Wed, 02 Sep 2015, 18:33 PM Defending Indy Winner Shane Gray Eager to Follow Up U.S. Nationals Victory

Courtesy of NHRA Communications

INDIANAPOLIS --

Shane Gray celebrates last year's Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals.

Pro Stock driver Shane Gray is grateful for each of his four career NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series wins and has a particular place for each Wally.

But the trophy he won at last year's Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals, the world's most prestigious drag race, seems to get a little more of the spotlight in Gray's personal collection.

"That trophy has a special place," Gray said. "We keep the trophies together in my office there at home, but this one is on a stand a little apart from the other ones."

The marquee moment in Gray's career was one of the highlights of last year's memorable event at venerable Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis. To top it, or at least match Gray's first career win at the biggest event of the year, Gray will go for a second straight win at this weekend's 61st annual Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals

Richie Crampton (Top Fuel), Alexis DeJoria (Funny Car) and Eddie Krawiec (Pro Stock Motorcycle) were also last year's winners. Once again, ESPN and ESPN2 will provide national television coverage of the Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals. The event, which has provided drag racing's biggest stage for six decades, is the final race of the NHRA regular season, giving drivers one last chance to qualify for the Mello Yello Countdown to the Championship.

Gray will have to go to considerable lengths to top last season's performance in Indy, which included beating then teammate Dave Connolly in the final round. Connolly is now fighting for the 10th spot in his first season in Top Fuel, but Gray's victory over his friend in his Gray Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro made for a thrilling winner's circle celebration in 2014.

Shane Gray

"It meant a lot to this team to have two Gray Motorsports Chevy Camaros in the final at the Chevrolet Performance sponsored race," said Gray, who is currently seventh in points and seeking his first win in 2015. "We already felt like we had won no matter what happened, but I wanted to give Dave a decent race. You try to put it out of your mind that you're racing for a trophy at the most prestigious race on the NHRA tour and just run your race."

The prestige of the race weekend is already there for Gray, who was named the Honorary Starter for this year's event. Fellow Pro Stock driver and defending world champion Erica Enders is the Grand Marshal for the prestigious Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals, and Gray only hopes he will be able to share another special moment with his family and friends at the end of the weekend.

"That day was really special, and my whole family was there to share it with me," Gray said. "That doesn't happen very often anymore, and hopefully they'll all be there again. I can't tell you what it means to have been asked to be the Honorary Starter. We'll have to run really, really well - and I'm going to have to drive really well, too, if we'll have a chance of repeating. But hey, we got it done once, and we know it's possible. We sure hope to make Chevrolet Performance proud."

Perhaps the only thing topping a teammate in the final would be for Gray to face off with his brother, Jonathan Gray, who is currently a spot behind in the points standings in eighth, in the championship round.

With Indy counting as a point-and-a-half race, both Grays have a chance to move up heading into the Mello Yello Countdown to the Championship. Shane Gray is less than 100 points behind fifth-place Allen Johnson, but he will have to deal with a loaded Pro Stock class. Four-time world champion Greg Anderson, who has won four races in 2015, is primed for a seventh Pro Stock win at the Big Go, and others to watch include points leader Enders, who has five wins this season, Jason Line, Chris McGaha, who won back-to-back races on the Western Swing to jump firmly in to the championship picture, Vincent Nobile and two-time season winner Larry Morgan. V. Gaines is 176 points back of 10th-place rookie and local favorite Drew Skillman in the race for the final Countdown spot.

But Gray seems to be rounding into form heading into Indy and the Countdown to the Championship, advancing to the semifinals at three of the past four races. The next step is getting everything to come together perfectly at Indy for a second straight year.

"Winning Indy is big," Gray said. "It's something most guys only ever dream of. My first two years racing the U.S. Nationals I was driving a B/A Comp car, and I started racing Pro Stock there in 2010, but the first time I won a round in Indy [in Pro Stock] was in 2013. Last year was the first time I came to Indy and thought I had a chance to do something, and with all of the history there, to even have a chance is something special. When you get there, you have to try not to think about what a big deal it is. You just want to try to be the best you can be."

In Top Fuel there are a host of stars, including reigning world champion, current points leader and nine-time Indy winner Tony Schumacher. Others include four-time season winners Richie Crampton and Antron Brown, Doug Kalitta, J.R. Todd, three-time world champion Larry Dixon, Brittany Force and Shawn Langdon. Clay Millican and Dave Connolly are both trying to sneak into the final spot, as they sit 124 and 134 points out of the 10th spot. Steve Torrence is just three points ahead in ninth as the stage is set for an epic weekend of competition in the class.

Currently in 10th place in the loaded Funny Car class, reigning Indy champion DeJoria sits 73 points ahead of Courtney Force, the winningest female driver in Funny Car history, in the race for the final spot in the Countdown. The rest of the field is headed by points leader Jack Beckman and also features reigning world champion Matt Hagan, John Force, Ron Capps, Cruz Pedregon, Tommy Johnson Jr., Tim Wilkerson, Del Worsham and three-time Indy winner Robert Hight.

In Pro Stock Motorcycle, another Indy victory would add to Krawiec's impressive season and secure the No. 1 spot heading into the Countdown to the Championship. He will face off against top challengers like reigning world champion Andrew Hines, Hector Arana Jr., Karen Stoffer, Jim Underdahl, two-time world champ and past Indy winner Matt Smith, 2009 Indy winner Hector Arana and alligator farmer Jerry Savoie.

As far as the race for 10th-place, L.E. Tonglet, who trails ninth-place Scott Pollacheck by only 21 points, is 26 points ahead of Chip Ellis and 51 points ahead of multi-time Indy winner Angelle Sampey. Chaz Kennedy and Angie Smith are both 68 points back of Ellis, while Steve Johnson has a shot at 78 points behind.

Bonus bucks and bragging rights will be on the line for qualified drivers in Top Fuel and Funny Car as they battle in the lucrative Traxxas Nitro Shootout. The Traxxas Nitro Shootout for Top Fuel will be held on Saturday evening, while the Traxxas Nitro Shootout for Funny Car is contested Sunday afternoon. The winners in each Traxxas Nitro Shootout will earn $100,000. Prior to each Traxxas Nitro Shootout there will be a fan Q&A and autograph session conducted with all qualified drivers.

Drivers in the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series and the NHRA J&A Service Pro Mod Series also will take to the track during the weekend in their 250-mph machines with the goal of winning the prestigious event. The fan-favorite Mopar HEMI Challenge on Friday, featuring the world's quickest Super Stock machines, will highlight the Lucas Oil Series action.

Thundering Jet Cars will take to the track to make exhibition passes as part of Friday and Saturday's racing activities, and also on Friday, a special fireworks show will close out that day's racing. Fan-favorite vintage racecars will be on display in the Hot Rod Junction, along with several autograph sessions featuring the biggest stars of the sport will be featured throughout each day of the event.

A special Monday edition of the SealMaster NHRA Track Walk also will take place prior to final eliminations, where many of the sport's most celebrated drivers will walk alongside fans down the historic dragstrip. Also on Monday during pre-race ceremonies, fans will get to experience a very special treat when the famed Golden Knights, the U.S. Army's highly-decorated parachute team, descends into Lucas Oil Raceway. As usual, one of the highlights of the spectacular pre-race show on Monday will feature highly-skilled skydiver Jason Peters soaring into Lucas Oil Raceway with an American Flag in tow during the traditional performance of the National Anthem.

As always, fans will have the opportunity to interact with their favorite drivers as they're granted an exclusive pit pass to the most powerful and sensory-filled motorsports attraction on the planet. This unique opportunity in motorsports gives fans direct access to the teams, allowing them to see firsthand the highly-skilled mechanics service their hot rods between rounds, and get autographs from their favorite NHRA drivers.

The first of five Mello Yello Series qualifying sessions is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 4. Two more sessions will take to the track on Saturday, Sept. 5 at 2:45 p.m. and 6:15 p.m., and the final two qualifying sessions will take place on Sunday, Sept. 6 at 11 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. Final eliminations begin at 11 a.m. on Monday, Sept. 7. The Traxxas Nitro Shootout for Top Fuel will be contested Saturday, Sept. 5 with rounds at 4 p.m., 5:25 p.m. and 7:45 p.m. The Traxxas Nitro Shootout for Funny Car takes place on Sunday, Sept. 6 for the eight qualified drivers, with rounds at 12:30 p.m., 1:55 p.m. and 4:15 p.m.

ESPN and ESPN2 will televise eight hours of coverage of the Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals. Five hours of qualifying coverage and coverage of the Traxxas Nitro Shootouts will air on ESPN from 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m. (ET) and on ESPN2 from 11 p.m. - 1:30 a.m. on Sunday, Sept. 6. Monday's (Sept. 7) eliminations for the Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals will be featured in three hours of coverage on ESPN starting at 4 p.m. (ET).

Tickets for the world's most prestigious drag race can be purchased by calling the NHRA Ticket Sales Center at (800) 884-NHRA (6472), or online at www. NHRATIX.com