Rested, tested, and ready, Shane Gray begins season with championship aspirations

POMONA, CA – This weekend’s 56th annual Circle K NHRA Winternationals marks the beginning of a new era in Pro Stock. Electronic fuel injection has replaced carburetion, hood scoops are a thing of the past, wheelie bars have been shortened, and rpm is limited. And if popular pro Shane Gray has his way, a new champion will be crowned in the factory hot rod class.

“We have a clear goal this season: We want to win the Mello Yello Pro Stock title,” Gray said. “We’ve got all the pieces in place. I’m surrounded by the best crew in the pits, we have tremendous horsepower, we have wonderful and enthusiastic corporate partners, we’ve tested a bunch and feel we have a great handle on the new configuration with EFI and everything else, and I feel like I can be steady enough behind the wheel that we can earn a good amount of points every weekend.

“That’s what it takes to win it all at this level.”

At the centerpiece of Gray’s 2016 campaign is his revamped Valvoline/Nova Services Chevrolet Camaro. Modifying the car they used in 2015 rather than building a new one, Gray and crew were the first to test with the new rules package in place, giving them a broader base of knowledge than many of their counterparts heading into this weekend’s race.

“It took a little time to get used to doing burnouts and completing the staging process properly, but after a few launches I got the hang of it,” Gray said. “It’s a great race car and I was already very comfortable in the cockpit, so it was just a case of adapting to the new rules.

“We’ve had a chance to make a lot of hits and we’re running very competitive numbers, so I think we can make a statement right away. They always say the points you earn in these early races count just as much as the ones at the end of the year, and we’d love to get off to a quick start.”

Gray has four national event victories to his credit. He’s also an eight-time runner up, proving he can go rounds on race day.

“It’s time to go out and execute,” Gray said. “There’s always a lot to be excited about when a new season starts, but this one is extra special with the big changes the NHRA made to our class. Plus, we’ve got live TV now with our new TV partners at FOX Sports, so there already is a lot of excitement in the air and we haven’t even made a pass in competition yet. It’s going to be a great year.”

Friday qualifying will air from 7:30-8:30 p.m. PT, on FOX Sports 1, with a rebroadcast from 10-11 p.m. PT, Saturday. Race day eliminations will air live from 2-5 p.m. PT, also on FOX Sports 1.