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– KNOXVILLE, Iowa (June 12, 2023) – Big Game Motorsports driver David Gravel climbed atop the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series winner’s list this season with his sixth triumph last Saturday to cap a doubleheader at Knoxville Raceway.
Gravel’s win marked his second straight weekend with a victory and it pulled him within 14 points of the lead in the championship standings.
“I’d say 90 percent of the weekend went really good,” he said. “We qualified good both days and won our heat race. The only thing we needed to clean up was about 10 to 12 laps in the feature on Friday. We were shaking down a new car. That was the same engine we ran last year at Nationals. We checked a lot of boxes off.”
Gravel qualified second quickest in his group on Friday. A heat race win was followed by a sixth-place result in the dash. Gravel capped the night by placing 10 th in the A Main.
“The track got pretty technical and the bottom got really hard to run,” he said. “We weren’t very good on the bottom. I kept trying to force it down there. I climbed the berm several times and cost us some spots. We weren’t bad, but it’s very competitive and when you make mistakes you’re going to get passed.”
Gravel was victorious throughout Saturday’s program as he first set quick time during his group’s qualifying session. A heat race victory was followed by a win in the dash to earn the pole position for the main event. Gravel led the distance of the 25-lap feature.
“I felt like it was really, really good,” he said. “I think the car was pretty good from start to finish. With traffic and dirty air your car handles different, but I thought we were able to run the middle, the top and the bottom pretty good. It was a very maneuverable car.
“It’s definitely a confidence booster. It’s good overall to win Outlaws races. To win one at Knoxville, where we’ll probably race the same car, same engine, same wing at the Nationals, it gives us confidence that we have a strong package.”
Next up is a trip to Beaver Dam Raceway in Beaver Dam, Wis., this Friday and Saturday during the Jim “JB” Boyd Memorial.
“I’ve been very solid there, but I haven’t won a race yet,” Gravel said. “I’ve had lots of podiums and top fives. I think I’m due for a win there for sure.”
QUICK RESULTS –
June 9 – Knoxville Raceway in Knoxville, Iowa – Qualifying: 2; Heat race: 1 (1); Dash: 6 (7); Feature: 10 (6).
June 10 – Knoxville Raceway in Knoxville, Iowa – Qualifying: 1; Heat race: 1 (1); Dash: 1 (1); Feature: 1 (1).
SEASON STATS –
31 races, 6 wins, 21 top fives, 27 top 10s, 29 top 15s, 29 top 20s
UP NEXT –
Friday and Saturday at Beaver Dam Raceway in Beaver Dam, Wis., for the Jim “JB” Boyd Memorial 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 .