The Denman local embarked on a new challenge as a V8 Ute driver in his thirties after an impressive career on two-wheels.

Gray will hit the track for round five of the 2015 East Coast Bullbars Australian V8 Ute Racing Series at Sandown Raceway from September 11-13 as he attempts to walk away with his elusive podium win. 

“V8 Utes is one of the most affordable categories where you get to race on the best tracks in Australia in front of a lot of people and we get to travel to a lot of places,” he said.

“I’ve put so much effort into my driving this year not just car set-up and the way I drive.

“The hard part in this category is maintaining it…here I am trying to be competitive at an old age, it’s challenging and I enjoy that.”

A friend of Gray’s recommended car racing and, after a stint with Touring Car legend Andrew Miedecke in the 2010 Bathurst 12hour, he was convinced to try Ute Racing. 

On debut Gray stood on podium in the Ten Years of Legends Race, alongside co-driver George Miedecke at the 2010 Clipsal 500. 

“I drove with Andrew Miedecke in the 2010 12hour and he suggested I should have a go in Utes as George was leaving for the states,” he said.

“We ran the ute for a few years ourselves, and then joined Tinkler Motorsports.

“I had a good relationship with Nathan (Tinkler) as we used to play rugby league together.

“A few years ago we moved to Sieders Racing Team and Dave, my mechanic, has stayed with me the whole time.”

After moving to Muswellbrook at the age of eight, Gray now resides on a 130-acre property at Denman with his family.

His two young sons, Cayden and Rylan, are already involved in racing, while wife Michelle has followed his entire career.

“We have about 1000 motocross tracks [on the property] so I spent a lot of time building tracks for the boys, and we’ll just jump on in the backyard and ride together,” he said.

“When I’m not racing cars we’re racing motorbikes; we just travel around the state.

“The kids do state titles and stadium motocross and I just do club days.”