Adam Gray On Verge of Clinching 2013 Late Model Championship at Stafford Motor Speedway
Stafford Springs, CT — Amazing, extraordinary, spectacular, staggering, the list of superlatives that can be applied to Adam Gray’s 2013 Late Model season at Stafford Motor Speedway is endless. Gray opened the 2013 with a disappointing finish of 18th in the season opening CARQUEST Tech-Net Spring Sizzler. But he and his #97 Meadows Motor Cars team rebounded in the best possible way by winning the opening Friday night feature and since then have earned 14 consecutive podium finishes, including a division leading 6 victories, to put themselves in position to clinch the 2013 Late Model championship heading into this Friday night’s action.
“After that first race, we kind of assumed that we were out of it more or less and we were on the lets get wins and podiums deal,” said Gray. “Anything can happen obviously and basically our mindset was to win races. We tried to do everything right this winter to get the car where it needed to be to contend for a championship. After that first race, we were all down in the dumps figuring we wouldn’t have a shot at it. We were fast that first race and it was more my mistake than anything. I caught the edge of the wall and we got a flat tire. Towards the end of 2012 we had the car going in the right direction so we figured this was our year to do something at Stafford. We felt good about the car but none of us would have ever dreamt about having the finishes that we’ve been able to have so far. I call this the dream season; they’re few and far between like this. I think we just have to stay on the same program and keep on working hard. We’re showing that the hard work can pay off and we just have to basically stay at it for two more races. Honestly we’re still looking at each other saying that we can’t believe how good of a run we’ve had this year.”
As good as Gray and his team have been at Stafford this season, it’s not the first time that Gray has enjoyed such a season. During the 2008 season at Monadnock Speedway, Gray won the championship with 6 victories and podium finishes in all but one race, numbers that match Gray’s 2013 campaign at Stafford. Although Gray still has two more races left to match his Monadnock season with podium finishes, he says that his goal is to keep trying for wins and podium finishes.
“I would absolutely love to finish the year out with two more podiums,” said Gray. “We’re shooting for that because I’m not the type of driver who can sit back. Since the day I started racing, I’ve raced hard week in and week out. It’s cost me some races and it’s gotten me some races. It’s kind of a catch 22, it could either hurt you or you can keep on doing what you’ve been doing and having the good finishes. It’s been a great feeling this year. We won a championship at Monadnock in 2008 and its kind of funny because the stats kind of mirror themselves. I had 6 wins at Monadnock and we had all podiums except for one race and to have another season like that and to do it at Stafford has been just unbelievable.”
While Gray has made a reality out of a season that many racers can only dream about, he is quick to credit his crew and sponsors for his success this season.
“I think we’re concentrating a little more this year,” said Gray. “Last year we had a couple of other things going on and this year we’re concentrating on one thing and seeing what we can do with it. My crew is available however many nights a week I need them. My father has given me a ton of help along with his crew guys, there’s been no time spared this year. We’ve even taken a couple of hours off here and there from work to go work on the car. It’s definitely a family thing, my father helps me and spots for me when I race and I help him and spot for him when he races. The guys who help us with our cars have been with us for the whole time we’ve been racing and I can’t thank them all enough for their help. I also can’t thank all my sponsors enough for helping to make this season possible, Meadows Motor Car, Hawley’s Autobody & Repair, Leon’s Auto Repair, Gregg Orlen Construction, OJS Landscape Excavation, Barrco Automotive Parts, Trackside Motors, The Pizza Shoppe, Perry’s Auto Parts, and Distance Race Chassis. Without their support, none of this would have been possible.”
Gray heads into the Sept. 13 Lincoln Tech 80 Late Model feature with an 86-point advantage over his closest championship rival Tom Fearn. Should Fearn win the race Friday night, all Gray would have to do in order to clinch the championship is finish no lower than 18th. If Gray can do that, it would put a cap on one of the more remarkable seasons that the Late Model division has seen at Stafford.
For more information, contact the Stafford Motor Speedway track office at 860-684-2783 or visit us on the web at www.staffordspeedway.com.
Sources: Scott Running/Stafford Motor Speedway PR