Shane Gray, a native of New Mexico, raced to the final round of the event and was just .012-second short of sealing the deal on his first win of the season.

"We had a good day," said Gray, who moved up to fourth place in the Pro Stock points in the second of six races in NHRA's 2013 Countdown to the championship. "We just raced good today. The team did a great job and really, it makes us excited to go to St. Louis next week and see what we can do."

A trip to the final round is always exciting, but for Gray, the long day was a salve of sorts after failing to make the field in Dallas for the past two years. Gray didn't qualify in 2011 or 2012, but he earned a start from all the way up in the No. 3 position this time around and tucked away a first-round victory over Steve Kent on raceday, 6.594 to 7.031.

Gray returned for round two and launched his Gray Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro ahead of veteran driver Larry Morgan. Gray turned the starting-line advantage into a win despite an unpleasant surprise – the transmission popped out of fifth gear down track and the car slowed to a 6.688 at only 187.78 mph. Fortunately for Gray, Morgan had severe traction troubles and was out of it early.

With his lucky round in the books, Gray advanced to the semifinals and a meeting with Jeg Coughlin Jr., who was heading towards a take-over of the points lead. Gray did the class a favor and put the charging Coughlin on the trailer, launching first by .037-second and banking the advantage for a holeshot win. Gray's 6.620 at 210.01 topped Coughlin's quicker but losing 6.601, 210.47, and the second-generation driver was handed a ticket to the final round for the fifth time this season.

Jeg Coughlin Jr. snared the No. 10 position for eliminations, but that was no obstacle for the four-time champion, as he's the only professional driver in NHRA history to win from all 16 qualifying spots.

Then after Mike Edwards fell to Larry Morgan in the first round, a door opened for Coughlin to take the Pro Stock points lead. He did by winning in the second round, but after Coughlin lost in the semifinals, Jason Line's race victory propelled him to the lead.

"Being 10 points behind the points leader coming into the race, when Mike Edwards went out first round, that gave us an opportunity to make up some ground," Coughlin said. "To bow out in the semis was untimely. We felt like we had a great car, and I felt great behind the wheel."

Coughlin had a .028-second reaction time against Greg Anderson in the first round and a .013 light in the second round against Rickie Jones. But against Shane Gray in the semifinals, Coughlin was .066 on the Christmas Tree, compared to Gray's .029. Gray then made the slower pass of 6.620 seconds at 210.01 mph but held off Coughlin's 6.601-second run at 210.47 mph.

"I just didn't give it enough respect, quite honestly, and I guess that's a wake-up call," said Coughlin, who has a class-record 89 holeshot wins in his brilliant career. "Sometimes you get away with them, and sometimes you don't. Today, we didn't."

Pro Stock Points
1. Jason Line, 2,264; 2. Jeg Coughlin, 2,256; 3. Mike Edwards, 2,230; 4. Shane Gray, 2,207; 5. Allen Johnson, 2,190; 6. (tie) Erica Enders-Stevens, 2,146; V. Gaines, 2,146; 8. Vincent Nobile, 2,128; 9. Greg Anderson, 2,116; 10. Rodger Brogdon, 2,063.