Gray and Johnson form two car team alliance
<img src="http://www.nitromater.com/gallery/files/5/j_gray.jpg" alt="j_gray" align="right"borders="0"/>
Artesia, N.M., October 1, 2008: Johnny Gray, team owner and driver of the S.K.I. Racing Dodge Stratus has announced that he and Allen Johnson of Johnson & Johnson Racing have formed a two car team alliance for the 2009 and 2010 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing seasons. This new coalition will create the ability for the two teams to work together as one, while racing under separate banners. Gray will continue to run the S.K.I. Racing Dodge Stratus and Johnson will carry on with the Mopar/J&J Racing Dodge Stratus.
“This is exciting for us,” expressed Gray. “Aligning with Allen is a tremendous opportunity. Allen and his dad, Roy, have the talent and experience that will bring my team to the top. They are a first-class operation and I am proud to be associated with them. In today’s environment, as tough as the Pro Stock field has become, I feel the opportunity for Allen and I to team up will help both teams by sharing information and becoming more competitive. We’re looking to try and cash in on some of the same opportunities the two-car teams, like Summit and Cagnazzi already experience.”
Gray has a long and successful racing career, having driven everything from sprint cars to Nitro Funny Cars, and has competed in seven different NHRA eliminator categories. He was the first driver to exceed 200 mph in a gasoline-powered car, make the first Comp Eliminator runs in the 6.70’s and 6.60’s, and has earned wins in both Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car. This year he settled into Pro Stock, where he plans to stay for a while and perhaps grow his team into a family affair.
“I enjoy Pro Stock racing,” said Gray, “and have long term plans for my team. My son, Shane runs a B Altered in Comp Eliminator and if everything goes well with Allen next year, I’d like to bring in Shane in the 2010 season and let him get his feet wet.”
Johnson, of Greenville, Tenn. also has a long and successful racing career. He and his dad raced Super Stock in the 70’s and 80’s and he made his Pro Stock debut in 1996. Johnson & Johnson Racing has one of the longest running sponsorship relationships in drag racing. Mopar first joined up with dad Johnson in the 70’s has been involved with the team for over 30 years.
“I’m looking forward to the relationship we have created with Johnny,” explained Johnson. “I think it is going to give us the level of support that will enable us to do more testing and engine R&D. Our qualifying and race day set-ups will be the same and that will give us the opportunity to develop and build on what we learn. However on race day the second car out may have the advantage, but that will even itself out over time.
“I’m glad to have Johnny and his whole team join forces with us. I think it’s a good marriage. Johnny and I are a good match-up both in our personal business lives, where I’m in the oil business and he’s in the crude oil business and in our racing experience. He brings a lot to the table and I see good things for both of us next year.”
<img src="http://www.nitromater.com/gallery/files/5/j_gray.jpg" alt="j_gray" align="right"borders="0"/>
Artesia, N.M., October 1, 2008: Johnny Gray, team owner and driver of the S.K.I. Racing Dodge Stratus has announced that he and Allen Johnson of Johnson & Johnson Racing have formed a two car team alliance for the 2009 and 2010 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing seasons. This new coalition will create the ability for the two teams to work together as one, while racing under separate banners. Gray will continue to run the S.K.I. Racing Dodge Stratus and Johnson will carry on with the Mopar/J&J Racing Dodge Stratus.
“This is exciting for us,” expressed Gray. “Aligning with Allen is a tremendous opportunity. Allen and his dad, Roy, have the talent and experience that will bring my team to the top. They are a first-class operation and I am proud to be associated with them. In today’s environment, as tough as the Pro Stock field has become, I feel the opportunity for Allen and I to team up will help both teams by sharing information and becoming more competitive. We’re looking to try and cash in on some of the same opportunities the two-car teams, like Summit and Cagnazzi already experience.”
Gray has a long and successful racing career, having driven everything from sprint cars to Nitro Funny Cars, and has competed in seven different NHRA eliminator categories. He was the first driver to exceed 200 mph in a gasoline-powered car, make the first Comp Eliminator runs in the 6.70’s and 6.60’s, and has earned wins in both Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car. This year he settled into Pro Stock, where he plans to stay for a while and perhaps grow his team into a family affair.
“I enjoy Pro Stock racing,” said Gray, “and have long term plans for my team. My son, Shane runs a B Altered in Comp Eliminator and if everything goes well with Allen next year, I’d like to bring in Shane in the 2010 season and let him get his feet wet.”
Johnson, of Greenville, Tenn. also has a long and successful racing career. He and his dad raced Super Stock in the 70’s and 80’s and he made his Pro Stock debut in 1996. Johnson & Johnson Racing has one of the longest running sponsorship relationships in drag racing. Mopar first joined up with dad Johnson in the 70’s has been involved with the team for over 30 years.
“I’m looking forward to the relationship we have created with Johnny,” explained Johnson. “I think it is going to give us the level of support that will enable us to do more testing and engine R&D. Our qualifying and race day set-ups will be the same and that will give us the opportunity to develop and build on what we learn. However on race day the second car out may have the advantage, but that will even itself out over time.
“I’m glad to have Johnny and his whole team join forces with us. I think it’s a good marriage. Johnny and I are a good match-up both in our personal business lives, where I’m in the oil business and he’s in the crude oil business and in our racing experience. He brings a lot to the table and I see good things for both of us next year.”
