Inside Line Promotions
MECHANICSBURG, Pa. (Oct. 4, 2023) – David Gravel captured one of the biggest payouts of the season once again as he highlighted a trio of races in Pennsylvania last week by conquering a $50,000-to-win High Limit Sprint Car Series event at Lernerville Speedway.
The Big Game Motorsports driver invaded the dirt oval in Sarver a week ago Tuesday. He qualified second quickest in his group and won a heat race before advancing from sixth to fourth place in the dash. Gravel battled inside a podium position for most of the race before taking the lead in the closing laps.
“That’s a track that I really missed,” he said. “We hadn’t been there in a couple of years. I was excited to go back and race for $50,000 on a Tuesday. After getting there it looked like the track was going to be wet and fast all night, which isn’t my type of track, but we were able to qualify good. In the heat race I didn’t feel good, but Cody (Jacobs) tuned on it for the dash and feature. We had a great car in the feature to keep it free. I was able to capitalize on people relying on the cushion where we were able to find a line down the track. The curb got so big it was really tricky to run. When we got to traffic everyone got bunched up and I knew it would be won or lost in traffic. You just have to keep pushing and be in position to pounce when something happens.”
Gravel did just that to garner his first career triumph with the series. It marked the team’s 11 th victory of the season.
Attention then shifted to Williams Grove Speedway for the Champion Racing Oil National Open last weekend. Gravel qualified quickest in his group on Friday and second on Saturday. He won a heat race both nights before placing sixth in the dash on Friday and fifth on Saturday.
“We did well in qualifying and heat races each night and we had decent dashes,” he said. “We got rained out on the Friday night and I’m glad because it was going to be a one-lane track.
“The National Open feature on Saturday, starting on the inside was not the place to be for the feature. We hovered around fifth or sixth the whole feature. We cut a right rear tire with two laps to go and lost a spot. At the end of the day we were lucky to finish in the grand scheme of things.”
Gravel ended seventh in the feature before he advanced from sixth to third in the make-up feature later that night.
“Cody made some changes and got us better for the make-up feature,” he said. “I felt like once we burned the fuel off our car was pretty good at the end and we were hard charging to third. I wish that second race was 40 laps as well.”
Next up for the team is the Nittany Showdown this Friday and Saturday at Port Royal Speedway in Port Royal, Pa. Gravel finished fifth and third, respectively, during the event last year.
“I’m definitely looking forward to it,” he said. “I feel we have a good big track program and confidence after the success last year. It’s an opportunity to make some gains in the points championship. If we gain 20 or 30 points we have a shot. If we don’t gain any or lose points this weekend we’re going to have a hard time having a chance to win the championship.”
QUICK RESULTS –
Sept. 26 – Lernerville Speedway in Sarver, Pa. – Qualifying: 2; Heat race: 1 (1); Dash: 4 (6); Feature: 1 (4).
Sept. 29 – Williams Grove Speedway in Mechanicsburg, Pa. – Qualifying: 1; Heat race: 1 (1); Dash: 6 (5); Feature: 3 (6).
Sept. 30 – Williams Grove Speedway in Mechanicsburg, Pa. – Qualifying: 2; Heat race: 1 (1); Dash: 5 (3); Feature: 7 (5).
SEASON STATS –
72 races, 11 wins, 47 top fives, 60 top 10s, 68 top 15s, 68 top 20s
UP NEXT –
Friday and Saturday at Port Royal Speedway in Port Royal, Pa., for the Nittany Showdown 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 .