JOHNNY GRAY HOPES EXTRA TESTING WILL RESULT IN LAS VEGAS WIN

Johnny Gray, whose Service Central Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car has shown flashes of glory in the first two events of the season, is looking forward to the 12th annual SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals this weekend in Las Vegas.

According to the 57-year-old Artesia, N.M. native, who considers Las Vegas his home race and expects to host many family and friends for the weekend, the team stayed in Florida after the Gatornationals earlier in the month and did some serious testing.

“After we ran so well at the Winternationals – losing out when we had a mechanical problem – we were optimistic in Florida after qualifying fourth for Sunday’s final rounds, but smoked the tires in the second round, so testing took on new urgency,” said Gray, who is racing in NHRA Funny Car competition after a five year absence.

“We think we have our problems figured out, and we know we have a fast race car, so the race this weekend can’t come soon enough,” he added.  “With a 101-point deficit after two events, we need to have a top finish to get back in the points chase.”

He takes to The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway Friday for the first round of qualifying holding eighth place in the 2011 NHRA Full Throttle Funny Car championship.

“And as I’ve said, if I do my job and the car runs like it did in qualifying at Pomona and Gainesville, we have a really good chance to win in Las Vegas.”

Gray, whose son Shane competes in Pro Stock, made his professional debut in NHRA competition in 1993.