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2009 - PRESENT
Gray Engine Development began in 2009 when Johnny Gray and Shane Gray embarked on building a championship contending NHRA drag racing organization in North Carolina. It quickly became known as Gray Motorsports.
Thru the years, while focusing on winning NHRA Pro Stock events and ultimately a championship, the engine facility also diversified in engine building. A short but successful stint in the World of Outlaws 410 Sprint Car Series occurred in 2016 when Gray Motorsports built two engines to compete in that series. Shane Stewart, driving for Kyle Larson Racing at the time, set fast time in the World Finals in 2016 at The Dirt Track at Charlotte.
While exploring all avenues of engine building in motorsports, the focus on NHRA Pro Stock never wavered. When Tanner Gray took over the driving duties for the in-house NHRA Pro Stock team to begin the 2017 season, the engine shop directed all resources toward that effort. In his rookie season, Tanner delivered five national event wins and became the AAA of Southern California Road to the Future Scholar Award Winner. Gray also became the youngest national event winner in the professional category at the age of seventeen. To build on the success of Gray's rookie season, Gray Motorsports continued developing the NHRA Pro Stock engines. The 2018 season was a success, with Tanner capturing eight NHRA Pro Stock victories and becoming the youngest NHRA World Champion in history.
In 2019, when the Gray's decided to redirect their racing endeavors to the world of stock car racing, the Gray Motorsports engine program began diversifying again. Today, engines are being built for all facets of motorsports. With a heavy concentration in the European Pro Stock class, there is still a link to the 500-inch pro stock engines that have been the focus of the company since its inception. Other engine builds include NASCAR Late Model Stock engines, World of Outlaw Sprint Car engines, and many other types of drag race engines.
Our engine facility builds and services drag race engines, stock car engines, dirt late model and sprint car engines. Check out our full list of services to learn more.
Gray Engine Development consists of the most experienced engine builders in the industry. The knowledge retained by this team gives them the necessary advantage to build engines for the customers to be successful on the track.
Steve Johns, a native of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, is an engine builder who joined Gray Motorsports at the conclusion of 2013. Steve has a unique and successful track record in drag racing both on and off the track. His successes include winning the 1989 NHRA Competition Eliminator crown as a crew chief and earning the same title as crew chief and driver in 1992. He was also the winning crew chief for a 1998 NHRA Pro Stock Truck championship and spent over two decades at Jenkins Competition working with legendary Pro Stock engine builder Bill "Grumpy" Jenkins.
Paul Hoskins joined Gray Motorsports at the conclusion of the 2013 season. Right out of high school, Hoskins began working in a machine shop where he was doing machine work for the noted M&M Boys Racing team of Richard Maskin and Andy Mannarino. Eventually, Hoskins was working full time for Maskin's at Dart Heads for 15 years. Later, he worked at Mike Edwards Motorsports for six years. Hoskins has been a part of five NHRA Pro Stock world championships – 1996 and 1997 (Jim Yates), 2000 (Jeg Coughlin), 2009 (Edwards), 2018 (Tanner Gray).
Mike Smith has been with Gray Motorsports since its inception. His career began at USA Racing Engines in Houston after receiving his education at School of Automotive Machinists (SAM). Smith has worked with former NHRA Pro Stock driver’s Mark Pawuk and Warren Johnson. Before joining Gray Motorsports in 2009, Smith worked with NHRA competitor Roger Burgess as well as at Roush Yates.
