[coverattach=1]Las Vegas, Pro Stock Showdown: Second-generation racer, Shane Gray has officially joined the Pro ranks earning his Pro Stock license during the Pro Stock Showdown at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. With the ink still wet on his license, Gray will make his debut at the 50th annual Kragen O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Winternationals presented by Valvoline, at the Auto Club Raceway at Pomona. He will join his dad, veteran driver, Johnny Gray in the second Gray Motorsports Pontiac GXP.
The accomplished Competition Eliminator driver needed to make three full runs to upgrade his license and accomplished the task under the watchful eye and advice of his dad.
“Getting in my car for the first time felt good,” described Gray. “Making runs was a little scary the first day; I was really nervous and actually did a terrible job. But the second day was much better. We made three good runs and everything worked out well.
“Now that I’ve made a small handful of runs everything is much better. My feelings have now changed to excitement. I’m decently comfortable in the car but we definitely need to make more runs and plan to do so over the next few days. So hopefully we should be okay by the time we get to Pomona.”
The Winternationals mark the opening of the 2010 season and is being billed as one of the greatest single events in NHRA history. A race of this caliber carries high excitement and expectations and everyone hopes to shine.
“I’ll try to shine as much as I can when I get there,” said Gray, “but I know it’s a tall order. The Pro Stock field is the toughest field of classes I know of in any form of motorsports and I will be honored just to get to race with them on Sunday. If I can pull up and race one of the guys that are in the class on Sunday it will be an honor for me.”
The race car and driver are not the only things that are new on Gray’s team. The crew is also new. Each is experienced, but the newness lies in their working together as one. Under the watchful eye of dad’s crew chief, Craig Hankinson, things will run smoothly and safely. Mike Earle was promoted from dad’s team to be his car chief.
“I really appreciate the opportunity I’ve been given,” expressed Earle. “I’m still not sure how it happened but I’m committed to making them proud. Now that we’ve made a few runs, I’m feeling good. I think he is a good driver. He’s hard on himself but he’s doing a great job. The guys are all doing a good job and I think everything will work out and we’ll be just fine.”
Gray is comfortable with his team and also sees good things happening for them.
“I have good faith in all of my guys”, said Gray. “Craig oversees both cars and both teams. Mike is a very smart individual and I think he’ll do great. He came off my dad’s car and knows how our deal works. And everything has been running smooth so far. We know we need to take baby steps and hopefully we’ll be right in the mist of things in no time.”
The father and son racing duo have taken on a big project. While creating a two-car team, they have built an engine and race shop in Denver, N.C. taking on the task of creating their own engine program.
“We’ve put so much together in a short time,” said Gray. “Right now, we’re in the beginning stages of our engine program and as with any new business it’s tough. We have to get it organized and get it up to where it’s making good horsepower for the class. We’re hoping that it will be a long time deal and that in the very near future we’ll have championship contending cars and engines.
“My wife and children have committed to move from New Mexico to North Carolina. We have found a house that we’re supposed to close on March 1 so it’s a serious deal for us.
“I really appreciate the opportunity I have been given. My mother and father have put me in this position because they believe in me. And I’m blessed by God that I have a wonderful wife, Amber, that is my best friend and also allows me to do this. She supports me 100 percent and is kind of my mentor in the deal, poking me along with a sharp stick to keep up my confidence and keep things rolling. My wife and my children have to put up with a lot when it comes to my racing, from moving away from the only home they’ve ever known to my being absent from games, school activities, birthdays, quality time and everything else. It’s a very selfish sport that I choose, but luckily I have wonderful parents and wife that allow me to be selfish and do this.”
The accomplished Competition Eliminator driver needed to make three full runs to upgrade his license and accomplished the task under the watchful eye and advice of his dad.
“Getting in my car for the first time felt good,” described Gray. “Making runs was a little scary the first day; I was really nervous and actually did a terrible job. But the second day was much better. We made three good runs and everything worked out well.
“Now that I’ve made a small handful of runs everything is much better. My feelings have now changed to excitement. I’m decently comfortable in the car but we definitely need to make more runs and plan to do so over the next few days. So hopefully we should be okay by the time we get to Pomona.”
The Winternationals mark the opening of the 2010 season and is being billed as one of the greatest single events in NHRA history. A race of this caliber carries high excitement and expectations and everyone hopes to shine.
“I’ll try to shine as much as I can when I get there,” said Gray, “but I know it’s a tall order. The Pro Stock field is the toughest field of classes I know of in any form of motorsports and I will be honored just to get to race with them on Sunday. If I can pull up and race one of the guys that are in the class on Sunday it will be an honor for me.”
The race car and driver are not the only things that are new on Gray’s team. The crew is also new. Each is experienced, but the newness lies in their working together as one. Under the watchful eye of dad’s crew chief, Craig Hankinson, things will run smoothly and safely. Mike Earle was promoted from dad’s team to be his car chief.
“I really appreciate the opportunity I’ve been given,” expressed Earle. “I’m still not sure how it happened but I’m committed to making them proud. Now that we’ve made a few runs, I’m feeling good. I think he is a good driver. He’s hard on himself but he’s doing a great job. The guys are all doing a good job and I think everything will work out and we’ll be just fine.”
Gray is comfortable with his team and also sees good things happening for them.
“I have good faith in all of my guys”, said Gray. “Craig oversees both cars and both teams. Mike is a very smart individual and I think he’ll do great. He came off my dad’s car and knows how our deal works. And everything has been running smooth so far. We know we need to take baby steps and hopefully we’ll be right in the mist of things in no time.”
The father and son racing duo have taken on a big project. While creating a two-car team, they have built an engine and race shop in Denver, N.C. taking on the task of creating their own engine program.
“We’ve put so much together in a short time,” said Gray. “Right now, we’re in the beginning stages of our engine program and as with any new business it’s tough. We have to get it organized and get it up to where it’s making good horsepower for the class. We’re hoping that it will be a long time deal and that in the very near future we’ll have championship contending cars and engines.
“My wife and children have committed to move from New Mexico to North Carolina. We have found a house that we’re supposed to close on March 1 so it’s a serious deal for us.
“I really appreciate the opportunity I have been given. My mother and father have put me in this position because they believe in me. And I’m blessed by God that I have a wonderful wife, Amber, that is my best friend and also allows me to do this. She supports me 100 percent and is kind of my mentor in the deal, poking me along with a sharp stick to keep up my confidence and keep things rolling. My wife and my children have to put up with a lot when it comes to my racing, from moving away from the only home they’ve ever known to my being absent from games, school activities, birthdays, quality time and everything else. It’s a very selfish sport that I choose, but luckily I have wonderful parents and wife that allow me to be selfish and do this.”
