BEAVER DAM, WISCONSIN (June 6, 2020) – After earning the KSE Hard Charger Award on Friday night, David Gravel and the JJR #41 team were looking to improve on their efforts and finishing position on Saturday when they returned to Beaver Dam Raceway’s 1/3-mile oval. When they rolled the car out of the hauler, there were 35 cars in total registered to race on this night in the Badger State of Wisconsin.
The hot shoe who hails from Connecticut would again have to wait until late in the time trial order as he would be the 33rd car out on the track in his J.R.C. Transportation/Maxim Racing #41. Pill draws and luck have not been on his side to this point of the season, but the driver and team have not allowed that to tarnish their spirits and efforts. The feisty speed chauffeur jumped into the cockpit and prepared to do his best against the clock. He entered the track on the push off lane located in turn two and his Kistler Racing Engines power came to life. He was on the loud pedal and had the forty-one moving and grooving. He stopped the clock the first lap at 11.677 seconds, but was even quicker the next time around with a lap of 11.641 seconds. He ended the time trial session sixth quick overall.
His valiant effort going out late in time trials allowed him to start on the outside front row aboard the Dissolvalloy Downhole Revolution/Chalk Stix Torsion Bars #41 Maxim beside Shane Stewart in the second heat race. The two veteran drivers skillfully brought the field to the green flag for the 10 lap race. Stewart took the lead with Gravel using his speed to try and chase him down. Behind the two front runners, Mason Daniel was battling for the show position with Brent Marks. Stewart was running in clean air as the race entered the final laps with lap cars just ahead. When he took the white flag he was just under a second ahead of the pilot of the JJR #41. Gravel was able to close the gap on the last lap, but Stewart took the heat race victory in the Indy Race Parts #71 just ahead of Gravel who was followed across the strip by Mason Daniel and Brent Marks with Bill Rose securing the fifth and final transfer spot.
With the top two finishers from heat race earning their way into the DIRTVision Fast Pass Dash, it was now time to see if he found a little luck along the way to see where he would start. He did not as the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series official pulled the ‘8’ pill from the NOS Energy Drink can. The dash pill draw is so important and Gravel’s average Dash pill draw this season has been 7.33. Not one to ever complain, Gravel pilled on his Simpson Race Products helmet and gloves and prepared for action. He would use the 8 laps to make every attempt to improve his starting spot, but also to learn and search the track. Polesitter Shane Stewart took command of the lead at the wave of the green flag and set sail. Gravel was using the bottom side and picked up a position. Stewart led wire-to-wire to take the win over Kasey Kahne, Brad Sweet, Donny Schatz, Logan Schuchart and Jacob Allen with Gravel coming home seventh and Madsen rounding out the finishing order.
With ten additional laps for the feature event, Philip Dietz went to work along with Clyde and Nate to get the Weikert’s Livestock/FK Rod Ends #41 Maxim ready for action over the next 40 laps. After the four-wide salute to the fans it was time for the best in the sprint car business to show the fans why. The green flag dropped and the engines roared. Kasey Kahne drove into the lead as Gravel maintained the eighth running spot in the order. After an early race caution, Gravel started his march forward on lap seven as he picked up a position. On lap 11, Brad Sweet had chased Kane and you had a new leader. Gravel continued to get in a rhythm and just before the midway point of the race he moved into the top five. His patient but aggressive driving style takes advantage of any opportunity. He was trucking in the Mesilla Valley Transportation (MVT)/MSD Performance #41 and was now in the fourth position. A late race caution for Logan Schuchart regrouped the field and found Sweet leading with Donny Schatz now in second and Gravel holding down the show position. Sweet would dominate the latter stages of the race getting to the checkers ahead of Schatz and Gravel. A great race and result for David Gravel and the forty-one team at Beaver Dam Raceway!
Mesilla Valley Transportation (MVT); Saich Family; 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 Auto Reconditioning; AutoMeter; Bell Racing USA; Brown & Miller Racing Solutions (BMRS); Buckwalter Trucking, LLC; C&R Racing; Chalk Stix Torsion Bars; 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; 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; Walker Performance Filtration; 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.
