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As he prepares for the season opening of the 57th annual Circle K NHRA Winternationals, 17-year-old Rookie Pro Stock driver Tanner Gray knows he can count on his family to provide invaluable advice for the upcoming races.<\/p>\n
“I’ve got grandpa (Johnny Gray), Dad (Shane Gray) and Dave (Connolly) right here and they’ve all been a huge help since we started this deal,” Tanner said. “There probably isn’t anything that could happen to me out there they haven’t experienced at one point or another. I know I can ask them anything and they’ll be there for me.”<\/p>\n
Johnny Gray raced for many successful years in Pro Stock and Funny Car. Shane claimed numerous victories in Pro Stock while crew chief Connolly is a Sportsman world champion, with wins in both Pro Stock and Top Fuel. Tanner, who started off in a Junior Dragster and has since raced a variety of cars on the strip, dirt and asphalt, is ready to carry on the legacy as he enters into serious drag racing.<\/p>\n
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“Seat time is seat time,” he said. “I’ve been asked a lot lately if all the dirt track and asphalt racing I did will help me in drag racing and I just can’t see how it would hurt. I can tell it’s made me more in tune to what the Pro Stock car is doing, which helps a bunch because I can make better reports to Dad, Dave and the crew after each run.<\/p>\n
“We’ve all been working really hard to get me used to this car and I think by the time we get done testing I’ll have more than 50 passes under my belt. I feel really good, although I know I have plenty left to learn. I’m ready for the challenge.”<\/p>\n
The members of the Gray Motorsports team are confident that with Tanner in the seat, they’ll continue to build on their winning legacy.<\/p>\n
Pro Stock qualifying sessions are at 12:30 and 3:30 p.m. PT, Friday and Saturday, with eliminations at noon PT, Sunday.<\/p>\n
Live coverage of the 57th annual Circle K NHRA Winternationals begins 1-2 p.m. ET, Saturday, on FOX Sports 1, followed by three hours of eliminations from 4-7 p.m. ET, Sunday, on FOX.<\/p>\n
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