Pro Stock rookie Tanner Gray showing his stuff with No. 3 qualifying effort

PHOENIX – Budding NHRA star and Pro Stock racing rookie Tanner Gray qualified his Gray Motorsports Valvoline-clad Chevy Camaro in the lofty No. 3 slot for Sunday’s eliminations at the 33rd annual NHRA Arizona Nationals at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park.

Gray’s 6.538-second, 211.79-mph mark in Friday’s first qualifying session gave the 17-year-old the best starting spot of his burgeoning career. He will race No. 14 qualifier Alan Prusiensky in the opening stanza of eliminations.

Tanner’s dad Shane Gray is racing a second Gray Motorsports Valvoline Camaro in support of his son. The elder Gray qualified his entry in the No. 7 (6.548, 211.26) spot for Sunday’s race day. Shane faces off against Erica Enders in Round 1.

“I have a ton of confidence going in to tomorrow,” Tanner said. “You never know what’s going to happen in this deal so there’s that nervous feeling about going in to Round 1, but I’m excited to go into tomorrow’s race with this Valvoline car.

“I think the (prerace) car swap (with his father) has really helped. We’re getting more data and a better feel for the car with every run we make. I messed up in Q2 and that kind of put us behind for the third run in qualifying. We got a little behind this weekend because of that and I think we definitely have more in this racecar than it showed. I don’t know if we have a .50 in it, but we might have a .51 or .52 – something like that.”

The two men swapped race cars after the first event in Pomona, Calif. two weeks ago to give Tanner the best chance for success after Shane’s car ran better at the season opener.

In only his second start behind the wheel of a powerful Pro Stocker, the younger Gray is bright-eyed and eager to compete successfully in the pro ranks.

“All in all, it’s going really well,” Tanner said. “I’ve been working on my dad’s car, the one I was in at Pomona, and we’re getting a better handle on that car too. I can’t really complain. I’m excited to be going in to race day tomorrow. If I get by first round and Dad gets by first round, then I’ll race him second round. I’m excited for that part of it and just ready to go.”

Shane remains happy in the shadows with the spotlight on his prodigy.

“I’m just here supporting my son,” Shane, a five-time national event winner, said. “We’re here to test parts and tune-ups for Tanner. He’s the future of Gray Motorsports.”

Shane has previously stated he will be racing only on a part-time basis in 2017.

Eliminations start at noon MT, Sunday. Television coverage of qualifying is on FOX Sports 1 from 10-11 p.m. MT, Saturday, followed by three hours of elimination action from 4-7 p.m. MT, Sunday.