll through the gates in Charlotte we’ll have the opportunity to win the race. I’m really excited, and I think Greg and Jason are too, just as much as I am. They expect us to have a front-running car, and that gives us a lot to look forward to this weekend.”
Perkinson and Black have discussed competing at each of the season’s final six races, but he admits those plans remain up in the air.
“We’ve talked about running the last six, but I’m not really sure that’s going to happen,” said Perkinson. “We’re definitely looking at Reading and maybe St. Louis, and if we win one, then maybe we would do all six. But for right now, we’re just planning to run Charlotte.
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“I just wanted to say thanks to Ken Black, Jason Line, Greg Anderson, Rob Downing, and everyone at KB Racing. This is an awesome opportunity, I really appreciate that I get to be the guy to drive the third KB Racing car this weekend. It was a lot of fun testing last week, and I can’t wait to get back in the car.”