J.R. Gray looks to stay Hot as Congruity NHRA Pro Mod heads to Chicago at race powered by Flying H Drag Strip

CHICAGO, IL – May 15, 2025 – (Motor Sports NewsWire) – After impressive showings at the first three races of the 2025 Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series season, the standout duo of J.R. Gray and Mike Stavrinos have no plans of slowing down as the category heads to Route 66 Raceway this weekend.

The Congruity NHRA Pro Mod class is part of the 25th annual Gerber Collision & Glass Route 66 NHRA Nationals, with this event marking the fourth of 10 races during the 2025 campaign. This weekend’s event is powered by Flying H Drag Strip in Odessa, Mo., and for Gray, he simply wants to keep rolling.

He impressed in Charlotte, winning the four-wide race and qualifying No. 1 as well. After Stavrinos swept the double-race weekend in Phoenix, Gray took care of business at zMAX Dragway in his Al-Anabi Performance Camaro, and the Pro Mod standout is eager to keep the momentum – and the perfect season for AAP – going in Chicago.

“I take great pride in our accomplishments this season and I am honored to represent KH, Al-Anabi Performance and the country of Qatar,” Gray said. “Mike Stavrinos and I will continue to dominate our competition and ensure that our championship dreams remain a reality.”

It will be another stacked field for the category in Chicago, as Pro Mod returns to Route 66 Raceway following a successful 2024 event at the standout facility. Eric Dillard is the defending race winner, while a host of talented drivers will look to win in Chicago.

Stavrinos leads the points, with Gray in second and Rickie Smith right behind, while other top names include Billy Banaka, defending world champion Jordan Lazic, Mike Castellana, Jason Scruggs, Stan Shelton, Justin Bond and Mike Janis. The event sponsor, Flying H Drag Strip, is a new NHRA Member Track, opening last year with strong roots in the Pro Mod world.

“We are exceptionally excited to sponsor the 2025 NHRA Pro Mod category at the Gerber Collision & Glass Route 66 NHRA Nationals presented by PEAK at the famous track in Chicago. Quarter-mile Pro Mod racing is our passion at our new quarter-mile facility in Odessa and this is the first time a track has sponsored a race class,” said Scott Higgs, owner of Flying H Drag Strip. “We are looking forward to hosting the Quarter-Mile Mania event on Aug. 15-16. With $45,000 on the table and a grudge-style format, it will be epic.”

Along with the race, the FTI Pro Mod Showdown takes place during qualifying, with the driver putting together the best E.T. average during the four qualifying rounds taking home the prize, while drivers will also be aiming for the Killin’ Time Racing (KTR) No. 1 qualifier award.

The Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series will kick off with two qualifying rounds on Friday at 12:15 and 3:20 p.m. CT, with the final two qualifying rounds set for 10:55 a.m. and 1:40 p.m. on Saturday. The first round of eliminations is slated for 11:50 a.m. CT on Sunday.

To purchase tickets to the Gerber Collision & Glass NHRA Route 66 Nationals presented by PEAK on May 15-18 at Route 66 Raceway, fans can visit www.NHRA.com/tickets. All children 12 and under will be admitted free in the general admission area with a paid adult.

About Flying H Drag Strip

Flying H Drag Strip is a new Quarter Mile Drag Strip built in Odessa, MO, the track opened April 2024. As a new NHRA Sanctioned track, safety is our top priority. We are excited to bring racing and entertainment for the whole family back to Kansas City. For more information on Flying H Drag Strip, including a season schedule, please visit www.flyinghdragstrip.com.

About NHRA

NHRA is the primary sanctioning body for the sport of drag racing in the United States. NHRA presents 20 national events featuring the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series and NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, as well as the Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series, NHRA Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown™, NHRA Holley EFI Factory X and Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage NHRA Mountain Motor Pro Stock at select national events. NHRA provides competition opportunities for drivers of all levels in the NHRA Summit Racing Series and NHRA Street Legal™. NHRA also offers the NHRA Jr. Street® program for teens and the Summit Racing Jr. Drag Racing League® for youth ages 5 to 17. With more than 100 Member Tracks, NHRA allows racers to compete at a variety of locations nationally and internationally. NHRA’s Youth and Education Services® (YES) Program reaches over 30,000 students annually to ignite their interest in automotive and racing related careers. NHRA’s streaming service, NHRA.tv®, allows fans to view all NHRA national events as well as exclusive features of the sport. In addition, NHRA owns and operates three racing facilities: Gainesville Raceway in Florida; Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park; and In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip in Southern California. For more information, log on to www.NHRA.com, or visit the official NHRA pages on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.

Source: National Hot Rod Association

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