POMONA, Saturday: Life is moving very fast for Shane Gray. It was just one week ago, that he earned his Pro Stock license and now he is preparing to make his first professional start. He will join his father, veteran driver, Johnny Gray as the two take their new Pontiac GXP’s equipped with their newly developed Gray Motorsports power plants and try their hand against the competition at the 50th annual NHRA Kragen O’Reilly Winternationals.
Gray joined his dad in building a new program for themselves in the off-season and weren’t sure what to expect when they rolled in to the famed Auto Club Raceway at Pomona complex a few days ago. But the two determined racers showed everyone what they were able to accomplish as they put both cars into the field.
“I think it’s pretty amazing all that we’ve accomplished over the off season and are here qualified for the Winternationals,” expressed Gray. “The first of October we had an empty shop building, cars were just being built, there were no machines in our shop, no blocks, no heads, no nothing and here we are February 13 and we’ve got both cars qualified. One in the middle of the field and one lower down, and they both get to race tomorrow. So, I think it’s an amazing feat.”
Gray made four strong consistent runs in qualifying this weekend, each time looking like a seasoned pro instead of the rookie that he is. Today in the first session, he ran 6.646 at 207.82 mph and then followed it up with a 6.644 at 208.20. He made three 6.64 runs out of his four attempts. Having a strong, consistent car is an accomplishment for even the most seasoned team and it’s even more astonishing coming from a team that is literally starting from scratch. Gray ended up qualified in the No. 14 spot and will face Ron Krisher in the first-round of eliminations.
“Mentally I’m ready to have a good time tomorrow,” said Gray. “But experience wise, not yet but in the near future I will be. Every time I get to get in the car and strap up and make a run, it’s just better for me. The car is a lot better than I am at this point. But hopefully, tomorrow I’ll be good enough to go a round or two.”
Gray joined his dad in building a new program for themselves in the off-season and weren’t sure what to expect when they rolled in to the famed Auto Club Raceway at Pomona complex a few days ago. But the two determined racers showed everyone what they were able to accomplish as they put both cars into the field.
“I think it’s pretty amazing all that we’ve accomplished over the off season and are here qualified for the Winternationals,” expressed Gray. “The first of October we had an empty shop building, cars were just being built, there were no machines in our shop, no blocks, no heads, no nothing and here we are February 13 and we’ve got both cars qualified. One in the middle of the field and one lower down, and they both get to race tomorrow. So, I think it’s an amazing feat.”
Gray made four strong consistent runs in qualifying this weekend, each time looking like a seasoned pro instead of the rookie that he is. Today in the first session, he ran 6.646 at 207.82 mph and then followed it up with a 6.644 at 208.20. He made three 6.64 runs out of his four attempts. Having a strong, consistent car is an accomplishment for even the most seasoned team and it’s even more astonishing coming from a team that is literally starting from scratch. Gray ended up qualified in the No. 14 spot and will face Ron Krisher in the first-round of eliminations.
“Mentally I’m ready to have a good time tomorrow,” said Gray. “But experience wise, not yet but in the near future I will be. Every time I get to get in the car and strap up and make a run, it’s just better for me. The car is a lot better than I am at this point. But hopefully, tomorrow I’ll be good enough to go a round or two.”
