TOUGHING IT OUT IN THE IRONMAN: THE JJR #41 TEAM AND DAVID GRAVEL WORK HARD TOGETHER TO GRIND OUT ANOTHER TOP TEN FINISH IN THE IRONMAN 55 AT FEDERATED AUTO PARTS RACEWAY AT I-55
PEVELY, MISSOURI (August 3, 2019) – The weather continued to be beautiful in Pevely as the track crew prepared the surface at Federated Auto Parts Speedway at I-55 for one of the most grueling races on the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series competitors – the Ironman 55. There were 27 cars and teams registered and up for the challenge on this night to see who would be the strongest in the field. Philip Dietz, Tyler Elliott and Patrick Dudzinski, along with their driver and speed partner David Gravel, were ready to go in the LogoDaddy Graphics/Pro Powder Coating (PPC) #41 Maxim.
The first order for business would be the individual speed portion of the show where each driver has two laps to record their quickest time. David Gravel would be the seventeenth car out on the track and would try to replicate his toughness in qualifying this season. He got his Kistler Engines power rolling and took the green flag. He circled the 1/3-mile oval the first time around in 10.861 seconds. Not content, he pedaled down on the accelerator and hit all his marks the second time around turning in an even quicker lap of 10.798 seconds aboard the Weikert’s Livestock/Waco Metal #41. The quicker of his two laps was fourth quick overall on the night.
Starting on the outside of the front row in the first Drydene heat race, with quick timer Tim Shaffer on the pole, Gravel was ready to go inside the cockpit of his Maxim Racing chassis. When the green flag waved, Shaffer took off from the inside row followed by third starting Shane Stewart who moved into the runner-up position with Gravel giving chase. Shaffer and Stewart were at the front late in the race when Gravel was battling with Rico Abreu for position. Abreu stole the position at the checkers as he beat Gravel to the line as Shaffer took the win over Stewart. Carson Macedo and Kerry Madsen locked down the final two transfer positions in the first heat race.
Once all of the 24 drivers locked into the feature, the lineups were posted and the pre-race introductions with Johnny Gibson were completed. It was not to see who would be the strongest at speed in the Ironman 55! David would start from the tenth starting position aboard the Durst Inc./Weld Racing #41 Maxim after changing an engine after the heat race. Polesitter Sheldon Haudenschild and Donny Schatz would bring the field to the green flag. Schatz would take command of the top spot early as Gravel drove the forty-one up to eighth on the opening lap. Sheldon Haudenschild was on a mission up front though as he stormed by Schatz for the lead on lap 11 and never looked back the rest of the way. In fact, he lapped every one up to fifth in the finishing order to prove he was in fact the strongest on this night at Pevely. Haudenschild took the win over Schatz, Daryn Pittman, and Shane Stewart with Tim Shaffer rounding out the top five. David ran a great race as he finished ninth. He and the JJR #41 crew worked their tails off on this night to prove their toughness too! Another great run for the forty-one!
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; RaceDiecast.com; Schoenfeld Headers; Shell Shock Paint; Simpson Race Products; T-FAB Custom Metal Fabrication; Vortex Racing Products; 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.