AMERICUS, Ga. - After remaining within the top five Pro Stock Motorcycle competitors for 13 consecutive races of this 16-race season, the Sovereign-Star Racing team and racer Michael Ray will finish their 2013 season in the No. 2 position of the NHRA Mello Yello Series Countdown to the Championship following this past weekend's event in Pomona, Calif.

This marks the 14th season that Star Racing has finished at No. 1 or No. 2 in the overall points standings. After a three-year hiatus from NHRA drag racing, Star Racing owner George Bryce teamed up with Hungarian-based Sovereign Racing and owner Jenõ Rujp in 2012 to make a comeback in the sport. In only two short seasons, the Sovereign-Star Racing team has struggled its way back to become one of the top competitors in the Pro Stock Motorcycle class.

"It was a great season, and I think that No. 2 was a great goal that we accomplished. In two years, we've moved a long way from where we started, and I feel like we're back in the hunt to win races every single time that we go," Bryce said.

During his first full season racing for this team, Ray has claimed two national event wins, six additional semifinal round appearances, three No. 1 qualifying positions, low ET for the Norwalk and Reading events, and the top speed for Norwalk that also set a new track record. For the last 13 out of 16 races, Ray has also maintained a position within the top five competitors in the Pro Stock Motorcycle points standings.

"It was good to be consistent and run well. We didn't come up with any wins in the last four races of the year, but we definitely came out with a bunch of points. When you look at everything that happened in those last four races, we were very resilient. I'm very proud to go up (at the awards banquet) and be recognized for No. 2. I couldn't be more impressed with the professionalism of this team and their true dedication," Ray said.

Sovereign-Star Racing has seen several changes during the last few races after former teammate Scotty Pollacheck left the team and new rookie driver Chaz Kennedy stepped in to pilot one of the S&S-powered Buells. Despite this changing structure of the team, Ray was able to keep his focus and advance to the semifinal round of competition at all four of the last races of the season.

In a competitive 23-bike field at the Auto Club NHRA Finals in Pomona this past weekend, Ray qualified at No. 7 and Kennedy at No. 13, with a new career best 6.94-second ET (Elapsed Time).