J.R. Gray Wins NHRA Pro Mod Series Title in Thrilling Las Vegas Finale

J.R. Gray clinched his first NHRA Pro Mod championship at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, beating Billy Banaka in a winner-take-all final during the Dodge NHRA Nevada Nationals.

The result ends a 10-race campaign and a four-event Road to the Championship playoff, where execution under pressure, rather than outright pace alone, set the competitive baseline.

Gray converted season-long speed into decisive Sunday form, advancing past Alex Laughlin, Kevin Rivenbark, and former champion Mike Castella after three regular-season victories built crucial momentum.

In the final, Gray launched his Al-Anabi Performance Camaro with a .028 reaction time and delivered 5.749 seconds at 250.04 mph, a combination that secured the race and the title.

That level of control followed a 5.710 at 252.28 mph earlier, and consistent laps thereafter. He emphasized composure, treating every round as critical after early playoff setbacks.

Two first-round exits opened his playoffs before a St. Louis semifinal stabilized the trajectory, leaving Las Vegas as a must-win scenario that his crew and car met with disciplined execution.

Banaka arrived as top qualifier and a first-time winner this season, progressing past Stan Shelton, Derek Menholt, and Chip King, but faded in the decisive match-up against Gray’s cleaner launch.

The finale underlined the playoff structure’s demand for peak, repeatable execution. Reaction time discipline and lane-by-lane adaptability again proved decisive as parity closed outright performance margins.

Attention now shifts to 2026, with the Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway set for March 5–8. Teams will reset, chase efficiency, and refine setups for another compressed title run.

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Nicholas Rivera

Nicholas Rivera delivers NHRA Top Fuel and Funny Car news, including eliminator-round results and reaction-time stats. He brings track-side interviews, contender profiles, and championship-point breakdowns straight from drag-racing’s biggest national events.