Inside Line Promotions – HARTFORD, Ohio (Sept. 25, 2023) – David Gravel guided Big Game Motorsports to a pair of runner-up results last weekend in Ohio during a World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series doubleheader.
The second-place showings on Friday at Eldora Speedway near Rossburg and on Saturday at Sharon Speedway give Gravel 40 top fives during series competition, which is the most of any driver this season.
“We brought a new car down because the car we had was getting worn out,” he said. “It was a good weekend at two tracks that I’m confident and comfortable at.”
The weekend began on Friday with Gravel setting quick time during qualifying at Eldora Speedway. He then won a heat race to advance into the dash, in which he advanced from sixth to fourth place.
“The No. 6 wasn’t what we wanted in the dash draw, but we were able to gain a row in the dash,” he said. “That’s huge. Starting fourth in the feature, I would take that every night of the year. The track was slick and technical so I knew if we got the car right we’d have a shot to win. I couldn’t get going early enough to get by Logan (Schuchart). We needed a restart to make that happen.
“I got Logan on a restart and then I got Gio (Scelzi) a lap or two after the last restart. There wasn’t much around the top in turns three and four and you had to lean on the wall. I was shortening the track up. In turns one and two the top was the fastest groove for sure. I couldn’t enter behind the leader and follow him into the corner so I shortened it and slid up from the center off. It was working pretty well, but we just came up a lap or two short of being able to challenge for the win.”
The weekend concluded on Saturday at Sharon Speedway, where Gravel timed in fifth quickest before he won a heat race. He maneuvered from fourth to second place in the dash to start the A Main on the outside of the front row.
“We went out and qualified good and heat raced well,” he said. “I got a good jump in the dash and got to second. I regret my start on the initial start of the feature. I wish I went high and stayed high. Instead I had in my mind Brad (Sweet) was going to the top and he didn’t. I got screwed up in turns one and two and lost a spot. That was my race from there. It was so hard to get a pass done. Lapped traffic was everywhere. It seemed we were all the same speed. I got past Gio late and the bottom was starting to take rubber. I found it before those guys and got to Brad’s inside. He shut the door going into turn three and he moved down and that was the rest of the race.”
Next up for the team will be a $50,000-to-win High Limit Sprint Car Series show at Lernerville Speedway in Sarver, Pa., on Tuesday prior to the Champion Racing Oil National Open hosted by Williams Grove Speedway in Mechanicsburg, Pa., on Friday and Saturday. The event finale pays $75,000 to the winner.
QUICK RESULTS –
Sept. 22 – Eldora Speedway near Rossburg, Ohio – Qualifying: 1; Heat race: 1 (1); Dash: 4 (6); Feature: 2 (4).
Sept. 23 – Sharon Speedway in Hartford, Ohio – Qualifying: 5; Heat race: 1 (2); Dash: 2 (4); Feature: 2 (2).
SEASON STATS –
69 races, 10 wins, 45 top fives, 57 top 10s, 65 top 15s, 65 top 20s
UP NEXT –
Tuesday at Lernerville Speedway in Sarver, Pa., with the High Limit Sprint Car Series and Friday and Saturday at Williams Grove Speedway in Mechanicsburg, Pa., for the Champion Racing Oil National Open with the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series
MEDIA LINKS –
Twitter: 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.
*PHOTO BY PAUL ARCH*
