(Photo by Trent Gower Photography/World of Outlaws)
Inside Line Promotions – ROSSBURG, Ohio (May 7, 2024) – David Gravel led Big Game Motorsports to a pair of World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series wins last week.
The two trips to Victory Lane sandwiched a rally from a flat tire to a ninth-place finish, giving Gravel a 48-point lead in the World of Outlaws championship standings following the three races in a four-day stretch.
The busy week began last Wednesday at Jacksonville Speedway in Jacksonville, Ill., during the Hy-Vee Perks 40. Gravel was second quickest in his qualifying group before he won a heat race. He then advanced a position to place third in the dash before winning a wild feature in thick traffic.
Gravel dropped back a couple of positions early in the main event before clawing his way into second just after the midpoint. He took the top spot from Kyle Larson on Lap 24 for two circuits before fading to second during an epic duel for the victory. Gravel reclaimed the lead on Lap 32 and held on the final four laps during the non-stop race.
“Man, what a great race car,” he said in a post-race interview on DIRTVision. “Cody Jacobs, Zach (Patterson), and Stephen (Hamm-Reilly), they deserved that win. I was able to run lanes other people weren’t and had a great car. Honestly, I was fairly conservative, and then being too conservative got Kyle back by me, and I knew once I got to clear him, I had to move up because he’d be pounding the top. I had the wing pretty far back and was pushing really bad on entry going into (Turn) 1 and wasn’t making a good corner, but I knew I had to screw him up there at the end.”
The momentum continued on Friday at Eldora Speedway for the opening night of #LetsRaceTwo. Gravel set quick time during qualifying, won a heat race and placed second in the dash to line up on the outside of the front row in the A Main. Unfortunately, a flat tire during a late-race red flag relegated Gravel to the work area while he was running second. The team changed the tire and Gravel rebounded from the back of the pack to place ninth.
Saturday showcased more of the same speed and without the misfortune as Gravel swept the night, qualifying quickest before winning a heat race, the dash and the main event. However, it wasn’t a simple trip to Victory Lane as Gravel led the first 13 laps before dropping to second. He reclaimed the top spot on a restart on Lap 17, but again fell to second in traffic. A late-race restart proved pivotal as Gravel pounced, keeping close with leader Donny Schatz for a lap and a half before driving back into the lead on the bottom entering turns three and four on the last lap.
“With the lower air pressure and lower tire temps we were really, really good,” Gravel said in a post-race interview on DIRTVision. “I got my wing so far back I couldn’t steer it, and on the restarts I would move it forward. But then as the run went on I got really loose. Once I got to that lapped traffic, my car kind of stalled out. That’s why I grabbed the wing, but then it made it where I couldn’t move around. I just had to hold the car straight. I couldn’t maneuver. Donny was definitely more maneuverable, but I think in open air we were probably a little bit faster.
“It’s really hard to beat Donny Schatz in the slick like that. He was running really hard in (Turns) 1 and 2 and running the cushion and just hang a little bit off of (Turn) 2. And luckily, we were able to get just better runs down the backstretch each time and get position on him. It feels really good to get another win. Starting on the front row two nights in a row and getting no wins would’ve been very disappointing. Really happy to get this one.”
Another three-race week is on tap for Big Game Motorsports with World of Outlaws races this Wednesday at Lincoln Speedway in Abbottstown, Pa., during the Federated Auto Parts Gettysburg Clash and Friday and Saturday at Williams Grove Speedway in Mechanicsburg, Pa., during the Morgan Cup.
Gravel earned a World of Outlaws win at Lincoln Speedway in 2017 and he has eight World of Outlaws victories in his career at Williams Grove Speedway.
QUICK RESULTS –
May 1 – Jacksonville Speedway in Jacksonville, Ill. – Qualifying: 2; Heat race: 1 (1); Dash: 3 (4); Feature: 1 (3).
May 3 – Eldora Speedway near Rossburg, Ohio – Qualifying: 1; Heat race: 1 (1); Dash: 2 (1); Feature: 9 (2).
May 4 – Eldora Speedway near Rossburg, Ohio – Qualifying: 1; Heat race: 1 (1); Dash: 1 (2); Feature: 1 (1).
SEASON STATS –
18 races, 5 wins, 14 top fives, 16 top 10s, 17 top 15s, 17 top 20s
UP NEXT –
Wednesday at Lincoln Speedway in Abbottstown, Pa., for the Federated Auto Parts Gettysburg Clash and Friday and Saturday at Williams Grove Speedway in Mechanicsburg, Pa., for the Morgan Cup with the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series
MEDIA LINKS –
X: https://twitter.com/BigGameMotorspt
HUSET’S SPEEDWAY –
Huset’s Speedway is a dirt oval located in Brandon, S.D. The track opened in 1954 and has undergone a large renovation within the last few years, making it a premier destination for both marquee racing events and weekly programs. For more information, visit http://www.HusetsSpeedway.com.
JACKSON MOTORPLEX –
Jackson Motorplex is a 4/10-mile dirt oval located in Jackson, Minn. It hosts special events from May through August, including races with the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series, Midwest Power Series, Midwest Sprint Touring Series and more. For more information, visit http://www.JacksonMotorplex.com.
TICKET LINK –
To purchase online tickets for events at either Huset’s Speedway or at Jackson Motorplex, visit http://mpv.tickets.com/schedule/?agency=JKMV_PL_MPV&orgid=55369#/?view=list&includePackages=true.
INSIDE LINE PROMOTIONS –
Inside Line Promotions specializes in affordable public relations and media management for motor sports drivers, teams, sponsors, tracks, series, events, organizations and manufacturers. ILP Founder Shawn Miller leverages professional journalism with new media technologies and social networking to improve your exposure and the return on investment for your sponsors.
To meet the media relations needs of your program by joining Team ILP, contact Shawn at 541-510-3663 or Shawn@InsideLinePromotions.com. For more information on Inside Line Promotions, visit http://www.InsideLinePromotions.com.
- Shawn Miller on May 07, 2024
- Article Date: 5/7/2024 by Inside Line Promotions