K&N Backs Toni McCray to Compete in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series

Toni McCray is continually learning from other racers, here she is sharing a laugh with 1992 Indianapolis 500 Rookie of The Year, Lynn St. James.
Toni McCray is continually learning from other racers, here she is sharing a laugh with 1992 Indianapolis 500 Rookie of The Year, Lynn St. James.
Choosing a life in racing isn't something you talk to a career counselor about - nine times out of ten - it's either in your blood or it's not. Case in point, Toni McCray, "I grew up in racing. My dad (Rick McCray) competed in the K&N Pro Series and in the late 1990's he had a Camping World Truck Series team," said the Highland, California native.
McCray is looking forward to competing full-time with the NASCAR K&N Pro Series in 2011.
McCray is looking forward to competing full-time with the NASCAR K&N Pro Series in 2011.


Like so many others, McCray got her start racing go-karts, that was back in 1994. She continued on-and-off with that when and wherever she could. Then in 2006 McCray got the opportunity to run a Legend Car at the Summer Shoot Out at Lowes Motor Speedway (now Charlotte Motor Speedway). The following year she competed in five Super Late Model races, and in 2008 she ran a full season at Toyota Speedway at Irwindale. McCray has continued to make the most of every opportunity to earn her racing chops one event at a time.

"Since then I have been competing full-time in the Super and Late Model divisions at Orange Show Speedway and Irwindale," adds McCray. "I have one Super Late Model win, and six Late Model wins."
Save that hat kid, it will be worth a lot someday.
Save that hat kid, it will be worth a lot someday.


Last Saturday in the Late Model season opener at Irwindale McCray finished with a second and fourth. She currently sits second in the points.

"Last year, I competed in two K&N Pro Series races both at Phoenix International Raceway. We finished 13th and 26th," continues McCray. "I really like the bigger tracks the K&N series gets to run on, and I hope my sponsorship comes together so we can compete full-time this year."

"K&N has been really good to me over the last couple of years. Tony and Bob are great people to work with. K&N filters are the best out there and I wouldn't race with anything else. I am really grateful for the partnership and look forward to many years to come."

Asked whether she felt any additional challenges being a woman racer coming into the NASCAR K&N Pro Series she says, "It's always interesting coming into a new series. The nice thing is, I have competed against a few of the guys in a Super Late and Late Model, so they are usually pretty welcoming. I think Greg Pursley has been the best about trying to help me, which has been awesome."

"I look at myself as competitor not as a female. I am very blessed to have a dad that has experience in these cars and on these tracks to lean on. He really gives me a good idea of what to expect and look for going into these different tracks. Which is not a bad thing to have on your side."

McCray says her immediate goal is to gain more experience on the bigger tracks so that she can move up to the Camping World Truck Series.

"I want to win as many races as I can, and prove that I have the talent, and that I deserve to be here just like the other guys."

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