J.R. Gray Powers to Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Win in Charlotte at Race Powered by Culp Lumber

CHARLOTTE, NC – April 28, 2025 – (Motor Sports NewsWire) – J.R. Gray finished off a standout weekend at zMAX Dragway with the victory in the Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series on Sunday, defeating a final-round quad that included Billy Banaka, Alex Laughlin and Mike Janis as part of the 15th annual American Rebel Light NHRA 4-Wide Nationals.

The Charlotte event marked the third of 10 races during the 2025 season in the category and this weekend’s race was powered by Culp Lumber.

It was Gray who was in control from start to finish in his Al-Anabi Performance Camaro, finishing the weekend with a strong run of 5.656-second at 255.73 mph in the finals. It was the best run of the day for Gray, who lived in the 5.60s during eliminations.

He won his opening quad with a stellar 5.667 at 256.65 and was even better a round later, winning the second-round quad with a pass of 5.659 at 256.31. That set up a thrilling final round, but Gray delivered an .025 reaction time and quickly chased down Banaka to pick up the victory.

It is Gray’s first Congruity NHRA Pro Mod win of the season and the second in his career, as he also vaulted to second in the points standings. Gray also qualified No. 1 on the strength of a 5.680 at 254.76 and simply got better during each round of eliminations on Sunday.

“We’ve been cutting good lights all day long and we were just going up to do the same thing again in the final round,” Gray said. “I’m happy with the light and happy with the performance. This team, these guys have made this thing a bullet.”

Banaka finished as the runner-up with his run of 5.705 at 249.26, with Laughlin taking third.

The Congruity NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series returns to action May 15-18 as part of the 25th annual Gerber Collision & Glass Route 66 NHRA Nationals presented by PEAK at Route 66 Raceway in Chicago.

About Culp Lumber

Culp Lumber Company is a proud, family-owned business that has rooted itself in the heart of New London, North Carolina. Since the 1920s, when Henry Culp Sr. first established our original portable sawmill for local lake expansion, we have remained committed to growth and innovation in wood manufacturing, maintaining a deep connection to our community in the Southeast. Today, we are fortunate to employ over 100 dedicated individuals who share our passion for quality and sustainability. Our primary focus is on transforming southern yellow pine timber into essential building materials, and we take great pride in our ability to produce an impressive average of seven hundred thousand board feet each day. Additionally, we understand the importance of minimizing waste, ensuring that every part of our process contributes to creating products that benefit the public. At Culp Lumber Company, we are not just sawing wood; we are working together towards a sustainable future. For more information, please visit www.culplumber.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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