Business as usual for Gray<img src="http://www.nitromater.com/gallery/files/5/j_gray.jpg" alt="j_gray"align="left"borders="0" />
RICHMOND, Prerace: After the recent announcement regarding his alliance with Allen Johnson, Artesia, N.M. businessman, Johnny Gray is ready to do battle in the Pro Stock war at the Virginia NHRA Nationals with a business as usual attitude. Knowing his plans for next year makes Gray anxious to move forward but he is not giving up on his Dodge Stratus in the meantime. Gray wants his team, his car and himself to finish out the season in the best shape possible.
So before this weekend’s race, Gray joined a host of Pro Stock cars in Budd’s Creek, MD. for the U.S. Pro Stock Open and he couldn’t be happier that he made the stop. Gray made seven passes and posted three 6.59 runs and one 6.58, which made his beautiful Dodge the third quickest out of the 14 cars running.
“We are ecstatic over the car’s performance,” Gray explained. “We made our best runs of the year. And we just didn’t make one good run; we made four, so we know it just wasn’t a fluke. We’re happy with our test session but unhappy with my performance in the race.”
Gray suffered a first-round loss in the Chicago-style race format because of a very late light and in usual driver fashion; he is beating himself up for his unusual sub-par driving skills.
“Just before we ran I was joking with Craig (Hankinson, crew-chief) that it was past my bedtime and I was too old to be out racing this late,” laughed Gray. “Well, wouldn’t you know it; I was late on the lights. It was almost like I started to doze off and fell into a coma and when I came to, I left. I have no one to blame for that mess but myself. But the race isn’t what matters most, but rather how well the car performed and that we’re happy with.”
Gray readies for the upcoming Virginia Nationals with bolstered optimism. He has never raced at Virginia Motorsports Park and hopes his first experience with the racetrack will be his best.
“With how well the car just ran, I can see us taking the win this weekend,” expressed Gray. “We’ll have to see what happens. And thank goodness, the NHRA doesn’t race past my bedtime.”
RICHMOND, Prerace: After the recent announcement regarding his alliance with Allen Johnson, Artesia, N.M. businessman, Johnny Gray is ready to do battle in the Pro Stock war at the Virginia NHRA Nationals with a business as usual attitude. Knowing his plans for next year makes Gray anxious to move forward but he is not giving up on his Dodge Stratus in the meantime. Gray wants his team, his car and himself to finish out the season in the best shape possible.
So before this weekend’s race, Gray joined a host of Pro Stock cars in Budd’s Creek, MD. for the U.S. Pro Stock Open and he couldn’t be happier that he made the stop. Gray made seven passes and posted three 6.59 runs and one 6.58, which made his beautiful Dodge the third quickest out of the 14 cars running.
“We are ecstatic over the car’s performance,” Gray explained. “We made our best runs of the year. And we just didn’t make one good run; we made four, so we know it just wasn’t a fluke. We’re happy with our test session but unhappy with my performance in the race.”
Gray suffered a first-round loss in the Chicago-style race format because of a very late light and in usual driver fashion; he is beating himself up for his unusual sub-par driving skills.
“Just before we ran I was joking with Craig (Hankinson, crew-chief) that it was past my bedtime and I was too old to be out racing this late,” laughed Gray. “Well, wouldn’t you know it; I was late on the lights. It was almost like I started to doze off and fell into a coma and when I came to, I left. I have no one to blame for that mess but myself. But the race isn’t what matters most, but rather how well the car performed and that we’re happy with.”
Gray readies for the upcoming Virginia Nationals with bolstered optimism. He has never raced at Virginia Motorsports Park and hopes his first experience with the racetrack will be his best.
“With how well the car just ran, I can see us taking the win this weekend,” expressed Gray. “We’ll have to see what happens. And thank goodness, the NHRA doesn’t race past my bedtime.”
