ATTICA, Ohio (July 11, 2017) – David Gravel used an incredible run through the field over the final four laps to win the Brad Doty Classic with the World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series Tuesday night at Attica Raceway Park. Gravel went from fourth to first over the final four laps, taking the lead from Tim Shaffer coming to the white flag for the victory.
Gravel explained after the race he found a spot on the race track in turn two that helped set up his breathtaking passes through three and four on his march to the lead.
“The grip and the drive off the bottom of two is what catapulted me in three and four,” said Gravel. “There was a lot of moisture on the bottom of the track from the rain and had that down the straightaway. I could slingshot down the track and was able to slide in front of those guys and make them lift so they had to turn the car. I just found that on the bottom and that made three and four so much better. Find something they didn’t find, it helped a lot.”
Tim Shaffer came out of a three-wide race into turn one with the lead. Behind Shaffer Sheldon Haudenschild also passed two other cars off turn two to take over the second spot. Shaffer pulled away from the field started to encounter slower traffic when Jason Johnson brought out the red flag after rolling over in turn two. The red flag was Johnson’s second of the night as he retired pit side.
Sheldon Haudenschild and Shaffer were racing for the lead off two following the restart when they made contact. Sheldon Haudenschild ended up with a flat tire while Kyle Larson ended up caught on an infield marker tire. Jac Haudenschild also spun during the incident. All three drivers restarted at the tail of the field.
Shaffer pulled away from the rest of the field while Rico Abreu and Daryn Pittman diced for the second position. Shaffer maintained a quick pace through slower traffic, holding a comfortable lead until the caution appeared on lap 17 for Max Stambaugh slowing in turn three.
With 14 laps to go Shaffer was out front with Abreu, Pittman, and Gravel in tow. Pittman started to challenge Abreu for second unsuccessfully.
While they were racing for second Gravel found that spot off turn two and started his march to the front. Gravel disposed of Pittman on lap 36 in turn three. This setup a wild exchange with Gravel, Abreu, Pittman, and Brent Marks all racing for position. Gravel passed Abreu in turns three and four during this and quickly closed on Shaffer with two laps to go.
Coming to the white flag, Gravel made his move again through three and four, just as he did to pass Pittman and Abreu. Gravel motored by as Shaffer tried to retake the lead on the top through turns one and two, but was unsuccessful.
Gravel made the final two corners and took the victory over Shaffer, Pittman, Sweet, and Abreu.
For Gravel the win at the Doty Classic was a bit of redemption for himself and the CJB Motorsports team after failing to make the feature one year ago at Attica.
“This place is so tough,” said Gravel about the quality of the competition at Attica. “The year before I finished third in the Destiny Motorsports car and we sucked all year, but we were good at Attica. It’s one of those things that is so easy to stub your toe. Brad Sweet did it tonight. Had to take a provisional but came back and ran fourth.”
For Gravel the key for having a better run at the Doty Classic in 2017 was his qualifying effort.
I’m just happy to qualify good,” said Gravel. “We didn’t have the greatest pill draw, but it was good enough to start on the front row of the heat and get in the dash. That’s what it’s all about. Once you do that a lot of the pressure is off, you just have to take it home in the A-Main.”
Brad Doty Classic
World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series
Attica Raceway Park
Attica, OH
Saturday July 11, 2017
Qualifying Group #1: 1. 55XM – Dale Blaney, 12.428; 2. 99 – Brady Bacon, 12.447; 3. 24 – Rico Abreu, 12.495; 4. 49X – Tim Shaffer, 12.524; 5. 2 – Shane Stewart, 12.542; 6. 4 – Paul McMahan, 12.584; 7. 2X – Parker Price-Miller, 12.589; 8. 33M – Max Stambaugh, 12.599; 9. 18 – Ian Madsen, 12.617; 10. 83 – Rob Chaney, 12.646; 11. 5 – Byron Reed, 12.665; 12. 13 – Clyde Knipp, 12.778; 13. 10H – Chad Kemenah, 12.785; 14. 35 – Stuart Brubaker, 12.794; 15. 11K – Kraig Kinser, 12.915; 16. 3 – Sammy Swindell, 12.925; 17. 7S – Jason Sides, 12.939; 18. 97 – Broc Martin, 12.951; 19. 5T – Travis Philo, 12.989; 20. 8M – T.J. Michael, 13.022; 21. 7 – Shawn Valenti, 13.045; 22. 19P – Paige Polyak, 13.124; 23. 49D – Shawn Dancer, 13.175; 24. 5X – Justin Peck, 13.187; 25. 9R – Jordan Ryan, 13.306; 26. 5QB – Quentin Blonde, 13.477; 27. 41x – Dominic Scelzi, 12.947; 28. 3G – Carson Macedo, 12.898; 29. 27Z – Sean Zemunik, 99.000;
Qualifying Group #2: 1. 19 – Brent Marks, 12.595; 2. 93 – Sheldon Haudenschild, 12.642; 3. 5 – David Gravel, 12.796; 4. 9 – Daryn Pittman, 12.844; 5. 57 – Kyle Larson, 12.846; 6. 81 – Lee Jacobs, 12.942; 7. 1A – Jacob Allen, 12.995; 8. 15 – Donny Schatz, 13.049; 9. 26 – Tayler Malsam, 13.055; 10. 57X – Andrew Palker, 13.073; 11. 41 – Jason Johnson, 13.104; 12. 39 – Spencer Bayston, 13.115; 13. 17 – Jac Haudenschild, 13.125; 14. 16X – Ryan Ruhl, 13.157; 15. 7 – Cale Conley, 13.182; 16. 92W – Sammy Walsh, 13.234; 17. 17 – Caleb Helms, 13.249; 18. 16 – Chris Andrews, 13.257; 19. 9Z – Duane Zablocki, 13.259; 20. 97W – Mitch Wormall, 13.265; 21. 70 – Tanner Thorson, 13.276; 22. 23 – D.J. Foos, 13.297; 23. 11N – Craig Mintz, 13.297; 24. 1S – Logan Schuchart, 13.305; 25. 4L – Cap Henry, 13.341; 26. 49 – Brad Sweet, 13.369; 27. W20 – Greg Wilson, 13.406; 28. 8J – Jess Stiger, 13.453; 29. 22M – Dan McCarron, 14.057;
Heat Race #1 (10 Laps): 1. 55XM – Dale Blaney, 2. 49X – Tim Shaffer, 3. 11K – Kraig Kinser, 4. 10H – Chad Kemenah, 5. 41X – Dominic Scelzi, 6. 83 – Rob Chaney, 7. 8M – T.J. Michael, 8. 2 – Parker Price-Miller, 9. 49D – Shawn Dancer, 10. 5QB – Quentin Blonde. (First three finishers transferred to the A-Main)
Heat Race #2 (10 Laps): 1. 2 – Shane Stewart, 2. 99 – Brady Bacon, 3. 33M – Max Stambaugh, 4. 35 – Stuart Brubaker, 5. 97 – Broc Martin, 6. 5X – Justin Peck, 7. 3 – Sammy Swindell, 8. 5R – Byron Reed, 9. 7 – Shawn Valenti. DNS: 27Z – Sean Zemunik. (First three finishers transferred to the A-Main)
Heat Race #3 (10 Laps): 1. 24 – Rico Abreu, 2. 18 – Ian Madsen, 3. 4 – Paul McMahan, 4. 7S – Jason Sides, 5. 3G – Carson Macedo, 6. 5T – Travis Philo, 7. 9R – Jordan Ryan, 8. 13 – Clyde Knipp, 9. 19P – Paige Polyak. (First three finishers transferred to the A-Main)
Heat Race #4 (10 Laps): 1. 9 – Daryn Pittman, 2. 19M – Brent Marks, 3. 57X – Andrew Palker, 4. 92A – Sammy Wlash, 5. 4L – Cap Henry, 6. 17 – Jac Haudenschild, 7. 9Z – Duane Zablocki, 8. 1A – Jacob Allen, 9. 8J – Jess Stiger. (First three finishers transferred to the A-Main)
Heat Race #5 (10 Laps): 1. 93 – Sheldon Haudenschild, 2. 57 – Kyle Larson, 3. 15 – Donny Schatz, 4. 49 – Brad Sweet, 5. 17X – Caleb Helms, 6. 16X – Ryan Ruhl, 7. 23 – D.J. Foos, 8. 97W – Mitch Wormall, 9. 22M – Dan McCarron, 10. 41 – Jason Johnson. (First three finishers transferred to the A-Main)
Heat Race #6 (10 Laps): 1. 5 – David Gravel, 2. 81 – Lee Jacobs, 3. 39 – Spencer Bayston, 4. 26 – Tayler Malsam, 5. 16 – Chris Andrews, 6. W20 – Greg Wilson, 7. 1S – Logan Schuchart, 8. 70 – Tanner Thorson, 9. 7K – Cale Conley. (First three finishers transferred to the A-Main)
D-Main (8 Laps): 1. 49 – Brad Sweet, 2. 4L – Cap Henry, 3. 5X – Justin Peck, 4. W20 – Greg Wilson, 5. 22M – Dan McCarron, 6. 8J – Jess Stiger, 7. 1S – Logan Schuchart, 8. 5QB – Quentin Blonde, 9. 49D – Shawn Dancer, 10. 9R – Jordan Ryan, 11. 19P – Paige Polyak. (First two finishers transferred to the C-Main)
C-Main (10 Laps): 1. 16 – Chris Andrews, 2. 3 – Sammy Swindell, 3. 41S – Dominic Scelzi, 4. 7S – Jason Sides, 5. 11N – Craig MIntz, 6. 70 – Tanner Thorson, 7. 49 – Brad Sweet, 8. 97 – Broc Martin, 9. 9Z – Duane Zablocki, 10. 4L – Cap Henry, 11. 23 – D.J. Foos, 12. 97W – Mitch Wormall, 13. 7 – Shawn Valenti, 14. 5T – Travis Philo, 15. 17 – Caleb Helms. DNS: 8M – T.J. Michael. (First two finishers transferred to the B-Main)
Dash #1 (8 Laps): 1. 49X – Tim Shaffer, 2. 2 – Shane Stewart, 3. 24 – Rico Abreu, 4. 99 – Brady Bacon, 5. 55MX – Dale Blaney, 6. 18 – Ian Madsen. (Finish determined the inside six rows of the A-Main)
Dash #2 (8 Laps): 1. 93 – Sheldon Haudenschild, 2. 9 – Daryn Pittman, 3. 5 – David Gravel, 4. 57 – Kyle Larson, 5. 19M – Brent Marks, 6. 81 – Lee Jacobs. (Finish determined the outside six rows of the A-Main)
B-Main (12 Laps): 1. 2. Parker Price-Miller, 2. 83 – Rob Chaney, 3. 26 – Tayler Malsam, 4. 17 – Jac Haudenschild, 5. 10H – Chad Kemenah, 6. 3G – Carson Macedo, 7. 5R – Byron Reed, 8. 91A – Sammy Walsh, 9. 13 – Cylde Knipp, 10. 1A – Jacob Allen, 11. 41 – Jason Johnson, 12. 16X – Ryan Ruhl, 13. 16 – Chris Andrews, 14. 35 – Stuart Brubaker, 15. 7K – Cale Conley, 16. 3 – Sammy Swindell. (First six finishers transferred to the A-Main)
Feature (40 Laps): 1. 5 – David Gravel, 2. 49X – Tim Shaffer, 3. 9 – Daryn Pittman, 4. 49 – Brad Sweet, 5. 24 – Rico Abreu, 6. 19 – Brent Marks, 7. 15 – Donny Schatz, 8. 11K – Kraig Kinser, 9. 2 – Shane Stewart, 10. 57 – Kyle Larson, 11. 57X – Andrew Palker, 12. 93 – Sheldon Haudenschild, 13. 18 – Ian Madsen, 14. 99 – Brady Bacon, 15. 39 – Spencer Bayston, 16. 10H – Chad Kemenah, 17. 81 – Lee Jacobs, 18. 3G – Carson Macedo, 19. 55Xm – Dale Blaney, 20. 4 – Paul McMahan, 21. 17 – Jac Haudenschild, 22. 33M – Max Stambaugh, 23. 2X – Parker Price-Miller, 24. 26 – Tayler Malsam, 25. 41 – Jason Johnson, 26. 83 – Rob Chaney.