 |
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
It hasn't been easy, but this year the continuously developing driver put himself on the map by reaching a personal goal. "Before the [fall] race in Charlotte, I had never turned on a win light in NHRA competition, but we went two rounds there, and it was just a dream come true," said Ray, who was the victor in matches with 2009 world champion Hector Arana and four-time national event winner Shawn Gann. "Obviously the goal is to win races and championships, but those round wins were steps of progress. I'm trying to make a name for myself, put my sponsors out there, and really show people that we have a good package. We're somebody, and they need to get ready for next year." Ray isn't a new face on the Full Throttle Series tour; his first NHRA race was the Mopar Mile-High Nationals in Denver in 2007. He competed in six races that year riding for John Hammock and Vroom Racing, and Ray made the field at the AAA Texas NHRA Nationals in Dallas, not far from his home base in New Braunfels, Texas.
"I met everybody out here, and I just kept bugging them all about racing their bike," admitted Ray. "Finally, Matt Smith came to me this year and said, 'Hey, I have a third bike and you've got some good talent and good sponsors. We'd like to have you come over with us.' So we started with Matt and his wife, Angie, at the U.S. Nationals in Indy, and we ran with them for the rest of the year." In addition to the benefits of sharing data between three motorcycles, Ray is also an active crew member on the team, just like Matt and Angie. While Matt makes the tune-up calls, Ray performs the maintenance between rounds - and he likes it that way. "We don't have a big budget for several crew guys like some of the other teams, but in my eyes, this is a big benefit," he said. "I know exactly what's going on with the bike, and that keeps my mind at ease. There is no need in heaven to seek blame if something goes wrong. I'm the guy back here with dirty fingernails and dirty hands, and that's a good thing."
Just a couple of months after getting his driver's license, Ray entered his first national event. He didn't qualify, but the young man and motorcycle were a natural fit. "I took everything my dad taught me, and everything that I had learned from watching Dave Schultz, John Myers, and all those guys for years and years be successful, and everything just came together," said Ray. "We struggled maybe the first two years as I learned how to race - not how to ride, but how to race - but once I learned how to do both, we won three championships and over 30 national events in a matter of three years. We basically dominated." Making the transition to NHRA racing can be very humbling, but Ray knew what he was in for, set reasonable goals, and pushed harder than ever before. Earlier this season he rode at three events for George Bryce and raced in Houston following a street bike accident where another driver rolled a stop sign the day before qualifying and he was left with a sprained ankle and some pretty serious road rash. "The truck was there; I couldn't not show up," he said simply.
"I'm a glass half-full kind of guy," said Ray. "I was happy just to qualify, but I had one simple goal this year: to win a round of racing. To win two and go to my first semifinal was just a dream come true. Now I'm ready for more." You would be off the mark if you thought that time away from NHRA drag racing represented a time to slow down for Ray. "I'm a full time parts manager at Gruene Harley-Davidson, and I do that for about 50 hours a week," said Ray. "But when I'm not there selling parts or dressing people's Harley-Davidsons out, I'm at a racetrack somewhere, I promise you."
"I want to thank Gruene and Javelina Harley-Davidson and Gottspeed Racing, and I really have to say thank you to the whole Gottsacker family of dealerships. Without them, I wouldn't be here right now," said Ray. "They have supported me in drag racing 100 percent, and I owe them every bit of my success. I also can't say enough about my mom and dad, Paul and Mary Evelyn, as well as my wife Jennifer - they see me get on an airplane and leave, and then they are there for me when I come home excited or sometimes not so excited. Of course I also want to thank Matt and Angie. They've been a huge help since we came over here, and we're all just big cheerleaders for each other." The off-season means a chance to run the land speed bike a few times at airport runway-style strips in the pleasant South Texas area where temps are typically in the 70s during winter time. Ray also plans to test a new Pro Stock bike at West Palm Beach and get settled into the house he recently purchased with his bride, Jennifer. Next season, it's game on: They're still seeking full time sponsorship but are fully committed with Matt Smith Racing and Gruene and Javelina Harley-Davidson. Look for Ray to edge for a spot on raceday at each of the Full Throttle Series events where the two-wheeled guys are invited.
|
|
Ready to take your order at 1-800-230-3030 | Customer Service 1-800-517-1035