HUSETS, S.D. – David Gravel reclaimed second in the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Series points with a runner-up finish Saturday at Red River Valley Speedway in West Fargo, N.D., but that wasn’t on his mind.
The driver of the Big Game Motorsports No. 2 squandered a win when he chose the wrong lane on a restart one circuit into the 30-lap feature. He slipped to third soon after and could never fully recover to bookend a night that started with quick time honors.
“Second is good, but starting on the pole, you want to win,” Gravel told DIRTVision’s Chase Raudman. “It’s been a pretty good year, but we need to win some Outlaw races.”
Gravel can vanquish the sourness with satisfaction when he races at team owner Tod Quiring’s facility, Huset’s Speedway in Brandon, S.D., Sunday night. The 29-year-old driving the black sprint car with Huset’s Speedway logos plastered in neon orange won the first World of Outlaws stop at the three-eighths-mile track on June 21.
A 16-race winless stretch followed and Gravel fell behind the points standings as two-time series Brad Sweet continued his dominance. But over the past 13 World of Outlaws races, Gravel has actually been a tick better than Sweet.
He’s shaved 11 points off the lead since Sweet clicked off his 13th win of the year at Wilmot Raceway in Wisconsin 13 races ago. Now, after jumping Carson Macedo, Gravel is 136 points back as the title rolls into his sponsor’s turf tonight.
“It’s always been a fun track for me,” Gravel said. “Obviously racing in front of your bosses is good too.”
On Saturday, Gravel pieced together a flawless night until he opted to restart on the outside one lap into the 30-lap feature. He got on the gas early and floated too high off the exit of turn four, all while Logan Schuchart rolled around the bottom to set up the go-ahead slide job on the other end of the track.
Gravel fell to third shortly after as Donny Schatz began his march to victory.
“I feel bad for my guys, me choosing the top and giving up the lead there,” Gravel said. “It took me out of contention to win that race. Donny was really good on the bottom. I knew there was some grip down there but, man, it really turned on there. As the pace slowed down, we just got a little stood up in the left rear. I think Donny was probably the best car.”
A 23-lap green flag run followed and a restart with six laps to go helped Gravel get by Schuchart to salvage second.
Gravel and his team broke out a relatively new machine on Saturday, different from the car they won twice at Knoxville Raceway with last week and the one that turned in a podium run at Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 in Pevely, Mo.
It just needs a little more to suit Gravel’s liking as the World of Outlaws title race ramps up.
“We’re relearning again,” Gravel said. “We know what to do next time.”