Inside Line Promotions
ROSSBURG, Ohio (July 22, 2024) – Big Game Motorsports driver David Gravel enjoyed one of the most successful five-day stretches of his racing career last week.
Gravel recorded World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series triumphs during the $15,000-to-win Ohio Logistics Brad Doty Classic on Tuesday at Attica Raceway Park in Attica, Ohio, and the $175,000-to-win Kings Royal at Eldora Speedway on Saturday.
The team was also victorious on Thursday at Eldora Speedway during the $100,000-to-win Joker’s Jackpot, which was sanctioned by Kubota High Limit Racing. On top of that, Gravel finished fourth on Wednesday during the Joker’s Jackpot preliminary night and he ended second on Friday during the Knight Before the Kings Royal – pushing his total winnings throughout the five days to more than $300,000.
The week started on Tuesday with Gravel qualifying sixth quickest in his group. He placed second in both a heat race and the dash before leading the final 24 laps of the feature at Attica Raceway Park to secure the second Brad Doty Classic win of his career.
“I was just biding my time,” Gravel said in a post-race interview on DIRTVision. “Carson (Macedo) was racing pretty defensive. I think he knew he was in trouble and was running a lot of different lines and just trying to figure out what the best line was before I could get the lead because you’re just guessing out there. All of those cautions. I don’t know how many cautions there were, but it was so many. It was hard to get a rhythm.
“We unloaded pretty well. Didn’t really feel good in qualifying, but whatever Cody (Jacobs) did to the car for the dash gave me a really, really good car – something I didn’t have to push too hard and could kind of drive my own race.”
Gravel was efficient on Wednesday at Eldora Speedway, where he raced the next four nights. He timed in second quickest in his group before advancing from seventh to fifth place in a heat race and from seventh to fourth place in the A Main to rank fourth in overall points.
The strong preliminary night earned the pole position for a heat race, which Gravel won on Thursday. He started the six-figure main event on the outside of the second row and methodically worked forward before leading the final seven laps.
Gravel opened the Knight Before the Kings Royal on Friday by qualifying second quickest in his group. A heat race win was followed by a third-place outing in the dash and a second-place showing in the main event, in which Gravel led nine laps.
The week concluded on Saturday with another strong performance. Gravel was 12 th quickest in qualifying out of 60-plus competitors despite going out late. He then charged from third to win a heat race to secure the inside front row starting position for the main event. Gravel initially took the lead on Lap 7 and held the point for nine laps. He fell to second, but rebounded to find the lead on Lap 18. Gravel lost the top spot inside of 10 laps to go two different times, but he pounded the cushion to prevail.
“Cody has a lot of confidence right now,” he said in a post-race interview on DIRTVision. “I have a lot of confidence right now. Stephen (Hamm-Reilly) and Zach (Patterson) are doing a great job. It’s just been a lot of fun. We’ve had a couple DNFs this year, but every time we’re on the race track and this No. 2 car finishes, it’s typically in a good way. Man, what a race. I just got to thank Tod Quiring for hiring me four years ago.”
It added to the impressive list of crown jewel events Gravel has won, including the BillionAuto.com Huset’s High Bank Nationals presented by MENARDS in 2023, the Knoxville Nationals in 2019 and the Williams Grove National Open in 2014 and in 2017.
Another busy weekend is on tap with World of Outlaws races this Wednesday at BAPS Motor Speedway in York Haven, Pa., for the Bricker’s Bash; Friday and Saturday at Williams Grove Speedway in Mechanicsburg, Pa., for the C&D Rigging Summer Nationals; and Sunday at Weedsport Speedway in Weedsport, N.Y., for the Empire State Challenge.
Gravel enters the week with a 66-point lead in the World of Outlaws championship standings.
QUICK RESULTS –
July 16 – Attica Raceway Park in Attica, Ohio – Qualifying: 6; Heat race: 2 (3); Dash: 2 (4); Feature: 1 (2).
July 17 – Eldora Speedway near Rossburg, Ohio – Qualifying: 2; Heat race: 5 (7); Feature: 4 (7).
July 18 – Eldora Speedway near Rossburg, Ohio – Heat race: 1 (1); Feature: 1 (4).
July 19 – Eldora Speedway near Rossburg, Ohio – Qualifying: 2; Heat race: 1 (1); Dash: 3 (5); Feature: 2 (3).
July 20 – Eldora Speedway near Rossburg, Ohio – Qualifying: 12; Heat race: 1 (3); Feature: 1 (1).
SEASON STATS –
40 races, 12 wins, 29 top fives, 36 top 10s, 38 top 15s, 38 top 20s
UP NEXT –
Wednesday at BAPS Motor Speedway in York Haven, Pa., for the Bricker’s Bash; Friday and Saturday at Williams Grove Speedway in Mechanicsburg, Pa., for the C&D Rigging Summer Nationals; and Sunday at Weedsport Speedway in Weedsport, N.Y., for the Empire State Challenge with the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series
MEDIA LINKS –
X: 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 .