GRAVEL IN TOP FIVE TUSSLE AT ELDORA: ON THE FIRST OF TWO NIGHTS OF RACING AT ELDORA SPEEDWAY, GRAVEL AND THE JJR #41 TEAM COME OUT WITH A FOURTH PLACE FINISH IN THE #LETSRACETWO EVENT

ROSSBURG, OHIO (May 10, 2019) – With cloudy skies overhead and abnormally cool temperatures in northwest Ohio it certainly did not feel like Spring, but then again it was not raining and it was race day at the famous Eldora Speedway for the #LetsRaceTwo weekend of action. The pit area was brimming with sprint cars, actually 86 in total, as there were 49 World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series winged sprint cars and 37 USAC AMSOIL Series wingless sprint cars. It was time to go racing on the high banked, half-mile known as Eldora Speedway!

David Gravel and the JJR #41 crew would push the Engler Machine & Tool/High Performance Lubricants #41 Maxim into the staging lane for the first flight of two time trial groups where they would be the 21st car out to take time in qualifying. With the cool air temperatures and damp surface the speeds were fast around Eldora as the fans were wondering if the drivers could break the 17 year old track record set by Craig Dollansky with a time of 12.707 seconds. A few of the earlier qualifiers had dropped down below the 13 second bracket already, with laps in the 12.8 area, and when Gravel’s Kistler Engines/All Pro Aluminum Cylinder Heads power came to life under the hood of JJR’s Maxim Racing entry the Watertown, Connecticut speed demon pounded the loud pedal. He turned in a good clean lap that stopped the clock at 12.958 seconds, which got him into the top ten. He stayed focused and maintained his speed turning in an even better lap the second time around at 12.936 seconds, which stood up as eighth quick overall in the first flight of time trials.

Slated to start fourth in the second Drydene heat race, the team was ready to compete in the Mesilla Valley Transportation (MVT)/Durst, Inc. #41 Maxim. Second place starter, Sammy Swindell, reported to the staging area late and was penalized a row. This series of event moved Gravel and the Weikert’s Livestock/J.R.C. Transportation #41 to the outside front row with Logan Schuchart to his inside on the pole position. Schuchart jumped into the lead with Gravel close behind as Swindell and Rico Abreu raced hard into turn one. Everyone is always up on their wheel at Eldora and it was no different on this night when the green cloth waved over the field of impressive sprint cars. Gravel was able to get close enough early to make it interesting, but Schuchart led the distance and took the heat race win over Gravel with Swindell claim the third and final transfer position.

Earning his sixth start in the DIRTVision Fast Pass Dash, Gravel would start from the second starting position in the first of two Dash events with the finishing order setting the six inside row starting spots for the feature. Donny Schatz jumped into the lead when the green flag waved, as Gravel was maneuvering from the runner-up position. He was trucking in the Mesilla Valley Transportation (MVT) entry trying to track down the 10-time World of Outlaws champion. After six laps, Schatz took the win over Gravel as the front two were followed across the finish line by Logan Schuchart, Shane Stewart and Jacob Allen with Tim Shaffer coming home sixth.

After the conclusion of the USAC AMSOIL sprint car race where Tyler Courtney show total domination taking the win over C.J. Leary and Brady Bacon, it was time for the 30-lap World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series feature. Philip Dietz, Tyler Elliott and Patrick Dudzinski were hard at work getting The Boyd Family/Pro Powder Coating (PPC) #41 ready to go. After the eight minute horn sounded, Gravel climbed into his ButlerBuilt Professional Seat with a Sharp Advantage custom fitted insert as he buckled into his Simpson Race Products safety harness. After the four-wide salute to the fans they moved into the traditional two-by-two starting lineup as the green flag waved. Front row starters Donny Schatz and Carson Macedo were racing hard for the top spot with Gravel close behind. The Connecticut native was getting around the bottom side of the track in the forty-one early. With Schatz, Macedo and Gravel running at the front of the pack, Logan Schuchart was on the move. He passed Gravel for the show position before securing the runner-up spot from Macedo. Macedo and Gravel then were having a great race for the third position all with Schatz checking out up front during the middle third of the race. Schuchart was closing on Schatz but ran out of laps as Schatz took the win followed by Schuchart and Macedo with Gravel coming home fourth as Jacob Allen rounded out the top five. After the race, the driver and crew were pleased with the effort and results and already looking ahead for another shot to improve on Saturday night at Eldora Speedway!

We are proud to represent all of our dedicated and loyal supporters:

Mesilla Valley Transportation (MVT); Saich Family; Jonestown KOA; Dissolvalloy Downhole Revolution; Weikert’s Livestock; J.R.C. Transportation, Inc.; Durst Inc.; Maxim Racing; The Boyd Family; Pro Powder Coating (PPC); Waco Metal; High Performance Lubricants, LLC; Team Jack Foundation; Mark Burch Motorsports; Tiger Towing; All Pro Aluminum Cylinder Heads, Inc.; All Pro Auto Reconditioning; AutoMeter; Bell Racing USA; Blackbeard; Brown & Miller Racing Solutions (BMRS); Buckwalter Trucking, LLC; C&R Racing; Chalk Stix Torsion Bars; Cody Monoco Racing; Crow Enterprizes, Engler Machine & Tool, Inc.; Factory Kahne FK Shocks; Fibreworks Composites; FK Rod Ends; Fuel Safe Racing Cells; Greber Racing Components; Hoosier Racing Tire; ISC Racers Tape; Jansen Transportation; K&N Filters; Kaiden Kares; Kistler Racing Engines; KSE Racing Products; LogoDaddy Graphics; Max Papis Innovations (MPI); MSD Performance; Schoenfeld Headers; Shell Shock Paint; Simpson Race Products; T-FAB Custom Metal Fabrication; Vortex Racing Products; Weld Wheels; Wilwood Racing; Winters Performance Products; and, www.racediecast.com.

To stay connected with Jason Johnson Racing (JJR), go to www.jasonjohnsonracing.com

To learn more about David Gravel, and stay up to date with his success and journey, go to www.DavidGravel89.com