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2013 NHRA: Johnny Gray NHRA Arizona Nationals Event Report: First Round
Johnny Gray had the field on high alert at Firebird International Raceway this weekend at the 29th annual NHRA Arizona Nationals. His Don Schumacher Racing Pitch Energy Dodge was the quickest Funny Car on the property during qualifying, and the veteran driver earned the fourth pole of his career and second consecutive Phoenix No. 1 with a superior performance throughout the first two days of the event. Although disappointing, an early exit on raceday could not erase the forward progress that the close-knit team made at the second event of 24 on NHRA's Mello Yello Drag Racing Series tour.
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"It's early in the season, so we're disappointed with the results of today's race, but we're also real excited about the potential of the Pitch Energy Dodge, and Rob [Wendland, crew chief] and Rip [Reynolds, assistant crew chief] and the guys just did a great job in qualifying," said Gray. "We were really happy to be No. 1 qualifier, and we feel confident that we can get rid of any gremlins we might have picked up here before we get to the next race."
Gray, who clocked a stunner of a run to earn the top qualifying spot - a 4.034 at 313.80 mph - came into raceday with a hot rod to be reckoned with and a first-round matchup with No. 16 qualifier Robert Hight. Confident in his program and his team, Gray knew the odds were in his favor when he and his team packed up for the night on Saturday. However, Sunday morning tossed all of the crew chiefs a wildcard with gusty winds creating very dry conditions and dust blowing across the racing surface.
Prior to the first run of the day, Wendland explained that tuning would be tricky for all, and that their own strategy included a somewhat conservative approach as well as keeping a close eye on the Top Fuel dragsters racing ahead of them so that they could make last-minute adjustments as needed. Many of the dragsters struggled to get down the racetrack, and even with the tweaks made by Wendland and Reynolds, the Pitch Energy Dodge couldn't grab hold of the track evenly with both tires.
Gray was in trouble immediately but so was first-round opponent Robert Hight, and the two pedaled their way down the racetrack in a smoky battle for the win light. Gray got there first but it was a wild ride, and his pretty Dodge - painted in tribute to his late father John R. Gray - rubbed up against the wall before the finish line, and the run was disqualified.
"I don't know what the deal is with me and this Phoenix track. I've never scratched the paint on a drag car before, but I've scratched one two years in a row here. It's just the darndest thing," said Gray, who won his first-round match from the No. 1 spot in Phoenix last year but was disqualified in the second round of eliminations after tagging the wall in the midst of a violent pedalfest with Hight.
"Our Pitch Energy Dodge is a real special car, and you hate to have anything happen to it, but we'll take it on over and have the scratch fixed, and you'll never even know it was there," Gray continued. "It's a lot of fun taking dad along for the ride this year, my last full year driving a Funny Car. And with this great team behind me and a car that we know can be fast, we're excited. We know we'll be in good shape in Gainesville in a couple of weeks."
The next event on the 2013 Mello Yello Drag Racing Series tour is the Amalie Oil NHRA Gatornationals in Gainesville, March 14-17.
Johnny Gray, Gray Motorsports/Pitch Energy Dodge Charger R/T
Qualified: No. 1
SUNDAY ELIMINATIONS
1st round: Robert Hight (5.703) def. Johnny Gray (5.636, Disq.)
FRIDAY QUALIFYING:
Session 1: 4.124-sec., 301.00 mph
Session 2: 4.034, 313.80
SATURDAY QUALIFYING:
Session 3: 4.045, 314.46
Session 4: 8.364, 76.64
NHRA MELLO YELLO DRAG RACING SERIES
(unofficial, after 2 of 24 events; DSR drivers in CAPS)
FUNNY CAR
1. RON CAPPS, 210
2. Courtney Force, 165
3. MATT HAGAN, 151
4. Bob Tasca III, 124
5. JOHNNY GRAY, 122
6. Cruz Pedregon, 117
7t. John Force, 106
7t. Tim Wilkerson, 106
9. Todd Lesenko, 102
10. Robert Hight, 83
PaddockTalk Perspective
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