AMERICUS, Ga. - The Sovereign-Star Racing team moved one step closer in the NHRA Mello Yello Series Countdown to the Championship with Michael Ray's stellar performance that led him to the semifinal round of competition after qualifying No. 1 and setting the Pro Stock Motorcycle low ET (Elapsed Time) of the event this past weekend Oct. 4-6 at the Auto-Plus NHRA Nationals.

This event at Maple Grove Raceway in Reading, Pa., was also the Pro Stock Motorcycle debut for 19-year-old rookie Chaz Kennedy who piloted the team's other S&S Cycle-powered Buell motorcycle to the No. 13 qualifying position in his first NHRA national event.

"Michael (Ray) made some beautiful runs that were perfect data overlays. It allows us to make minute changes and see results - almost like dyno testing on the racetrack. I have a new goal now: to win two more Wallys this year. I don't want to concede the Championship with two races to go, so I won't. But we are definitely in the hunt for our best finishing position in years," Star Racing owner George Bryce said.

With only two races left in the season, Ray and Sovereign-Star Racing are currently No. 3 in the Countdown to the Championship and only two points behind second place competitor Hector Arana Jr.

"I was really pleased with the entire performance of the team, the bike and myself this weekend. We did really well. We stuck with our plan, and our plan didn't let us down. Thanks to George (Bryce), Ken (Johnson), Chuck (Kennedy) and Andrew (Schulz), there's not a better-prepared motorcycle to go to the starting line than that one - and it shows every weekend," Ray said.

Ray claimed his third No. 1 qualifying position of the 2013 season this past weekend with a 6.857 at 193 mph. This ET was also the low of the event for Pro Stock Motorcycle. He continued to set performance numbers for the class during Sunday's elimination rounds, posting the low ETs for both first and second rounds. His Sovereign-Star Racing teammate Kennedy qualified 13th during his NHRA national event debut.

In round one, Ray ran unopposed in a 15-motorcycle field and advanced to the second round. Kennedy faced points leader Matt Smith during his first round of Pro Stock Motorcycle eliminations. Both racers left the starting line too soon, but Kennedy was just a thousandth of a second sooner. Kennedy's -.010-second red light forfeited the win to Smith's slightly better -.009-second foul, allowing Smith to advance.

Round two's staging duel between Ray and Andrew Hines resulted in a win for Ray with his 6.960-second pass against Hines' 7.008 ET. This was also another low ET of the round for Ray.