PORT ROYAL, PENNSYLVANIA (October 25, 2019) – As the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series season winds down, the traveling troop of speed stars made their way back to Central Pennsylvania to take on PA Posse at Port Royal Speedway, which is dubbed The Speed Palace. Located on the Juniata County Fairgrounds, the big half mile oval welcomed 52 teams on Friday evening to complete of the first of two nights in the Nittany Showdown. The pit area was full and the fans in the stands were brimming with excitement, as David Gravel and the JJR #41 crew prepared their Weikert’s Livestock/Buckwalter Trucking, LLC #41 Maxim for the night of racing action.
David Gravel and the JJR #41 Sets Quick Time for the 21st Time in 2019 Aboard the Weikert’s Livestock #41 Maxim!
With a full pit area, and more than 38 cars, the field was split into two separate groups for time trials. Your 2019 Knoxville Nationals Champion would be the 25 car out in the first flight to take his two laps around Port Royal Speedway aboard the Mesilla Valley Transportation (MVT)/Pro Powder Coating (PPC) #41. One thing about this Watertown, Connecticut star is he likes to go fast. With cool temperatures and moisture in the track, he was optimistic he could get his Weld Racing wheels rolling pretty well. He stood on the loud pedal and his Kistler Engines/Engler Machine & Tools power started to sing the sweet sound of 410s. The clock was rolling and he stopped it at 15.156 seconds the first time around, which was third quick. He stayed on the gas and carried his speed forward and the next time his lap of 15.053 seconds shot him to the top of the speed charts. He stayed there and not only was fastest in Flight A, but also collected his 21st quick time of the season for being quickest overall.
There were six Drydene heat races on tap for the night and as the quick timer David Gravel and the Jonestown KOA/C&R Racing Maxim would sit on the pole in the first 8-lap heat race with Logan Schuchart to his outside on the front row. As they crossed the chalk stripe in turn four, Gravel and Schuchart drag raced down the front straightaway with the forty-one in the lead with a slight edge. The two talented racers were side-by-side going into turn one, but on exit of turn two Gravel had the lead. The top two were making tracks and pulling away from the field. With each passing lap, Gravel was extending his lead over Schuchart. Gravel would take the heat race victory over Schuchart and Paul McMahan as the top three drivers advanced to the feature event.
With two separate DIRTVision Fast Pass Dash events with the finishing order in the first one setting the starting lineup for the first six rows in the feature for the inside row, and the outside row set by the finish in the second dash. Gravel pulled the ‘3’ pill and would start on the inside of row two with local Anthony Macri to his outside. Ian Madsen and Donny Schatz were showing the way on the front row with Jacob Allen and Logan Schuchart completing the starting lineup in row three. Schatz would drive into the lead at the drop of the green flag and would not look back as he led from wire-to-wire to take the win over Macri with Gravel coming home third and Schuchart, Madsen and Allen rounded out the finishing order.
When the B-Main concluded, the 30-lap feature event for night one of the Nittany Showdown was set. David Gravel would start from the fifth position aboard the Dissolvalloy Downhole Revolution/Durst Inc. #41 Maxim with Aaron Reutzel on his outside wing. Donny Schatz and Brian Brown brought the field screaming down to take the green with Schatz taking command of the lead. Meanwhile, Gravel was working comfortably in the cockpit nestled into his ButlerBuilt/Sharp Advantage custom fitted seat and seat insert running in the fifth position after lap one. The racing in positions 4 through 10 was close with different drivers being recorded in different positions each and every time they passed the timing stripe. Schatz was leading with Brown and Reutzel chasing. On the restarts, the outside lane seemed to be the preferred line of speed. David would get shuffled back a few positions on each of the restarts. He continued to battle and when Schatz collected the win over a hard-charging Anthony Macri with Brian Brown rounding out the podium spots. Gravel brought the Mesilla Valley Transportation (MVT)/Jonestown KOA #41 Maxim with a ninth place finish. It was his 63rd top ten finish of the 2019 season, and impressive 85.14% success rate. Another good run for the forty-one!
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.
