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(Photo by Tyler Carr)

Inside Line Promotions – PEVELY, Mo. (April 14, 2026) – It’s easy to point to wins at the end of a championship-caliber season, but for two-time and defending World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series champion Big Game Motorsports, a ninth-place result last Friday night was the epitome of a championship performance.

David Gravel kicked off the Federated Auto Parts Spring Classic doubleheader at I-55 Federated Auto Parts Raceway Park that evening by setting quick time during qualifying. He won a heat race and gained a position to place seventh in the dash.

“We didn’t get a good dash draw, but had things go our way early in the feature,” he said. “We gained some track position and then lost some track position. (Around the midpoint of the race) I made an aggressive move in turns three and four. We ended up touching tires with someone down the frontstretch. I flipped pretty bad. I thought for sure our night was over. We got the left rear suspension fixed, a couple of wings on there. The boys did a great job to get us back out there. Luckily, there were a bunch of lapped cars and we passed a couple, had a couple people crash or break and ended up ninth.

“The front axle was bent pretty far back in the right front and felt a little weird. I couldn’t really run the top of the track. I had to lead it with the right rear. I just ran the bottom and when I had to go to the top I would. It wasn’t 100 percent. I was trying to finish ahead of all the cars one lap down. Fortunately we did that and got a couple more. I’m very proud of everybody to salvage a ninth-place finish.”

If Gravel wouldn’t have been able to restart the race he would have finished 22nd, meaning the team saved 26 points by rebounding the way it did.

The crew worked hard to rebuild the car prior to Saturday’s event finale.

“We were able to still use the chassis,” Gravel said. “The only thing that stayed the same was my seat, the steering gear and the tail tank.”

Gravel qualified second quickest overall and he won a heat race. A runner-up result in the dash lined him up on the outside of the front row for the main event.

“The car felt good and we had a better dash draw,” he said. “I was able to get the lead early in the feature. Traffic was brutal. It was like New York City traffic. I saw Buddy (Kofoid) poke his nose. I was too tentative in traffic one lap and tried to run the middle. He was able to get around me. I wish I ran it harder into the corner. That was his opportunity to get around me.”

Gravel led Lap 8 through Lap 26 before he ended the race in second – his ninth podium of the season.

“I was happy,” he said. “I wanted to win. I was a little banged up and you could easily compound two bad nights in a row. To come back, have a strong run, lead laps and finish second was good.”

Next up is the Hy-Vee Perks 40 this Friday at Jacksonville Speedway in Jacksonville, Ill., followed by the Southern Indiana Showdown on Saturday at Tri-State Speedway in Haubstadt, Ind. Gravel enters the weekend leading the World of Outlaws championship standings by 42 points.

“Two wild card tracks, tracks we’ve had success at,” he said. “I’m looking forward to the challenge. We’ll take it day by day, lap by lap. We’ll try to qualify well and put ourselves in position.”

QUICK RESULTS –

April 10 – I-55 Federated Auto Parts Raceway Park in Pevely, Mo. – Qualifying: 1; Heat race: 1 (1); Dash: 7 (8); Feature: 9 (7).

April 11 – I-55 Federated Auto Parts Raceway Park in Pevely, Mo. – Qualifying: 2; Heat race: 1 (1); Dash: 2 (3); Feature: 2 (2).

SEASON STATS –

13 races, 3 wins, 9 top fives, 11 top 10s, 12 top 15s, 12 top 20s

UP NEXT –

Friday at Jacksonville Speedway in Jacksonville, Ill., for the Hy-Vee Perks 40 and Saturday at Tri-State Speedway in Haubstadt, Ind., for the Southern Indiana Showdown with the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series

BIG GAME MOTORSPORTS MEDIA LINKS –

X: https://x.com/BigGameMotorspt

DAVID GRAVEL MEDIA LINKS –

X: https://x.com/DavidGravel

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DavidGravelRacing

Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/DavidGravel2

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@DavidGravel

Website: http://www.shopDGR.com

HUSET’S SPEEDWAY –

Huset’s Speedway is home to the BillionAuto.com Huset’s High Bank Nationals, which runs June 17-20 and features two six-figure payouts that week. The dirt oval located in Brandon, S.D., hosts a variety of events from Mother’s Day Weekend through Labor Day Weekend. The track opened in 1954 and has undergone a large renovation within the last few years, making it a premier destination for both marquee national events and a strong Sunday Night weekly program. Check out the complete schedule and get more information about Huset’s Speedway at http://www.HusetsSpeedway.com.

JACKSON MOTORPLEX –

Jackson Motorplex is a 4/10-mile dirt oval located in Jackson, Minn. It hosts special events from June through September, including races with the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series, Midwest Sprint Touring Series and more. For the full 2026 racing schedule and more information, visit http://www.JacksonMotorplex.com.

2026 EVENT TICKET LINK –

To purchase tickets for events at either Huset’s Speedway or at Jackson Motorplex, visit http://mpv.tickets.com/schedule/?agency=JKMV_PL_MPV&orgid=55369#/?view=list&includePackages=true.

OFFICIAL MERCHANDISE –

Check out all of the newest Huset’s Speedway merchandise at http://www.ShopHusets.com.

INSIDE LINE PROMOTIONS –

Inside Line Promotions specializes in affordable public relations and media management for motor sports drivers, teams, sponsors, tracks, series, events, organizations and manufacturers. ILP Founder Shawn Miller leverages professional journalism with new media technologies and social networking to improve your exposure and the return on investment for your sponsors.

To meet the media relations needs of your program by joining Team ILP, contact Shawn at 541-510-3663 or Shawn@InsideLinePromotions.com. For more information on Inside Line Promotions, visit http://www.InsideLinePromotions.com.