Fri, Dec 11, 07:40 PM Jerzees Name Ray Alley Crew Chief

Courtesy of Mickey Schultz Racing Team Set for 1999

ALPHARETTA, Ga. - Bob Vandergriff, Jr., owner and driver of the JERZEES Top Fuel Dragster, announced today that veteran tuner Ray Alley had been named the crew chief for Vandergriff Motorsports and JERZEES Racing Team effective immediately. In making the announcement, Vandergriff stated that Alley's background and experience are what led to the choice of the California native as crew chief.

"When you mention the name Ray Alley among his peers, you seem to get a consistent opinion - - a leader who fields competitive teams," said Vandergriff. "His statistics are always among the leaders, whether it be elapsed-time or speed. I feel he will bring the Vandergriff Motorsports' JERZEES Dragster operation to the next plateau."

Alley's entire racing career has been spent in the development and racing of nitro-powered drag race engines. Although he drove a limited fuel Funny Car schedule throughout the 60's and into the early 70's, Alley's expertise has always been in making a nitro-powered engine go quicker and faster.

In the early eighties, Alley served as crew chief for Kenny Bernstein, who finished third in the 1981 Funny Car championship chase. Always the innovator, Alley along with Bernstein, Dale Armstrong and a team of experts introduced the computer era to drag racing when the group formed Race Pak in 1985. The trio of Alley, Bernstein and Armstrong sold their interest in the company in 1991.

In 1994, Brad Anderson, owner of the Top Fuel dragster driven by Shelly Anderson, put out a call for Alley to join their program. Alley responded by leading Anderson to a 10th place finish in the Winston Top Fuel point standings. Anderson also won the Budweiser Classic, setting (at the time) an NHRA elapsed-time national record en route. With Alley's continued direction in 1995, Anderson moved up to ninth in the point standings.

Alley was assistant crew chief during Kenny Bernstein's 1996 Top Fuel championship season. He continued in that capacity with Bernstein for most of the 1997 campaign. In 1998, Alley served as a consultant to the Top Fuel team of driver Cristen Powell. He added the title of crew chief for the final two races of the '98 season.

As he assumes his duties at Vandergriff Motorsports, Alley plans to move the JERZEES Racing Team along at a rapid pace. "This team has all the makings of a winner. I plan to build on what has already been established here at Vandergriff Motorsports. We will be aggressive from the first race in Pomona (California) in February to the last race in Pomona (California) in November and every race between the two," said Alley.

"Our philosophy for 1999 will be to quickly establish a pattern of a car capable of running in the 60's (4.60-seconds), then step it up to run in the 50's (4.50-seconds). This will allow us to compete on a heads-up basis with all teams. Also, we want to qualify early so that we have the luxury of using the remaining qualifying sessions to test the limits of the track and the tune-up," added Alley