Watertown, Conn.—March 28, 2012— After opening the season with 10 races in a 15-day period in Georgia and Florida, the last four weeks of waiting to get back on the track have seemed like an eternity to David Gravel. That wait will finally end this weekend, as the native of Watertown, Conn. heads to Central Pennsylvania for a pair of races.
Gravel will compete at the famed Williams Grove Speedway in Mechanicsburg, Pa. on Friday, March 30, followed by a visit to Port Royal Speedway, located on the grounds of the Juanita County Fairgrounds in Port Royal, Pa. on Saturday, March 31.
“It’s always tough competition when you go to Pennsylvania and I am looking forward to that,” said Gravel. “They had 40 cars at Williams Grove last week, and I imagine they’ll have just as many this week. The pill draw always plays a role in your night over there, and it’s always a challenge just to make it in the feature.”
Gravel raced twice at Williams Grove Speedway last season with the UNOH All Star Circuit of Champions. In June, he qualified 16th in a field of 35 cars, finishing 18th in the main event, while he came home 24th in the A-Feature at the end of April. He also competed in the famed National Open with the World of Outlaws at Williams Grove in 2011, an event that he set fast time in, during the 2010 edition, with a stout 58-car field in attendance.
“You try to approach ‘The Grove’ like any other bigger track, but it is different,” explained Gravel. “It’s a unique track for sure. The key is hitting your marks in each corner, so that you make it around to the next corner and the next lap.”
Gravel raced once at Port Royal last season with the All Stars in April, coming home 17th in the 30-lap main event. He opened the night by turning the 16th-fastst lap in time trials with 32 cars checked in. He would finish fourth in the fourth heat race to earn a spot in the main event.
“I’ve raced at Port Royal a few times with the All Stars, so having some laps there is a plus,” said Gravel. “Again, the pill draw will be important in determining where you start in the heat race. I’ll try to keep my nose clean and stay out of trouble and we can go from there.”
Gravel, who pilots a Kistler Mopar-powered J&J, has veteran crew chief Tyler Swank turning the wrenches again this season. Swank teamed up with Gravel in August of last year and the pair quickly meshed with several strong finishes, including a third-place run in their first race together at Red River Valley Speedway in North Dakota. They capped the year off with Gravel scoring his first career World of Outlaws A-Feature win at Talladega Short Track in Alabama in October.
“Tyler has been to so many tracks and has so much experience, and that’s a big positive for me,” noted Gravel. “He does a great job with the car and it has been running great so far this year. Going to Pennsylvania is always a good test for a team, so we’ll see how we stack up.”
Gravel has raced 10 times this season, racking up six Top-10 finishes, including a runner-up performance on the opening night of the All Stars season at Screven Speedway in Georgia, after opening the night by setting fast time in qualifying. He finished third with the World of Outlaws at Volusia Speedway Park during the UNOH DIRTcar Nationals on February 19, and was part of a thrilling three-way battle for the lead with four-time series champion Donny Schatz and eventual race winner Craig Dollansky. Gravel’s most recent start came at Bubba Raceway Park in Ocala, Fla. on February 25, finishing eighth. He is currently fifth in points with the All Stars.
“The start to this year has been the best start I have ever had in a sprint car,” stated Gravel. “To have three Top-Five finishes against the competition that was down there was great. We certainly have some confidence right now and hopefully we can keep it going.”
David Gravel and DDR Motorsports would like to thank: J&J Chassis, JRC Transportation, Kistler Engines, Musco Fuels and P&M Transportation for their continued support.
- Admin Account on Mar 28, 2012
- Article Date: 3/28/2012 by DDR Motorsports PR