Inside Line Promotions – BARBERVILLE, Fla. (Feb. 11, 2025) – The World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series season got off to a strong start for defending champion David Gravel as he led Big Game Motorsports to a top-five result during all four nights of the Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals.
Gravel posted results of second, fourth, third and third, respectively, during the winged sprint car portion of the marquee event at Volusia Speedway Park. He ended second in the event championship standings and is currently second in the World of Outlaws championship standings – only 16 points out of the lead.
“I thought the week went well,” he said. “Every time we hit the track we had a fast race car. We didn’t qualify where we wanted the first two days, but the second two days we had big improvements and qualified well. I thought it was an awesome first four races for us.”
Gravel was seventh quickest in his qualifying group during the opening race last Wednesday. However, a run from fourth to second place in a heat race earned a spot into the dash. Gravel drew the second-highest number – seven – and he gained one position to finish sixth in the dash. He capped the night by advancing from sixth to second place in the main event.
“That was a great night in the sense of not qualifying the best, but having a really good heat race,” he said. “Then not having a good dash draw, but moving up a row to start on the outside in the feature. We had a great start and got to third right away. We gained another position and it was a good run.”
The team was sixth quickest in their qualifying group on Thursday and Gravel finished where he started – third – in a heat race. A rally from 12 th to fourth in the main event closed the night on a high note.
“We qualified okay, but starting third wasn’t the place to be on the start of the heat race,” Gravel said. “I fell to fourth and had to fight and claw to get back to third. We had to pass some cars in the feature and we got rolling in traffic. We were really proud of that night and the run we had.”
Gravel qualified second quickest in his group on Friday. He placed second in a heat race and fifth in the dash before picking up a pair of positions in the feature to end third.
“That was a good night other than we were a little disappointed in the dash,” he said. “We had an opportunity to have a good starting spot for the feature, but I had a couple of bad corners and fell to fifth in the dash. I think if we could have stayed fourth it would have been different. That’s the way it goes sometimes. That stung the most all week was that dash.”
Gravel wrapped up the week with another podium performance on Saturday, when he set quick time in his qualifying group, won a heat race and moved from third to second in the dash. Gravel led the first few laps of the feature before he placed third.
“It was a different race track and we weren’t on the right part of the track,” he said. “Nothing told me to run the cushion. Under the red flag I was told (eventual winner Kyle Larson) was running low. It was one of those things sometimes it’s better to be running second to figure out the track. It was a bummer how it ended, but I’m very proud of our team. Our tires were pretty bald with a lot of cords showing on the right rear so we were lucky we finished.”
Big Game Motorsports will have the next couple of weekends off before World of Outlaws competition resumes at Volusia Speedway Park on March 2-3.
QUICK RESULTS –
Feb. 5 – Volusia Speedway Park in Barberville, Fla. – Qualifying: 7; Heat race: 2 (4); Dash: 6 (7); Feature: 2 (6).
Feb. 6 – Volusia Speedway Park in Barberville, Fla. – Qualifying: 6; Heat race: 3 (3); Feature: 4 (12).
Feb. 7 – Volusia Speedway Park in Barberville, Fla. – Qualifying: 2; Heat race: 2 (1); Dash: 5 (3); Feature: 3 (5).
Feb. 8 – Volusia Speedway Park in Barberville, Fla. – Qualifying: 1; Heat race: 1 (1); Dash: 2 (3); Feature: 3 (2).
SEASON STATS –
4 races, 0 wins, 4 top fives, 4 top 10s, 4 top 15s, 4 top 20s
UP NEXT –
March 2-3 at Volusia Speedway Park in Barberville, Fla., with the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series
BIG GAME MOTORSPORTS MEDIA LINKS –
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