ALGER, WASHINGTON (August 31, 2019) – On the last day of August, David Gravel and the JJR #41 sprint car team were back in the pit area of Steve Beitler’s Skagit Speedway in the Pacific Northwest for the second of two nights of racing around the 3/10-mile, racy oval. There were 21 teams registered to race at the beautiful facility as the crowds mingled around the merchandise trailers during the Fan Fest buying shirts and talking to their favorite drivers as they waited for time to pass for the high speed, on track action.
After becoming the new track record holder on Friday evening, David Gravel and the JJR #41 team were ready to get back at it on Saturday evening aboard the Dissolvalloy Downhole Revolution/Durst, Inc. #41 Maxim. After overcoming some early challenges before racing commenced, the team had their Maxim Racing entry in line waiting in the staging area. With a push on the rear nerf bar, the Kistler Engines/All Pro Aluminum Cylinder Heads power came to life under the hood as he entered the track off turn three as the thirteenth car out for his two time trial laps. He pounded the accelerator and got up to speed as he took the green. He maneuvered around the track and was looking for every ounce of speed he could generate. He completed his first lap in 11.560 seconds, but stayed on the gas. His elbows were up and he was digging as he completed a consistent, but quicker second lap at 11.533 seconds. The quicker of his two laps was tenth quick overall when time trails were completed.
With three 10-lap heat races on the schedule, he would start fourth in the Drydene Heat Race #1 in his Weikert’s Livestock/FK Shocks #41 with Jason Solwold to his inside and Donny Schatz and Logan Schuchart on the front row. When they went green, it was Schuchart using the outside lane to drive into the lead over Schatz and Gravel. The top side wasn’t only the preferred line, it was the fastest line. At the start of the race though Gravel dove to the bottom and was racing with Schatz for the second position. He was close but could not make it stick as Schatz took command of the runner-up spot behind Schuchart. Schuchart would dominate the heat race to take the win over Schatz, Gravel and Solwold with Austen Wheatley rounding out the top five.
Missing out on the DIRTVision Fast Pass Dash by one position, Crew Chief Philip Deitz along with Tyler Elliott and Patrick Dudzinski went to work on the Mesilla Valley Transportation (MVT)/Waco Metal #41 Maxim to make it better for the 40-lap feature event. The horn sounded, to summon the cars to the track, as the excitement of the evening was mounting. It was time to put on a show for these devoted fans at Skagit Speedway! With all of the driver introductions and pre-race activities completed, the drivers buckled their safety belts and pulled on their helmets. When the green laps came on to start the race, Schuchart darted into the lead and Gravel got shuffled back to tenth as the high line was the place to be. He didn’t panic and used some race stoppages throughout the event to reposition himself for a run forward. When they were racing though Schuchart, Brad Sweet, Donny Schatz and Daryn Pittman were giving the fans their money’s worth as they were putting on a show. Schuchart would build a solid lead but when he approached lap traffic Sweet would close the gap and slide him on the bottom trying to make it stick. He would get by, by Schuchart would turn his Drydene #1s under him and take the lead back. Schuchart would go on to take the win to sweep the weekend at Skagit Speedway as he crossed the finish line ahead of Schatz and Sweet with Pittman and Tim Kaeding rounding out the top five. David Gravel was able to come home with an eighth place finish to end the night. It was his tenth consecutive top ten in the month of August that was highlighted by four wins, including the prestigious Knoxville Nationals and the Capitani Classic, and a total of 7 top five finishes. It was certainly a great run in August for the forty-one!
A Successful August Comes to a Close for David Gravel with 4 Victories (Including the Knoxville Nationals and Capitani Classic) to Go Along with a Total of 10 Top Ten Finishes!
Mesilla Valley Transportation (MVT); Saich Family; Jonestown KOA; Dissolvalloy Downhole Revolution; Weikert’s Livestock; J.R.C. Transportation, Inc.; Durst Inc.; Maxim Racing; The Boyd Family; Pro Powder Coating (PPC); Waco Metal; High Performance Lubricants, LLC; Team Jack Foundation; Mark Burch Motorsports; Tiger Towing; All Pro Aluminum Cylinder Heads, Inc.; All Pro Auto Reconditioning; AutoMeter; Bell Racing USA; Blackbeard; Brown & Miller Racing Solutions (BMRS); Buckwalter Trucking, LLC; C&R Racing; Chalk Stix Torsion Bars; Cody Monoco Racing; Crow Enterprizes, Engler Machine & Tool, Inc.; Factory Kahne FK Shocks; Fibreworks Composites; FK Rod Ends; Fuel Safe Racing Cells; Greber Racing Components; Hoosier Racing Tire; ISC Racers Tape; Jansen Transportation; K&N Filters; Kaiden Kares; Kistler Racing Engines; KSE Racing Products; LogoDaddy Graphics; Max Papis Innovations (MPI); MSD Performance; RaceDiecast.com; Schoenfeld Headers; Shell Shock Paint; Simpson Race Products; T-FAB Custom Metal Fabrication; Vortex Racing Products; Weld Wheels; Wilwood Racing; and Winters Performance Products.
To stay up-to-date with David Gravel and his success and journey on and off the track, as well as to purchase his gear and merchandise, go to www.DavidGravel89.com.
To stay connected with Jason Johnson Racing (JJR), go to www.jasonjohnsonracing.com.
