JACKSON, MINNESOTA (June 29, 2019) – The sun was shining. It was hot . . . really hot. And, David Gravel and the JJR #41 team had their Mesilla Valley Transportation (MVT)/Weikert’s Livestock #41 Maxim locked into the 41st Annual AGCO Jackson Nationals championship finale on Saturday night. Certainly no easy task, but the Watertown, Connecticut wheelman and this race team are competitors and work hard to overcome challenges. After two quick times in time trials, two heat race wins, and a second place finish in the feature on Thursday night after leading 28 laps followed by a sixth place finish on Friday night, David Gravel was locked into the as he accumulated 676 points, which put him third overall in the standings. Brad Sweet, Daryn Pittman and Carson Macedo would join Gravel as the locked in drivers.
A Top Five Run for David Gravel and the Forty-One Team in the 41st Annual AGCO Jackson Nationals!
After watching the track as the remaining participants worked hard to get their teams into the feature of this prestigious event, the four locked in drivers would get some hot laps and then prepare for the DIRTVision Fast Pass Dash. The finishing order of the dash sets the starting lineup for the first four rows of the feature event. Gravel would start third in the 6-lap race for position aboard the Durst, Inc./Wilwood Racing #41 Maxim. When the green flag waved, Brad Sweet drove into the top spot over Daryn Pittman as Gravel was tracking close behind. The entire field was flying. Donny Schatz moved into fourth early and was moving forward as he eyed Gravel’s tail tank. Sweet would take the win over Pittman, Gravel and Schatz as Carson Macedo, Brian Brown, Jacob Allen and Ian Madsen rounded out the finishing order.
The field was not set for the 35-lap 41st Annual AGCO Jackson Nationals. The stands were packed with eager fans. The track crew did a tremendous job all week to give the racers a track they could put on a show. Now it was time to race for the big winner’s check. Before the racers even started their engines there was a little excitement as 16th starting Lynton Jeffries was disqualified for having too many crew members on the track. He was replaced by first alternate Brent Marks who tagged the rear of the field. The forty-one was ready to go with their talented driver behind the wheel. The fans were on their feet as the drivers went four-wide with the J.R.C. Transportation/Jonestown KOA #41 on the front row. They settled back into the starting grid and took the green. Daryn Pittman jumped into the lead over Sweet as Schatz stormed in front of Gravel into third. David was fast on the low side of the track and the racing for position was fast and furious. As they approached lap 10, the leaders were mired in lap traffic. Pittman was the first driver that had to attack the challenges and the leader and Austin McCarl made contact sending McCarl into the outside fence bringing out a red flag. On the restart, Sweet restarted from the inside row and drove into the lead. Gravel also used the restart to retake the third position from Schatz momentarily on lap 11. Schatz would wrestle it back and Gravel was pounding the bottom side occasionally getting his left rear up on the inside berm. He was working hard and digging inside the cockpit as the track started to take some rubber. A late caution regrouped the field for a single file restart. Sweet was leading over Schatz, Pittman and Gravel with Brian Brown in fifth. Sweet found the rubber as Schatz was in hot pursuit. David got underneath Pittman in turn two and had third down the backstretch before Pittman reclaimed the position. Sweet went on to take the win over Schatz and Pittman as Gravel brought the High Performance Lubricants/Kaiden Kares #41 Maxim home fourth as James McFadden made a late race charge to round out the top five. A great three day showing for David Gravel and the JJR #41 team at this year’s edition of the Jackson Nationals!
We are proud to represent all of our dedicated and loyal supporters:
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.
