This season NHRA Pro Stock driver Shane Gray is doing something different.

Gray Motorsports has joined forces with Cagnazzi Racing and Gray has become a teammate to Dave Connolly.

Gray received a preview of the new partnership last week when he and Connolly were testing at Bradenton (Fla.) Motorsports Park.

“It went great,” Gray said about the test session. “I couldn’t have asked for it to go any better. I probably made about 15 runs. I’m running the car (a 2013 Camaro) that I ran last year. We learned a lot of things down there, but you know there a lot of things you can’t use to go racing that you used down in Bradenton during testing. You have to be able to identify the conditions, but I’m pretty excited because I think we are going to be pretty good this year. So far this (joining forces with Cagnazzi) has been real good.”

Gray had a new Camaro built and he is picking it up today (Jan. 22).

According to Gray, his new Camaro will not be ready for the season-opening Winternationals Feb. 6-9 at Pomona, Calif. or the second race Feb. 21-23 at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park in Phoenix.

Prior to the Winternationals, Gray’s team is testing Feb. 3-5 in Phoenix.

“We are going to try and make four or five runs a day in Phoenix,” Gray said. “We are going to kind of ease up on trying stuff and we are just going to get our race package ready to go. I’m going to run Pomona and Phoenix with the car I ran last year and then I’m going to take my new car down to Bradenton and test it before Gainesville and see if I want to race it there.”

The Gatornationals are scheduled for March 13-16 in Gainesville, Fla.

A year ago, Gray finished fifth in the point standings on the strength of his win at the Las Vegas fall race and four runner-up finishes. Gray made his Pro Stock debut in 2010 and he has three career wins. His best finish in the season points was fourth his rookie year.

“I’m ready to get out there racing,” Gray said. “What we are going to do first is have a good time and second we are going to try and win. If you are not having fun, you can’t win. The first thing is to enjoy yourself and have a good time.”

Gray’s Pro Stock team is owned by his father Johnny Gray. Johnny raced NHRA Pro Stock most recently from 2008-2010 before piloting a nitro Funny Car the last three seasons for Don Schumacher Racing.

Although Johnny has retired from full-time driving, Shane expects him to be at the track this season in his pits.

“He will be around and I know he will be around on Sundays,” Shane said. “We’re glad he’s around and not distracted.”

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