Tommy Gray looks back at Darlington

DARLINGTON, SC - The car is adorned with all the ghoulishness of an undertaker. The crew stands cloaked in Grim Reaper garb and a body in a rollaway casket trails the two golf-kart. Sound like you're stuck in a horror flick? Well, kinda sorta. It's the theme for one of the most impressive Pro Modified teams on the IHRA/Summit Drag Racing Series and a gentleman named Tommy Gray spearheads the effort. They call themselves The Graveyard Gang.

Gray provided somewhat of a horrific experience as he piloted his "Undertaker" themed 1953 Corvette Pro Modified to a runner-up in the highly colorful division at the recently completed IHRA Prolong Winter Nationals in Darlington, SC. The 40-year old, professional drag racer, who also doubles as a funeral home owner in his hometown of Baltimore, Md., stands real pleased with his start.

"The only way that I could be any happier would be to have won the event," explained Gray. "I'm pleased that we made it to the finals and we'll take this race and build a strong foundation on it for the rest of the 2000 season. A final round finish at one of the largest Pro Modified-contested events is always a great place to start."

The next race scheduled for the Undertaker Team will be in Rockingham, NC., for the Holley Spring Nationals and Gray has a double-whammy planned for the competition. Not only will he have his fierce 1953 Corvette in competition, but a 1963 Corvette bearing the same eerie connotations will take the stage as well.

Gray's newly aligned partner Richard Crouse along with his driver Jim Halsey will make a long awaited return to the series after several dormant years. This duo was highly competitive in the early-Nineties during the infancy of the class that advertises, "ya run whatcha brung, and hope ya brung enough."