Don Schumacher Racing Johnny Gray
About
Service
Central Racing and TBC Retail Group proudly back Funny Car driver
Johnny Gray and the Service Central Dodge Charger R/T for the 2012
season of NHRA Full Throttle Series drag racing.
Johnny began drag racing in 1969 and competed in a variety of categories while also keeping his skills sharp in road racing and at circle track events. The now 58-year-old grandfather made the first 200-mile-per-hour pass in a gasoline-fueled car in a 1993 run with a Comp Eliminator dragster at the event in Houston. He was also the first driver to run a Comp Eliminator car in the 6.70s and 6.80s for the quarter mile. The same year of his record run found Johnny entering the NHRA professional ranks in the Pro Stock category.
After competing in Pro Stock and then the alcohol classes for several years and earning a pair of division championships, Johnny contested his first NHRA Funny Car race in 1999 and then competed intermittently until 2008, when he formed the Pro Stock Gray Motorsports team both as a means to get back on the track and to blaze a trail for his son Shane. Johnny finished 15th in 2008, improved to 9th the following season and was 10th in 2010.
He returned to the Funny Car class in 2011 under the championship-caliber Don Schumacher Racing banner with backing from Service Central. The season was a success for the veteran drag racer; he reached five final rounds and earned his first career Funny Car win in Brainerd. The team narrowly missed the Countdown to the Championship before becoming one of the hottest cars on the circuit, and Johnny played the spoiler role for the remainder of the season. In 2012, he'll be battling for his first Full Throttle Series world championship.
Follow Johnny Gray on Twitter: @JohnnyGrayFC and follow him on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/JohnnyGrayFC. Become a fan of the Service Central Racing Facebook page for updates and photos throughout the season.
Johnny began drag racing in 1969 and competed in a variety of categories while also keeping his skills sharp in road racing and at circle track events. The now 58-year-old grandfather made the first 200-mile-per-hour pass in a gasoline-fueled car in a 1993 run with a Comp Eliminator dragster at the event in Houston. He was also the first driver to run a Comp Eliminator car in the 6.70s and 6.80s for the quarter mile. The same year of his record run found Johnny entering the NHRA professional ranks in the Pro Stock category.
After competing in Pro Stock and then the alcohol classes for several years and earning a pair of division championships, Johnny contested his first NHRA Funny Car race in 1999 and then competed intermittently until 2008, when he formed the Pro Stock Gray Motorsports team both as a means to get back on the track and to blaze a trail for his son Shane. Johnny finished 15th in 2008, improved to 9th the following season and was 10th in 2010.
He returned to the Funny Car class in 2011 under the championship-caliber Don Schumacher Racing banner with backing from Service Central. The season was a success for the veteran drag racer; he reached five final rounds and earned his first career Funny Car win in Brainerd. The team narrowly missed the Countdown to the Championship before becoming one of the hottest cars on the circuit, and Johnny played the spoiler role for the remainder of the season. In 2012, he'll be battling for his first Full Throttle Series world championship.
Follow Johnny Gray on Twitter: @JohnnyGrayFC and follow him on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/JohnnyGrayFC. Become a fan of the Service Central Racing Facebook page for updates and photos throughout the season.
| Hometown: | Artesia, New Mexico |
| Date of Birth: | March 20, 1953 |
| Height: | 5’ 11” |
| Weight: | 208 lbs. |
| Marital Status: | Married to Terry |
| Children: | Sons Shane and Jonathan |
| Grand Children: | Bryce, Tanner and Taylor (Shane), Milliann and Jeighton (Jonathan) |
| Occupation: | President & Co-owner, Marbob Energy Corp., an independent oil company |
| Hobbies: | Bass fishing, golf, and riding Harley Davidsons |
| Crew Chief: | Rob Wendland |
| Career Best Elapsed Time: | 4.010 |
| Career Best Speed: | 318.62 |
Career Highlights
- 2011 - Earned first career win at the event in Brainerd, Minn., posted career best times for e.t. and speed, finished 11th in the Funny Car points standings
- 2010 - Finished 10th in NHRA Full Throttle Pro Stock Championship
- 2009 - Finished 9th in NHRA Full Throttle Pro Stock Championship
- 2008 - Recorded career-best time and speed, returned to Pro Stock racing after spending several years in the Funny Car ranks, finished 12th in NHRA Full Throttle Pro Stock Championship, competed in one Funny Car event
- 2004 - Drove Don Schumacher's Wonderwagon Funny Car at 6 events
- 2003 - Finished 10th in NHRA Powerade Funny Car Championship
- 2002 - Finished 10th in NHRA Powerade Funny Car Championship
- 2001 - Qualified for the quickest Funny Car field in history at the Winternationals in Pomona, finished 13th in NHRA Funny Car Championship
- 2000 - Qualified 8th in his first run Funny Car run while acting as his own crew chief, qualified for quickest Funny Car field in history in Houston
2012 Schedule
- February 9-12
- O'Reilly Auto Parts Winternationals, Pomona, CA
- Race
- February 17-19
- NHRA Arizona Nationals, Phoenix, AZ
- Race
- March 8-11
- Tire Kingdom NHRA Gatornationals, Gainesville, FL
- Race
- March 30-April 1
- SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals, Las Vegas, NV
- Race
- April 13-15
- NHRA 4-Wide Nationals, Charlotte, NC
- Race
- April 27-29
- O'Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Spring Nationals, Houston, TX
- Race
- May 4-6
- Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals, Atlanta, GA
- Race
- May 18-20
- Dollar General NHRA Summernationals, Topeka, KS
- Race
- May 31-June 3
- Toyota NHRA Supernationals, Englishtown, NJ
- Race
- June 15-17
- Ford Thunder Valley NHRA Nationals, Bristol, TN
- Race
- June 28-July 1
- Route 66 Raceway, Chicago, IL
- Race
- July 5-8
- NHRA Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals, Norwalk, OH
- Race
- July 20-22
- Mopar Mile-High NHRA National, Denver, CO
- Race
- July 27-29
- NHRA Sonoma Nationals, Sonoma, CA
- Race
- August 3-5
- O'Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Northwest Nationals, Seattle, WA
- Race
- August 16-19
- Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals, Brainerd, MN
- Race
- August 29-Sept. 3
- Mac Tools U.S. Nationals, Indianapolis, IN
- Race
- September 14-16
- O'Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Nationals, Charlotte, NC
- Race
- September 20-23
- AAA Texas NHRA Fall Nationals, Dallas, TX
- Race
- September 28-30
- AAA Insurance NHRA Midwest Nationals, St. Louis, MO
- Race
- October 4-7
- Auto-Plus NHRA Nationals, Reading, PA
- Race
- October 25-28
- Big O Tires NRA Nationals, Las Vegas, NV
- Race
- November 8-11
- Auto Club NHRA Finals, Pomona, CA
- Race
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