WATERTOWN, Conn. — Sept. 26, 2013— David Gravel has raced on more bullrings – tracks that measure a quarter-mile or third-mile in distance – this season in a 410-winged sprint car than in any other year thus far in his career. Before heading to a half-mile, five-eighths-mile and four-tenths-mile to wrap up the season with the World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series, the native of Watertown, Conn., will compete once more on a short track as the series visits Fremont Speedway in Ohio this weekend, a track that Gravel has turned numerous laps at.
The World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series event at Fremont Speedway, the Joe Stelter Memorial on Kistler Racing Products night, is set for Saturday, Sept. 28. The event will consist of a full racing program, beginning with hot laps and time trials, followed by heat races, a dash and 40-lap main event.
“It was unfortunate to have both races rained out last weekend, especially since we only have eight (now six) left,” said Gravel. “I am excited to get back in the car at Fremont (Speedway) this weekend. I’ve run at Fremont quite a few times with the All Stars, but it’s been a while going back to last year, the last time I was there. We’ve run pretty well on the smaller tracks this year, so hopefully we can keep that up this weekend.”
Gravel, who drives the FMR Racing/JRC Transportation/Musco Fuel/Model Craft J&J, raced in six events with the UNOH All Star Circuit of Champions at Fremont last season, earning four top-10 finishes. He finished third on the opening night of the Jim Ford Classic last fall. In the finale of that two-night event, the 21-year-old finished ninth. Gravel qualified seventh or better in both of those events and made the dash on the opening night. On the second night, he raced his way through the B-main into the main event.
The East Coast racer also competed at Fremont during the two-night spring event. In that contest, he was fifth in the opener and ninth in the finale. He was strong in time trials, timing in seventh-fastest on the first night and was fifth-quickest on the second night. Gravel raced his way into the dash both nights, which gave him a top-10 starting spot in each of the A-Features. The young driver also made two appearances at Fremont during the 2012 edition of Ohio Sprint Speedweek with the All Stars.
Gravel finished fourth at Fremont in 2011, during the finale of the Jim Ford Classic, after lining up ninth. He has eight top-10 finishes at the track over the last three seasons, with seven of those coming in races with the All Stars. Gravel also competed in the World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series event at Fremont in 2011, finishing 15th.
“Having a good amount of laps at Fremont definitely helps,” he shared. “Hopefully, the track hasn’t changed too much since the last time I was there. We’ll look to take what I’ve learned in the past there and use it this weekend.”
Gravel enters competition this weekend with a pair of wins this season with the World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series. He scored his first victory of the season at I-94 Speedway in Minnesota in May and found himself back in the winner’s circle on the first preliminary night of the Knoxville Nationals at the famed Knoxville Raceway in Iowa in August. Gravel has recorded 24 top-10 finishes with the World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series this season and is currently 13th in the series championship standings.
“We are pretty rested after last weekend, and the main thing at Fremont is to stay focused,” Gravel said. “Hot laps are always important, but especially after you’ve had a break in the action like we had. It sound like there are going to be quite a few cars there, so qualifying is going to be even more important than normal. Going into a place like Fremont, you have to be on your game, because the local guys know the track very well and are pretty tough.”
Keep up-to-date with David Gravel and DDR Motorsports by visiting www.DavidGravel89.com. Follow David on Twitter @davidgravel89gand like David on Facebook.
