That’s a great feeling for Ray, a native of New Braunfels, Texas, who defeated Karen Stoffer in the final last year to score his first victory in his first full season in Pro Stock Motorcycle. Ray’s family and friends were able to witness the event at a track just two hours from his home.
“For my mom and dad and everybody being there and all the sacrifices my parents made throughout their entire life, to see me be successful, it was awesome,” Ray said. “My dad busted his butt for one of those Wallys and never got one, and standing there with my father in victory lane and seeing the tears in his eyes and excitement was just like, ‘This is awesome.’ That is what I’ll never forget.”
Ray and all of the racers in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series return to Texas Motorplex for the AAA Texas NHRA FallNationals Sept. 19-22, the second of six races in the Mello Yello Countdown to the Championship. Antron Brown (Top Fuel), Bob Tasca III (Funny Car), and Allen Johnson (Pro Stock) join Ray as defending winners of the race that will be televised on ESPN2HD.
Ray has amassed two wins and two No. 1 qualifying positions in his first season with the Sovereign/Star Racing Buell team. He is fourth in the Countdown to the Championship, 48 points behind leader Hector Arana Jr., but he isn't letting the pressure get to him during the stretch run.
“I think so much of our team’s success is the character we all bring to the table and the fun that we have,” Ray continued. “I have a sticker on my dashboard that says, ‘Just add fun.’ That is all we do. We joke about it, and some people say, ‘You just don’t seem to be taking this very seriously,’ but there’s not another team that has a bigger fire lit under its butt than this one. But you have to have a lot of fun out here or this sport will eat you alive.”
Leading Ray, Scotty Pollacheck, and the Sovereign/Star Racing team is George Bryce, who is one of the most renowned crew chiefs in the Pro Stock Motorcycle category. As a rider, he raced to four consecutive titles in the National Motorcycle Racing Association from 1981 to 1984. As a crew chief, he amassed 71 victories and earned six championships with John Myers and Angelle Sampey. His guidance and skills have put Ray in a position to succeed each time he climbs on his Buell.
“When you look back at the history he has at being a great crew chief, he is a magician on the track producing results,” Ray continued. “Those things for me being a young driver, I’m 29 and in my second full-time season, for me that is worth its weight in gold. It is like being a rookie quarterback and having a 20-year veteran back there being your mentor. He does such a good job.”
Following the AAA Texas NHRA FallNationals, only four races remain in the Countdown to the Championship. Ray and his team realize that to make a run for the championship crown in the two-wheel category, they must go rounds at each event.
“You can literally count how many rounds of racing there are left,” Ray concluded. “Right now, the first race coming off Charlotte coming into Dallas, I did a little comparison to last year, and I went in seventh in points, and I came out fourth. You can have one really great race and set yourself up.”
For Ray to recapture glory at Texas Motorplex, he will have to outlast a tough field of competitors. Series leader Arana heads the class with four wins aboard his Lucas Oil Buell, and Matt Smith, Hall, defending world champ Eddie Krawiec, and Hector Arana Sr. will be contenders.
As always, every ticket purchased for the AAA Texas NHRA FallNationals is a pit pass, which offers an extraordinary look behind the scenes in the world of the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series. This unique opportunity in motorsports gives fans direct access to the teams, allowing them to see firsthand the highly skilled mechanics service their high-horsepower machines between rounds and enjoy cherished face time with their favorite NHRA drivers.
Fans will also want to check out NHRA Nitro Alley and the popular NHRA Manufacturers Midway, where manufacturers and sponsors create a carnival atmosphere with interactive displays, simulated competitions, merchandise, food, and freebies. Fans will also want to take advantage of Championship Sunday for the fun fan zone, featuring driver introductions and a special Track Walk at 9:30 a.m. It’s free to all Sunday ticket holders.
AAA Texas NHRA FallNationals qualifying opens Friday, Sept. 20, with sessions at 2:15 and 5:15 p.m. The final two qualifying sessions will take place Saturday, Sept. 21, at 11:15 a.m. and 2:15 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled for 11 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 22.
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Source: NHRA (AP, 09/19)
