David Gravel Showed Patience In Traffic And Pounced For Plymouth Win
David Gravel Showed Patience In Traffic And Pounced For Plymouth Win
David Gravel started seventh and patiently worked his way through traffic on the way to his fifth win of the season at Plymouth Speedway in the Bob Newton Classic World of Outlaws race.
David Gravel grabbed the lead from Jason Sides with two laps remaining in the Bob Newton Classic and won the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series race at Plymouth Speedway in Plymouth, IN, on Friday.
Gravel started the feature seventh and worked his way through traffic on his way to his fifth win of the season. A few well-timed cautions allowed him to close the gap. With three to go, he battled Aaron Reutzel and was able to take advantage of a slight mistake by him exiting turn three. Reutzel jumped the cushion and then popped up onto his back two wheels. The split second it took to land gave Gravel the position.
With his sights set on Sides, Gavel stalked him for one more lap and then dove underneath him in heavy traffic in turn four. Gravel sloughed slightly in the bottom groove and almost slipped up out of his line. That broke Sides' momentum and allowed Gravel to take the lead for the first time just as the white flag was unfurled.
"We just wanted to start further up than we did last year and we did that," Gravel said. "We were really, really good until the red came out, and the car was insane after that. After we got heat back in the tires, the car came back to life, grabbed a little bit more wing, and the car was really good with three laps to go. I was good when I needed to be good and just being patient. Reutzel slipped up, and I took advantage."
Sides finished second and earned his ninth consecutive top 10.
"From the get-go we had a pretty good car," Sides said. "We got a good run here tonight and that's what we were hoping for."
Reutzel held on for third.
In the first half of the race, it appeared the battle would come down to Sides and points leader Donny Schatz. Once again, it was traffic that made the difference. Schatz got around Sides on lap 10 and led five circuits until he lost the advantage.
Schatz, who fell to fourth in the FloRacing Sprint Car Power Rankings after a disappointing weekend at Devil's Bowl Speedway in Mesquite, Texas, finished fourth for his first top five in the last three tries.
Brad Sweet rounded out the top five in fifth.
Fresh off his win in an Arctic Cat All Star Circuit of Champions race in Ohio, Sheldon Haudenschild finished seventh. That was his second straight top 10 in Outlaws competition.
Jason Johnson provided the action for the night, and it didn't take long. He took a tumble on the first lap in turns three and four. The accident brought out a red flag and a complete restart. It also gave the Ragin' Cajun a chance to work on his car and return. He finished 18th.
Top 10 Finishers
1. David Gravel
2. Jason Sides
3. Aaron Reutzel
4. Donny Schatz
5. Brad Sweet
6. Brent Marks
7. Sheldon Haudenschild
8. Daryn Pittman
9. Shane Stewart
10. Greg Wilson
Complete Results
Gravel started the feature seventh and worked his way through traffic on his way to his fifth win of the season. A few well-timed cautions allowed him to close the gap. With three to go, he battled Aaron Reutzel and was able to take advantage of a slight mistake by him exiting turn three. Reutzel jumped the cushion and then popped up onto his back two wheels. The split second it took to land gave Gravel the position.
With his sights set on Sides, Gavel stalked him for one more lap and then dove underneath him in heavy traffic in turn four. Gravel sloughed slightly in the bottom groove and almost slipped up out of his line. That broke Sides' momentum and allowed Gravel to take the lead for the first time just as the white flag was unfurled.
"We just wanted to start further up than we did last year and we did that," Gravel said. "We were really, really good until the red came out, and the car was insane after that. After we got heat back in the tires, the car came back to life, grabbed a little bit more wing, and the car was really good with three laps to go. I was good when I needed to be good and just being patient. Reutzel slipped up, and I took advantage."
Sides finished second and earned his ninth consecutive top 10.
"From the get-go we had a pretty good car," Sides said. "We got a good run here tonight and that's what we were hoping for."
Reutzel held on for third.
In the first half of the race, it appeared the battle would come down to Sides and points leader Donny Schatz. Once again, it was traffic that made the difference. Schatz got around Sides on lap 10 and led five circuits until he lost the advantage.
Schatz, who fell to fourth in the FloRacing Sprint Car Power Rankings after a disappointing weekend at Devil's Bowl Speedway in Mesquite, Texas, finished fourth for his first top five in the last three tries.
Brad Sweet rounded out the top five in fifth.
Fresh off his win in an Arctic Cat All Star Circuit of Champions race in Ohio, Sheldon Haudenschild finished seventh. That was his second straight top 10 in Outlaws competition.
Jason Johnson provided the action for the night, and it didn't take long. He took a tumble on the first lap in turns three and four. The accident brought out a red flag and a complete restart. It also gave the Ragin' Cajun a chance to work on his car and return. He finished 18th.
Top 10 Finishers
1. David Gravel
2. Jason Sides
3. Aaron Reutzel
4. Donny Schatz
5. Brad Sweet
6. Brent Marks
7. Sheldon Haudenschild
8. Daryn Pittman
9. Shane Stewart
10. Greg Wilson
Complete Results