One of the rising stars of NHRA drag racing will make the jump to NASCAR next season.
Autoweek has learned that current NHRA Mello Yello Pro Stock championship leader Tanner Gray will focus on stock car racing in 2019 with the DGR-Crosley team owned by Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series veteran David Gilliland and Crosley Radio CEO Bo LeMastus.
In addition to his dirt outlaw kart experience, Gray, 19, also has made appearances in a Late Model. His younger brother Taylor, is currently forging a similar path in Limited Late Models. The family’s shop is based in Denver, North Carolina.
TANNER GRAY: The Brash, Opinionated Young Face of the NHRA
DGR-Crosley confirmed the partnership, adding that a complete schedule has yet to be decided. DGR-Crosley has Late Model Stock, K&N Pro Series and Truck Series entries and just won the Pro Series East championship over the weekend with Tyler Ankrum.
The team just recently moved into the Mooresville, North Carolina shop previously owned by NASCAR Truck Series team Red Horse Racing.
Gray is the son of NHRA Pro Stock racer Shane Gray and the grandson of NHRA Funny Car race winner Johnny Gray.
The NHRA’s Pro Stock division has experienced a degree of discord over the past year in a half due to decreased interest and car counts in the division. The car only swapped over to electronic fuel injection in 2015 and the series considered movin to an 8-car field from 16 — something that never came to fruition.
This and Gray’s desire to give stock cars another shot was said to be a deciding factor in the decision. The Grays were reached for comment but have not yet responded as of press time.
– Matt Weaver is an associate motorsports editor at Autoweek. Before becoming a journalist, he was a dirt track racer and short track cheeseburger connoisseur.
Be the first to comment