Jonathan Gray Earns Second Career E3 Spark Plus NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series Win with Triumph at Indy

2020 NHRA Pro Mod - Dodge NHRA INdy Nationals - Jonathan Gray (678)

INDIANAPOLIS, IN – August 10, 2020 – (Motor Sports NewsWire) – Jonathan Gray raced to his first career E3 Spark Plugs NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series victory since 2017 on Sunday as at Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis, slipping past Bo Butner in the final round as part of the Dodge NHRA Indy Nationals presented by Pennzoil.

The Pro Mod race, which was presented by Jerry Bickel Race Cars, was the second of the 2020 season in the E3 Spark Plugs NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by J&A Service. Gray went 5.5850-seconds at 249.49 mph in his nitrous-powered Camaro to knock off Butner, who went 5.899 at 248.48 in the finals. It gave Gray his second career win in the class in a matchup that featured two standouts driving for the injured Rickie Smith, a multi-time champ in the class.

Prior to last month’s NHRA Pro Mod season-opener, Gray had not raced in the class for nearly three years. But he impressed on Sunday in Indy, reaching the final round with victories against Jeffrey Barker, No. 1 qualifier Khalid Albalooshi and former world champ Mike Janis.

“I’ve got the best in the business out here and I couldn’t be happier driving for Rickie Smith,” Gray said. “He’s been a mentor to me and we won in Indy, so it’s a big step in the right direction. I’m just thrilled to death and really, really happy.”

Butner, who made his NHRA Pro Mod debut last month in Indy, also reached his first career final round in a nitrous Camaro usually driven by Smith. He knocked off Brandon Pesz, Clint Satterfield and Kris Thorne to set up the matchup with Gray.

BROWNSBURG, IN — Final finish order (1-16) at the Inaugural Dodge NHRA Indy Nationals presented by Pennzoil at Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis. The race is the first of the 2020 the E3 Spark Plugs NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series.

PRO MODIFIED:

1. Jonathan Gray; 2. Bo Butner; 3. Kris Thorne; 4. Mike Janis; 5. Khalid alBalooshi; 6. Steve Jackson; 7. Clint Satterfield; 8. Jim Whiteley; 9. Jeffery Barker; 10. Steve Matusek; 11. Jason Scruggs; 12. Chad Green; 13. Mike Castellana; 14. Chip King; 15. Jeff Jones; 16. Brandon Pesz.

BROWNSBURG, IN — Sunday’s final results from the Inaugural Dodge NHRA Indy Nationals presented by Pennzoil at Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis. The race is the second of the 2020 the E3 Spark Plugs NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series:

Pro Modified — Jonathan Gray, Chevy Camaro, 5.850, 249.49 def. Bo Butner, Camaro, 5.899, 248.48.

BROWNSBURG, IN — Final round-by-round results from the Inaugural Dodge NHRA Indy Nationals presented by Pennzoil at Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis, the race is the second of the 2020 the E3 Spark Plugs NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series:

PRO MODIFIED:

ROUND ONE — Khalid alBalooshi, Chevy Camaro, 5.785, 251.72 def. Chip King, Dodge Charger, 11.583, 82.33; Steve Jackson, Camaro, 5.841, 245.81 def. Mike Castellana, Camaro, 8.927, 101.91; Clint Satterfield, Camaro, 5.807, 244.65 def. Jason Scruggs, Camaro, 6.455, 174.89; Mike Janis, Camaro, 5.949, 221.60 def. Jeff Jones, Chevy Corvette, Broke; Jim Whiteley, 5.885, 241.45 def. Chad Green, Corvette, 7.147, 138.61; Jonathan Gray, Camaro, 5.819, 249.86 def. Jeffery Barker, Camaro, 5.811, 249.26; Kris Thorne, Camaro, 5.830, 255.19 def. Steve Matusek, Ford Mustang, 5.869, 252.24; Bo Butner, Camaro, 6.760, 157.96 def. Brandon Pesz, Camaro, Broke;

QUARTERFINALS — Gray, 5.834, 249.35 def. alBalooshi, 5.795, 250.60; Butner, 5.848, 248.43 def. Satterfield, 5.974, 202.39; Janis, 5.979, 240.29 def. Whiteley, 9.377, 95.00; Thorne, 5.806, 255.15 def. Jackson, 5.854, 243.77;

SEMIFINALS — Gray, 6.715, 159.48 def. Janis, 15.897, 52.23; Butner, 5.846, 249.07 def. Thorne, 6.888, 160.69;

FINAL — Gray, 5.850, 249.49 def. Butner, 5.899, 248.48.

BROWNSBURG, IN — Point standings (top 10) following the Inaugural Dodge NHRA Indy Nationals presented by Pennzoil at Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis, the race is the second of the 2020 the E3 Spark Plugs NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series –

Pro Modified

1. Kris Thorne, 145; 2. Jonathan Gray, 144; 3. Jason Scruggs, 130; 4. Chad Green, 129; 5. Clint Satterfield, 127; 6. Bo Butner, 124; 7. Mike Janis, 103; 8. Khalid alBalooshi, 96; 9. Steve Jackson, 88; 10. Jeff Jones, 84.

About NHRA

Headquartered in Glendora, Calif., NHRA is the primary sanctioning body for the sport of drag racing in the United States. NHRA presents 17 national events featuring the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series and E3 Spark NHRA Plugs Pro Mod Drag Racing Series presented by J&A Service. NHRA provides competition opportunities for drivers of all levels in the NHRA Summit Racing Series and the NHRA Drags: Street Legal Style presented by AAA. NHRA also offers NHRA Jr. Street program for teens and the Summit Racing Jr. Drag Racing League for youth ages 5 to 17. In addition, NHRA owns and operates four racing facilities: Atlanta Dragway in Georgia; Gainesville Raceway in Florida; Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis; and Auto Club Raceway at Pomona in Southern California. For more information, log on to NHRA.com, or visit the official NHRA pages on Facebook, YouTube and Twitter.

Source: National Hot Rod Association