Release from NHRA:

NHRA Pro Stock sophomore racer Danny Gruninger is about to fulfill a dream thanks to Pro Stock team owner Jim Cunningham.

Gruninger, 24, has been selected to drive the Cunningham Motorsports Pro Stock Ford Mustang for the next two NHRA Full Throttle national events, beginning this weekend at the AAA Insurance NHRA Midwest Nationals at Gateway Int’l Raceway in Madison.

“I’m very grateful for Jim and Gloria Cunningham to give me the opportunity to drive for them,” said Gruninger, who has been driving his family’s Colorado-based USRecognition.com Pro Stock car for the last two seasons. “It’s only a two-race deal for St. Louis and Atlanta at this time, so my main focus is to go out there, drive the best I can, and help this team as much as possible in this short stint. I’ve been eating, breathing, and dreaming NHRA Pro Stock for the majority of my life, and to be part of such a first-class operation with such good people is what I’ve dreamed of for many years.”

Gruninger recently spent a weekend with the Cunningham team at Capitol Raceway in Crofton, Md., gaining valuable seat time behind the wheel of the team’s Ford Mustang in preparation for the race in Madison. Gruninger made a solid half-track pass with incremental times showing promising results. The group at Cunningham Motorsports and its newest team driver are very excited about the prospects this weekend in Madison.

“It’s no secret Pro Stock racing is won back at the shop, and this team really does have ‘it,’ ” Gruninger said. “Jim and Gloria have put together all the equipment needed and more importantly a great group of people that work as many hours as any team out there. Jim and Gloria Cunningham, Cunningham Racing Engines, the staff at Capitol Raceway, and Ford Racing have put forth a lot of effort preparing this red Mustang, and it’s my intention to represent them well. Also, my family members and employees back at US Recognition are working their tails off giving me the chance to do this. Without the support of everyone around me, I’d never be in this position. I’m just an extremely thankful person this weekend and hope we can give the Ford Racing fans something to cheer about.”