FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS IN EASTERN OHIO: FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 35 YEARS, THE OUTLAWS RETURNED TO COMPETE AT WAYNE COUNTY SPEEDWAY WITH GRAVEL AND THE JJR #41 LEAVING WITH A 9TH PLACE RUN

ORRVILLE, OHIO (September 25, 2020) – In another race that was washed out by Mother Nature back on the first day of August, this day found the World of Outlaw NOS Energy Drink Series teams returning to Wayne County Speedway under the lights to attempt to race for the first time in 35 years. This visit to the Orrville, Ohio speed plant would mark the first time the World of Outlaws (WoO) series competitors have raced at the facility since 1985.  The fans in this area came out in full force to support this event. Steve Kinser has dominated WoO competition here in the past winning three of the four races (1979, 1981 and 1985), while Bobby Davis Jr. is the only other driver to win in Outlaw competition back in 1984. The Jason Johnson Racing (JJR) hauler pulled into the pit area with their driver David Gravel poised and ready to attack the 3/8-mile semi-banked oval and chase after the increased $15,000 winner’s share of the purse that was supported by Slick Willy’s Cornhole Company. There were 49 race teams all there for the same reason – to add their names to the list of winners and earn the big check.

David Gravel has put together quite a string of top ten finishes that was recently disrupted, but he was looking to continue his success and elevate his results in the Buckeye State. The large field of cars was split into two separate flights for time trials. David would be the 19th driver out on the track aboard the Greber Racing Components/KSE Racing Products #41 Maxim for his two solo laps against the clock. The one-lap track record coming into the night was set back on April 21, 2018, by Spencer Bayston at 13.808 seconds. When Rico Abreu completed his qualifying laps, the Watertown, Connecticut hot shoe’s Kistler Engines/Engler Machine and Tool power came to life and he was engaged behind the wheel from the comfort of his office. He timed in at 14.926 seconds the first time around and a little slower the next time around with a lap of 14.952 seconds. The quicker of his two lap times was good enough for 11th quick overall in Flight A and set the tone for the team to start the night for the JJR crew.

When the World of Outlaw timing and scoring officials completed and posted the Drydene Heat Race lineups, the J.R.C. Transportation/ISC Racers Tape #41 Maxim would line up on the outside of row three in the 8-lap heat race. David climbed into the cockpit of his high speed machine and waited in the staging lane to be pushed off. He would start from the sixth position with Henry Malcuit, who was running his first ever World of Outlaws event, beside him sharing the row. Hometown hero Sheldon Haudenschild and series point leader Brad Sweet were in the first row, with Spencer Bayston and Carson Macedo in row two. Tim Shaffer and James McFadden were in row three, as R.J. Jacobs and Paige Polyak rounded out the starting grid. Haudenschild wasted no taking control of the top spot with Sweet, Bayston, Macedo and Gravel trucking behind. Haudenschild was dominating the race until the last few laps when it appeared he may be having some type of mechanical issue as he was visibly slowing allowing Sweet to close in. Haudenschild held on for the win over Sweet as Macedo came home third, Gravel made the pass on Bayston to take fourth, and Bayston brought the Roth #83 home fifth in the last transfer position.

Missing out on a transfer position to the DIRTVision Fast Pass Dash, David and the JJR #41 team continued to work on the Team Jack Foundation/All Pro Auto Reconditioning #41 Maxim to ready it for the 35-lap World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series at Wayne County Speedway. The driver of the forty-one would start from the 13th starting position to the inside of racing legend Jac Haudenschild. Brad Sweet sat on the pole beside Shane Stewart with Sheldon Haudenschild and Donny Schatz in row two. Before the race could get started, fifth starting Daryn Pittman in the Heffner Racing Red Robin #72 had to head to the pit area so his crew could remove the old wicker bill they took off. The stop relegated him to the back of the pack and reshuffled the inside and outside rows for the start of the feature. Brad Sweet jumped into the lead and led the first 8 laps before Shane Stewart in the Indy Race Parts #71 sped by to lead lap 9. Through this point of the race, David had his hands full running in the middle of the pack falling back as far as fifteenth and making his way into the top ten by the tenth circuit. Stewart had a fast race car and was navigating traffic at speed, but he certainly did not want to look over his shoulder as Sheldon Haudenschild was running wild in the NOS Energy Drink #17 and was coming to take the lead. He accomplished that on lap 12 when Stewart bobbled on the cushion in turn two. It was now Haudenschild, Sweet and Stewart in the top three spots. Haudenschild would survive some caution flags that slowed down the field as he led the remainder of the laps coming home in front of friends and family ahead of a fast Shane Stewart with Brad Sweet rounding out the podium positions. Gravel brought the RaceDiecast.com/Schoenfeld Header #41 home with a 9th place finish. While no the outcome they were hoping for as they are always digging for podium finishes, it was a good night for the forty-one team. There is no rest for the weary as the team heads to Lernerville Speedway on Saturday evening for the Commonwealth Clash. It is the fifth race in five nights, so be sure to come out to catch the action or tune into DIRTVision to see the high speed adventure that is World of Outlaw racing!

Mesilla Valley Transportation (MVT); Saich Family; 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 Auto Reconditioning; AutoMeter; Bell Racing USA; Brown & Miller Racing Solutions (BMRS); Buckwalter Trucking, LLC; C&R Racing; Chalk Stix Torsion Bars; 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; Kistler Racing Engines; KSE Racing Products; LogoDaddy Graphics; Max Papis Innovations (MPI); MSD Performance; RaceDiecast.com; Schoenfeld Headers; Shell Shock Paint; Simpson Race Products; T-FAB Custom Metal Fabrication; Vortex Racing Products; Walker Performance Filtration; Weld Wheels; Wilwood Racing; and Winters Performance Products.

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

To stay up-to-date with David Gravel and his success and journey on and off the track, as well as to purchase his gear and merchandise, go to www.DavidGravel89.com.