Greg Ray was hired to replace Tony Stewart at Menard
Racing for the '99 Indy Racing League season. He
qualified in middle of front row for the '98 Indy 500
and chased Billy Boat to the checkered flag at the True
Value 500 for his best-ever finish. Won Formula Atlantic
title in 1993 and had three victories in '94 Toyota
Atlantic series.
Ray proved to be good at everything in the IRL during the '98 season -- except
attracting sponsors. But Thomas Knapp Motorsports was no joke, and with a
little money behind the effort, he could have easily found himself on top at one or
more races.
Ray showed his speed in 1996-97, but never could quite finish a race strong. He
finished 25th in his first start at Indianapolis, but followed that up with a
sixth-place start and eighth-place finish at Texas. At Charlotte he quickly carved
his way up through the field, from 17th to 6th, before dropping out after 30 laps.
Ray began his racing career in September, 1991, by attending SCCA driver's
school and running several national Formula Ford 2000 races. In 1992 he won the
SCCA Formula Ford 2000 championship; he recorded seven podium finishes and
set one track record in eight events. He then set a track mark in Formula Atlantic
car at Sears Point.
He bagged another SCCA Formula Atlantic national championship in '93. Then
he moved over to the Player's/Toyota Atlantic circuit where he finished third in
points in his first season. There he won at Phoenix, Mosport and Milwaukee,
had six pole positions, had eight fastest race laps and was on podium seven
times.
In 1996, he joined Team KOOL Green on Firestone Indy Lights circuit. He made
his series debut at Miami, finished seventh and had third fastest race lap and his
top finish of second at Milwaukee.
Sources: Star/News and SpeedNet staff reports.
