Shane Gray maintains lofty perch in Denver, qualifies No. 3

DENVER – Shane Gray continues to prove his Valvoline/Nova Services team belongs among the elite in Pro Stock in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, and so does his Gray Motorsports engine group.

Gray qualified No. 3 for the Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals on Saturday at Bandimere Speedway, and Alex Laughlin used a Gray Motorsports engine to qualify No. 1 for the first time in his career.

“I’m happy, our customers are happy, and we’re really fast,” Gray said. “Yeah, things are pretty good right now, and we think they can be pretty good tomorrow, too.”

Gray is one of the hottest drivers in Pro Stock, having raced to four semifinal finishes in the last six races. Plus, he was the first non-KB Racing driver to qualify No. 1 when he accomplished that feat in Chicago at the most recent race.

Gray tested in Denver last week, preparing for the mile-high altitude that can play tricks on Pro Stock cars. He had plenty of horsepower in Denver, as Gray Motorsports-powered cars were 1-2-3 after one round of qualifying. Though he eventually ended up No. 3, he’s pleased with the performance of his team.

“We finally made a run that we’re capable of making,” Gray said. “Hats off to all the guys at the engine shop and all the guys at the track, (crew chief) Dave Connolly, and all the boys. They gave me a nice hot rod to drive that time (in Q4).”

Gray’s final pass was 6.937 seconds at 197.51 mph, .011-second off Laughlin’s pole-winning time. He’ll square off against No. 14 qualifier Chris McGaha, whose best run was a 7.067 at 196.04 mph.

Gray had a special guest Saturday: Denver Broncos wide receiver Cody Latimer, who is a cousin of Gray Motorsports crewmember Jep Trammell.

Pro Stock eliminations start at noon, Sunday, and will be broadcast live on FOX from 1 to 4 p.m. (All times listed in MDT).