By T.J. Buffenbarger
David Gravel continued his amazing first season driving for Jason Johnson Racing winning the Don Martin Memorial Silver Cup feature Tuesday night at Lernerville Speedway with the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series. Gravel from Watertown, Connecticut was able to take the lead from James McFadden and did not allow slower traffic to hold him up wile trying to hold off Kyle Larson for the victory.
The win was Gravel’s fifth victory of the season and was worth $25,000. In victory lane Gravel was quick to credit his crew for continuing to adjust his car to work so well in traffic.
“Phillip (Dietz)has been working on it all night,” said Gravel of his crew chief. “I’m really picky and I told him it wasn’t good enough to turn the corner all night. We got the car good there. Just one and two I was good; I was able to pick up the middle and carry a lot of exit speed to put me in good position in three and four. Phillip, Tyler, and Patrick did a great job and its awesome to win another one of these.”
Shane Stewart and James McFadden started on the front row with McFadden taking the lead on the opening lap. After a lap one caution for A.J. Flick stopping in turn two McFadden started feeling pressure from Gravel who moved into second.
After the caution for Danny Dietrich sliding off turn two McFadden held off another slide job from Gravel in turn two to retain the lead. As McFadden entered slower traffic Gravel closed in quickly, taking the lead driving outside of McFadden in turn two.
As Gravel pulled away McFadden found himself in a race for second with Kyle Larson. Larson pressured McFadden until making the pass in turn three at the halfway point to take second and set sail after Gravel for the lead.
Larson and McFadden closed on Gravel over the next several laps until lap 30 when Gravel drove around the outside of a group of slower cars that Larson and McFadden could not get around. This was all Gravel needed to stretch his advantage and drive away for the victory. Larson held off McFadden for second with World of Outlaws point leader Brad Sweet finishing fourth and Donny Schatz rounding out the top five.
Afterwards Gravel said the key was being able to have his car drive well everywhere but the top side of the race track.
“I just didn’t have to rely on the top,” said Gravel. “90% of the guys relied on the top in the heat race, in the dash, and there in the beginning of the A and I didn’t have to. I think that was just going to get thinner and thinner as the night went on. I just never really relied on it all night. We kept working below it and I thought we had the best car below it, we just made it better there.”
Silver Cup
World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series
Lernerville Speedway
Sarver, PA
Tuesday July 23, 2019
Qualifying Flight A:
1. 5 Shane Stewart, 13.844
2. J4 John Garvin, 15.425
3. 14 Jeremy Hill, 15.767
4. 4N Dale Blaney, 14.236
5. O8 Dan Kuriger, 15.514
6. 22 Brandon Spithaler, 14.615
7. 42 Sye Lynch, 14.536
8. 76 Davey Jones, 16.388
9. 83 Daryn Pittman, 14.301
10. 49 Brad Sweet, 13.838
11. 9 James McFadden, 13.990
12. 19 Brent Marks, 14.166
13. 1 Logan Wagner, 14.250
14. 4K Bill Kiley, 16.459
15. 7S Jason Sides, 15.061
16. 250 Jared McFarland, 15.541
17. 48 Danny Dietrich, 14.239
18. 18 Ian Madsen, 14.498
19. 1A Jacob Allen, 15.515
20. C1 Clay Riney, 15.124
21. 11 Carl Bowser, 15.074
Qualifying Flight B:
1. 41 David Gravel, 13.994
2. 53 Jesse Attard, 15.609
3. 13 Brandon Matus, 15.190
4. 40 George Hobaugh, 15.073
5. 3C Cale Conley, 14.499
6. 17 Sheldon Haudenschild, 14.447
7. 2 Carson Macedo, 14.689
8. 2AJ A.J. Flick, 14.912
9. K4 Chad Kemenah, 15.130
10. 55 Dallas Schott, 16.284
11. 7K Dan Shetler, 15.266
12. 91 Tony Fiore, 15.891
13. 47 Brett Brunkenhoefer, 16.351
14. 15 Donny Schatz, 14.395
15. 11K Kraig Kinser, 15.240
16. 33 Brent Matus, 15.880
17. 57 Kyle Larson, 14.014
18. 1S Logan Schuchart, 14.827
19. 49X Tim Shaffer, 13.939
20. 55K Gary Kriess Jr, NT
Heat Race #1:
1. 49 – Brad Sweet
2. 9 – James McFadden
3. 1 – Logan Wagner
4. 18 – Ian Madsen
5. 4N – Dale Blaney
6. 11 – Carl Bowser
7. 22 – Brandon Spithaler
8. 1A – Jacob Allen
9. J4 – John Garvin
10. 14 – Jeremy Hill
11. 4K – Bill Kiley
Heat Race #2:
1. 5 – Shane Stewart
2. 19 – Brent Marks
3. 83 – Daryn Pittman
4. 48 – Danny Dietrich
5. 7S – Jason Sides
6. 42 – Sye Lynch
7. C1 – Clay Riney
8. O8 – Dan Kuriger
9. 250 – Jared McFarland
10. 76 – Davey Jones
Heat Race #3:
1. 57 – Kyle Larson
2. 49X – Tim Shaffer
3. 2 – Carson Macedo
4. 2AJ – A.J. Flick
5. 11K – Kraig Kinser
6. 17 – Sheldon Haudenschild
7. K4 – Chad Kemenah
8. 53 – Jesse Attard
9. 47 – Brett Brunkenhoefer
10. 91 – Tony Fiore
Heat Race #4:
1. 15 – Donny Schatz
2. 41 – David Gravel
3. 1S – Logan Schuchart
4. 7K – Dan Shetler
5. 13 – Brandon Matus
6. 3C – Cale Conley
7. 40 – George Hobaugh
8. 33 – Brent Matus
9. 55 – Dallas Schott
10. 55K – Gary Kriess Jr.
B-Main:
1. 17 – Sheldon Haudenschild
2. 42 – Sye Lynch
3. 3C – Cale Conley
4. K4 – Chad Kemenah
5. 40 – George Hobaugh
6. 22 – Brandon Spithaler
7. C1 – Clay Riney
8. J4 – John Garvin
9. O8 – Dan Kuriger
10. 11 – Carl Bowser
11. 1A – Jacob Allen
12. 53 – Jesse Attard
13. 91 – Tony Fiore
14. 33 – Brent Matus
A-Main:
1. 41 – David Gravel
2. 57 – Kyle Larson
3. 9 – James McFadden
4. 49 – Brad Sweet
5. 15 – Donny Schatz
6. 49X – Tim Shaffer
7. 1S – Logan Schuchart
8. 5 – Shane Stewart
9. 83 – Daryn Pittman
10. 17 – Sheldon Haudenschild
11. 1 – Logan Wagner
12. 18 – Ian Madsen
13. 2 – Carson Macedo
14. 19 – Brent Marks
15. 11K – Kraig Kinser
16. 4N – Dale Blaney
17. 7K – Dan Shetler
18. 48 – Danny Dietrich
19. 2AJ – A.J. Flick
20. 3C – Cale Conley
21. K4 – Chad Kemenah
22. 42 – Sye Lynch
23. 7S – Jason Sides
24. 13 – Brandon Matus
25. 11 – Carl Bowser
Lap Leaders: McFadden 1-14, Gravel 15-40