TIRE WAR TAKES A TOLL IN CHARLOTTE: AFTER RUNNING UP FRONT ALL NIGHT A BLOWN RIGHT REAR TIRE COSTS THE TEAM A PODIUM RUN IN THE FINALE OF THE PATRIOT NATIONALS AS THEY SALVAGE A 17TH PLACE FINISH
CONCORD, NORTH CAROLINA (May 25, 2019) – The stars of the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series returned to The Dirt Track at Charlotte for the finale of the Patriot Nationals around the 4/10 mile oval. The temperatures were sweltering all day as the sun was in beast mode driving the mercury up in the thermometers to the high 90s. Twenty nine cars returned to the track to race for the winner’s trophy and check. It was race day!
Dominic Scelzi would kick off time trials as David Gravel buckled his Simpson Race Products safety belts and pulled on his gloves as he was he would be the sixth car out aboard the Jonestown KOA/High Performance Lubricants, LLC #41 Maxim. He rolled forward and his Kistler Racing Engines/Engler Machine & Tool, Inc. power came to life under the hood. He stepped on the power pedal and took the green as the seconds ticked by. He was wasting little time as his Weld Racing Wheels where churning and burning. When he stopped the clock after his first circuit it read 13.117 seconds, which put him at the top of the charts early. His second lap was consistently fast at 13.139 seconds, so his first lap time would be his representation of speed. The next driver out was Donny Schatz who bumped Gravel from the top spot, but the quicker of his two laps would hold up for second quick overall on this night of racing.
There would be three 8-lap heat races for all the competitors aligned by time trial results. David sat on the pole of the second heat race with Dominic Scelzi to his outside. Ian Madsen and Giovanni Scelzi made up row two as Logan Schuchart, Cole Duncan, Cale Thomas, Carson Macedo, Chad Kemenah and Parker Price-Miller rounding out the starting grid. When the green flag waved, the top four guys went four-wide and David got shuffled back to third. Giovanni Scelzi drove into the top spot over his older brother Dominic as everyone else was in chase mode. Giovanni Scelzi led every lap to take the win over Dominic Scelzi as David brought the KSE Racing Products/FK Rod Ends #41 Maxim home third as Macedo, Schuchart and Duncan rounded out the six transfer positions.
Throughout the night the track surface was responding unfavorably to the heat from the sun all day as it was drying out and becoming very abrasive. It was the same for all of the teams, so it was go time for the 30-lap Patriot Nationals finale. David Gravel would line up on the outside of row four from the eighth position aboard the Jonestown KOA/Durst, Inc. #41. When the green flag waved over the field, Kraig Kinser drove into the lead as Gravel maneuvered into the fifth position with one lap in the books. He had the forty-one moving and picked up another position the next time around. The talented driver from Watertown, Connecticut was up on the wheel and making things happen as he moved into the show position on lap nine. Kinser meanwhile was now battling with Donny Schatz for the lead as Gravel reeled in and closed on the leaders. Schatz would make the pass for the lead on lap 17 and as the laps clicked down the remaining rubber on everyone’s tires was diminishing. With three laps to go the tire war started to take its toll as it claimed a number of drivers, including second running Kraig Kinser. The war was not over as it soon claimed multiple drivers sending them pit side, eventually taking down race leader Donny Schatz and David Gravel. The lucky recipient and hard charger, Logan Schuchart, raced into the lead and took the win over James McFadden, Kerry Madsen and Dave Blaney with Giovanni Scelzi recovering to round out the top five. David was able to rejoin the field and salvage a 17th place finish in the finale of the Patriot Nationals.
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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.