Images credit: NHRA/National Dragster

As many had already surmised following Erica Enders-Stevens’ departure to the Elite Racing camp last month, and confirmed recently in the racers blogs at NHRA.com, Pro Stock and sportsman drag racing standout Dave Connolly will be returning to the drivers seat in 2014 at the controls of a second team car out of the Gray Motorsports stable. The Johnny and Shane Gray-led team joined forces with Cagnazzi Racing team owner Victor Cagnazzi in late October, creating a powerful one-two punch, multi-car effort for 2014 and beyond in the intensely competitive factory hot rod division.

Connolly and championship-winning crew chief Tommy Utt, who returned to the Cagnazzi team in 2012, have already merged race shops in North Carolina and joined Gray and his crew chief Justin Elkes in off season preparations. According to Connolly, he and Utt have already successfully completed four days of pre-holiday testing down in Bradenton, Florida, with more laps to come as the season draws nearer.

In addition to driving the familiar white and black Gray Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro, Connolly will also return to the wheel of Cagnazzi Racing’s COPO Camaro in the Stock Eliminator ranks.

Connolly has served primarily as crew chief and co-crew chief for the Cagnazzi team over the last three seasons, making sporadic starts behind the wheel of a second team car to Enders-Stevens. Despite limited seat-time, Connolly won the prestigious NHRA U.S. Nationals for the third time in 2012 and reached the final round on two other occasions that same year. Connolly also reached the final round at Cagnazzi’s home track in Charlotte in 2011.

Connolly has 27 career NHRA nationals event victories, with 23 of those coming in Pro Stock and four at the sportsman level, in 48 career final rounds (41 in Pro Stock, seven in the Lucas Oil Series).