NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

Several Pro Stock teams continue their winter testing in Florida before heading west for a final test session in Phoenix in advance of the Circle K NHRA Winternationals. Former world champ Greg Anderson and rookie Tanner Gray both put in significant track time at Bradenton Motorsports Park in Bradenton, Fla., with their respective fuel-injected Camaros.

 

Anderson’s KB Racing team, which combined to win 16 of the 24 events last year, concluding with a championship for Jason Line, tested just one car – the Chevrolet Camaro that KB Racing-powered Bo Butner will pilot for the first handful of events while his new Jerry Haas-built Chevy Camaro is completed.

 

"We brought out the Camaro that I drove back in 2012, and it hasn't been run in a couple of years. So, we made 18 runs in two days, and I think we're just about ready," said Anderson. "We were able to kill two birds with one stone with this test. This was a good opportunity for us to get this car ready for Bo to drive for the first couple of races, but it also gave us the chance to test some engine projects that we've been developing over the winter. It was a good test, we learned a lot, and now we have a few days to get our ducks in a row, decide what was good and what was bad, and get ready for the season ahead."

 

According to Anderson, the weather in Bradenton was comparable to what will likely be seen the weekend of the Winternationals, which allowed the team to get a good gauge on a few things they have been working on since the curtain dropped on 2016.

 

"I don't think it's any secret, and you saw it towards the end of last year, everybody is closing the gap on us," said Anderson, who won eight races in 14 final rounds last season, mirroring teammate Line yet missing the championship by just three points. "There will not be a big gap. Things are, without a doubt, tightened up. We're expecting a tougher challenge without the edge that we had last year, and it will be more of a driver's race than a crew chief's race."
 
"With the way the rules are now, nobody is going to stay separated from the pack for very long. We knew that from the beginning, and it just took a little longer than we thought it would for everyone to catch up. Everybody has been staying home working on the dyno this winter, doing their homework. There will be many teams who are every bit as strong as us, and it will be very tough – but that's what makes it exciting."

 

Gray, a top Rookie of the Year candidate, has taken over the seat of the family’s Valvoline Chevy Camaro Pro Stocker for Gray Motorsports from his father Shane Gray, who decided to step away from driving at the end of last season. Shane will remain an active member of the Gray Motorsports team moving forward as Tanner's driving coach and team manager. The team recently wrapped up two test sessions.
 
"We went to Bradenton in December and then went back again this month," said Tanner, a 17-year-old native of Mooresville, N.C. "We made about 25 runs in the Valvoline Camaro at the first test. We were just trying to get me used to the car, like getting everything comfortable for me and getting a feel for the (steering) wheel and all the controls.
 
"We also worked on getting me consistent with shifting the car and running it down the track. The dirt track cars I've raced didn't need shifting so there was adjustment for me in shifting the car. It took me about 20 runs to start getting some consistency with shifting and with hitting the (Christmas) tree. I felt pretty good about my progress when we left the first session, and I think my dad and Dave (Connolly, crew chief and former Pro Stock driver) were pretty happy, too.

 

"In the second test session we continued to work on my consistency with shifting and the tree, and we also started working on tuning up the race car for Pomona," Tanner said. "We made about 20 runs in the second session. Our best run was 6.506 at 212.96 mph. Dave and my dad were pleased with that result and so was I.
 
"The Camaro is quite a change from what I'm used to racing. The acceleration to about half track really pins you back in the seat. It's really a thrill to drive a Pro Stock car. I can't wait to get started with the 2017 season in Pomona. We've got a great car, a great crew chief and a great team. We should be in contention to win at every event."