Someday somebody is going to ask Shane Gray, "How is it that you lost in Pro Stock eliminations – to your brother, no less – but ended the day excited because you walked away as the class' No. 1 qualifier?!"

No telling how the witty driver of the Gray Motorsports Camaro might answer that.

Someday somebody is going to ask Shane Gray, "How is it that you lost in Pro Stock eliminations – to your brother, no less – but ended the day excited because you walked away as the class' No. 1 qualifier?!"

No telling how the witty driver of the Gray Motorsports Camaro might answer that.

It is an odd question, an odd scenario.

And after all, he answered a question Saturday about how early conditions might have changed his approach to the final qualifying session for the AAA Texas NHRA FallNationals this way: "I don’t really know about that. That's above my pay grade. I didn't ask those types of questions. I just try to drive the car the best I can."

Moreover, because Saturday's two qualifying sessions at the Texas Motorplex served as the second round and semifinals of the aborted Pep Boys Carolinas Nationals from Charlotte, a reporter asked if that put extra pressure on him. Gray quipped, "Our jobs are not difficult. We've just got to pay attention for a few seconds at a time."

So being No. 1 qualifier for Sunday's eliminations yielded about the same level of emotion from Gray Saturday as losing to brother – and eventual Charlotte winner – Jonathan Gray.

"It was all fun. He whipped me. That was this time. All in all, had a great day," Shane Gray said. "I'll get a good dinner tonight and sleep eight hours and be as good as new tomorrow."

He did, earning his fourth No. 1 start of the season and of his career with a 6.566-second elapsed time at 210.08 mph on the quarter-mile at Ennis, Texas. That was an improvement from the 6.577, 209.88 that put him atop the order Friday.

"The weather kind of dried out a little bit this morning. What a run it made," Gray said of his Chevy. "We certainly didn’t think it would pick up that much, for sure. It surprised all of us a little bit."

He indicated he's ready for a second set of eliminations this weekend.

"Tomorrow's a new day," Gray said. "We'll try to put on a good show for the fans. NHRA has provided us with a great facility, great people. Mello Yello is a great sponsor. We'll go out and have a fun day of racing tomorrow and be proud of the outcome."

He'll start Sunday with a match-up against No. 16 John Gaydosh.

Gray entered this Countdown race sixth in championship points, 93 behind leader Jason Line (whom his brother defeated Saturday to notch his career-first victory ). Shane Gray earned seven qualifying bonus points this weekend.

No. 2 Allen Johnson will race No. 15 Matt Hartford; No. 3 Jonathan Gray will meet No. 14 V. Gaines; and Line will line up next to Chris McGaha. Other Pro Stock pairings pit Vincent Nobile (5) and Aaron Stanfield (12), Erica Enders-Stevens (6) and Rodger Brogdon (11), Dave Connolly (7) and Shane Tucker (10), and Jeg Coughlin (8) and Greg Anderson (9). Larry Morgan got the class' only DNQ.

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