POMONA, Calif. (Feb. 13, 2013) – The first race of the 2013 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series provides the opportunity for second-generation drag racer Shane Gray to make a new mark in what is arguably the most competitive professional category. He and his team have arrived at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona for the 53rd annual O'Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Winternationals with a new car, a new paint scheme, and a brand new outlook on the future.
"We struggled last year, oh boy did we struggle," admitted Gray, whose troubles included ending the 2012 season locked just outside of the Countdown to the Championship and totaling his Chevy Camaro at the fall event in Charlotte. "But it was a year of learning, both for myself as a driver and for our team. Over the off-season, we made some really positive moves in a direction that has me more excited than ever to get this show on the road and see what we can do."
Shortly after the 2012 season drew to a close, Gray took delivery of a brand new Jerry Haas-built Chevy Camaro and his team, led by crew chief Justin Elkes, began picking away at finishing the car in preparation for the new year. The to-do list was long but each team member was dedicated to the outcome, and the Camaro was ready to test in early January with a sleek, white Gray Motorsports paint scheme.
Gray Motorsports, headquartered in Denver, N.C., also made strides towards a stronger future during the winter break by partnering with Oklahoma-based Elite Performance and bringing on drag racing veteran Nick Ferri as head engine builder. Gray Motorsports and Elite Performance will continue to operate as two separate entities while sharing information and experience gathered through respective R&D programs.
"Partnering with Elite Performance and Nick Ferri really just made sense for us," explained Gray. "We knew we needed to make a change after last year, but we also knew that we were not interested in leasing engines. Even though that might make sense in the short term, we are invested in our in-house engine building program for the long haul, and we don't want to take anything away from the progress that we've already made. This was about growth, it was about going forward and bettering Gray Motorsports, and we feel that this partnership has the potential to do that."
While competing at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona is always something that Gray looks forward to – after all, he earned his first professional win in his rookie season at the NHRA Finals held at the esteemed facility – he and his team are careful to balance their enthusiasm with a healthy dose of logic.
"This class is brutal," said Gray. "There is no room for error when you race Pro Stock, so we have to be at the top of our game every step of the way. But we've worked and worked these past few months, and each one of us on this team are confident that we'll have something to show for it. It might take some time, we might not come out with guns blazing in Pomona, but we will get to where we need to be. Count on it."
More...
"We struggled last year, oh boy did we struggle," admitted Gray, whose troubles included ending the 2012 season locked just outside of the Countdown to the Championship and totaling his Chevy Camaro at the fall event in Charlotte. "But it was a year of learning, both for myself as a driver and for our team. Over the off-season, we made some really positive moves in a direction that has me more excited than ever to get this show on the road and see what we can do."
Shortly after the 2012 season drew to a close, Gray took delivery of a brand new Jerry Haas-built Chevy Camaro and his team, led by crew chief Justin Elkes, began picking away at finishing the car in preparation for the new year. The to-do list was long but each team member was dedicated to the outcome, and the Camaro was ready to test in early January with a sleek, white Gray Motorsports paint scheme.
Gray Motorsports, headquartered in Denver, N.C., also made strides towards a stronger future during the winter break by partnering with Oklahoma-based Elite Performance and bringing on drag racing veteran Nick Ferri as head engine builder. Gray Motorsports and Elite Performance will continue to operate as two separate entities while sharing information and experience gathered through respective R&D programs.
"Partnering with Elite Performance and Nick Ferri really just made sense for us," explained Gray. "We knew we needed to make a change after last year, but we also knew that we were not interested in leasing engines. Even though that might make sense in the short term, we are invested in our in-house engine building program for the long haul, and we don't want to take anything away from the progress that we've already made. This was about growth, it was about going forward and bettering Gray Motorsports, and we feel that this partnership has the potential to do that."
While competing at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona is always something that Gray looks forward to – after all, he earned his first professional win in his rookie season at the NHRA Finals held at the esteemed facility – he and his team are careful to balance their enthusiasm with a healthy dose of logic.
"This class is brutal," said Gray. "There is no room for error when you race Pro Stock, so we have to be at the top of our game every step of the way. But we've worked and worked these past few months, and each one of us on this team are confident that we'll have something to show for it. It might take some time, we might not come out with guns blazing in Pomona, but we will get to where we need to be. Count on it."
More...
