NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

It has taken a little longer than he expected, and Shane Gray still isn’t all the way there, but the Pro Stock standout finally feels good about the direction his team is headed.

After struggling out of the gates in the new-look Pro Stock class to open the 2016 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series season, Gray has taken major strides in the last five races in his Valvoline/Nova Services Chevy Camaro, advancing to three semifinals.

With no final-round appearances and no victories in 2016, Gray knows there is still work to be done to catch the dominant duo of Jason Line and Greg Anderson, who have combined to win the first 12 races in Pro Stock. But his prospects for doing so are at an all-time high in 2016, and Gray is eager to complete the task at this weekend’s K&N Filters Route 66 NHRA Nationals at Route 66 Raceway.

“I think we're on a little bit of a roll,” said Gray, who is currently eighth in Pro Stock points. “We picked up some power in our engine shop, and the car’s getting better, and I seem to be getting a little bit better behind the wheel. Dave [Connolly], the crew chief, is doing an awesome job. I wouldn’t trade anybody I’ve got for nothing.”

Tony Schumacher (Top Fuel), Tommy Johnson Jr. (Funny Car), Allen Johnson (Pro Stock), and Hector Arana Jr. (Pro Stock Motorcycle) were last year’s winners of the event that will for the first time be televised nationally on FOX Sports 1. The fan-favorite event at the state-of-the-art motorsports facility just south of Chicago will mark the official start of the second half of 2016 and is the 13th of 24 races this season.

Gray wouldn’t mind being the first to break up the stranglehold that Line, the points leader with seven victories, and Anderson, who has five wins, have had in the new era of Pro Stock. The class now features fuel-injected engines, 10,500-rpm rev limiters, flat hoods, and shortened wheelie bars, and it has been an adjustment for most, with past multitime champs Line and Anderson holding a dominant edge through the first half of 2016.

But Gray and his team have made considerable strides, posting semifinal berths in Topeka, Epping, and most recently Norwalk. Gray believes he is on the right track after plenty of trial and error with the new Camaro, but there isn’t any secret as to what has been the key for the turnaround.

“It’s been a process of a lot of hard work and a little bit different insight, especially from Connolly,” said Gray, whose last win came at the prestigious Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis in 2014. “It’s just a combination of a group of good guys we’ve got put together now. We’ve also got some good team cars, too. The Skillmans and the Laughlins are the greatest group of people to race with there is.”

Gray Motorsports has a technical alliance with Pro Stock drivers Drew Skillman, who was named the NHRA’s top rookie in 2015, and Alex Laughlin, who has been solid in his rookie campaign in 2016. That alliance has paid major dividends in recent weeks, making it a far cry from Gray’s early-season struggles that included five straight first-round losses.

It wasn’t an ideal scenario for Gray, who has four wins, but the veteran believes he will be at his best when the Mello Yello Countdown to the Championship begins. Only five races follow the K&N Filters Route 66 NHRA Nationals before the NHRA’s six-race playoffs, but Gray is confident his team will be performing at a high level when it arrives. The recent improvement has also increased Gray's own enjoyment at the track.

“I don't really want to peak just yet,” Gray said. “I’d kind of like to be at our best when the Countdown starts and see if we can work ourselves up in the points. It’s actually starting to be fun to go to the racetrack again.”

Gray could make a big dent in the points standings with a victory at Route 66 Raceway. Standing in his way are a host of top challengers, including Line and Anderson, as well as defending event winner Johnson, back-to-back world champ Erica Enders, five-time world champ Jeg Coughlin Jr., Vincent Nobile, Chris McGaha, and Bo Butner. But Gray will lean on Connolly’s expertise and track record at Route 66 Raceway in hopes of reaching the winner’s circle for the first time since 2014.

“I like Chicago,” Gray said. “I really like the racetrack there. We’ve had some decent success at Chicago, but Dave Connolly’s always run good at Chicago, so we’re looking forward to that.”

Mello Yello Drag Racing Series qualifying will feature two rounds at 5:15 and 7:45 p.m. Friday, July 8, and the final two rounds of qualifying Saturday, July 9, at 3:15 and 6 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled for 11 a.m. Sunday, July 10.

To purchase general-admission or reserved seats, call 888-629-RACE (7223) or 815-722-5500 or log on to www.route66raceway.com. Kids 12 and younger will be admitted free in general-admission areas with a paid adult.