ROUND 4/JUNE 2, 2013
OLD BRIDGE TOWNSHIP RACEWAY PARK/ENGLISHTOWN, NEW JERSEY
Streak
Buster
DRAG RACING
NHRA MELLO YELLOW PRO STOCK SERIES
MICHAEL RAY PUTS
THE SOVEREIGN/
STAR TEAM IN THE
WINNERS' CIRCLE
FOR THE FIRST TIME
SINCE 2008
BY KEVIN MCKENNA
PHOTOGRAPHY BY MARK J. REBILAS
M
P96
ichael Ray never had time to second guess his decision to leave
Matt Smith Racing for George
Bryce's Sovereign/Star Buell team this
winter as he claimed a victory in just his
fourth start of the 2013 NHRA Mello Yello
Drag Racing Series season. Ray rode
to his second-career victory in the final
round with a holeshot win over Lucas Oil
Buell's Hector Arana Sr., as his 6.954
barely edged Arana's quicker 6.952
elapsed time. It was also the first win for
the Sovereign/Star squad since the final
event of the 2008 season, with former
rider Chris Rivas.
"That was the biggest thing about this
win, to get George and Jackie [Bryce]
and Ken Johnson and everyone at Star
back into the winner's circle for the first
time since 2008," Ray said. "Englishtown
is also a special place. It's a track where
[late three-time champion] John Myers
won and to win a Mello Yello series race
here is a dream come true."
Ray struggled in the first three events of
the season, but he appeared to be much
more confident and comfortable in Englishtown as he rode to a convincing victory. After qualifying in the number-six spot,
Ray defeated LAT Oils Buell's Mike Berry
in the opening round and then scored
another holeshot win over John Hall, the
Michael Ray
gave George
Bryce's Sovereign/Star Buell
team its first win
of the season
in round four of
the NHRA Pro
Stock Series in
New Jersey.
