MECHANICSBURG, Pa. — Pennsylvania will always be a special place for David Gravel no matter how loud the boos get.
Competing in the “Keystone State” helped launch the Connecticutt driver’s career. Battling the PA Posse is one of the best ways for any young racer to sharpen their skills and see if they’ve got what it takes to make it in sprint car racing.
That’s part of the route Gravel took on his way to becoming a two-time World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series champion. And while he may represent the enemy when he crosses the Pennsylvania border, he still enjoys every trip, especially ones that end in victory lane.
That’s exactly what happened at Saturday’s C&D Rigging Summer Nationals finale hosted by Williams Grove Speedway, the track where Gravel first wheeled a 410 sprint car.
The 34-year-old put the Big Game Motorsports No. 2 on the pole for the 30-lap, $20,000-to-win finale and never looked back when the green flag dropped. Logan Schuchart made it close on the final circuit but couldn’t find a lane by as Gravel grabbed the checkered flag.
“This place was the first race where I ever drove a sprint car was at Williams Grove Speedway,” Gravel said. “I did about four laps the whole night then went to Lincoln (Speedway) the next night and crashed in the heat race. Yeah, P-A is where I got my start. I’ve got to thank Cody (Jacobs), Zach (Patterson), and Luke (Vaughn) for busting their butts.”
Saturday made it 10 wins for Gravel in 2026 as he equaled Michael “Buddy” Kofoid for the most. It’s also the fourth straight and fifth overall in which he and the Big Game crew have reached double digits. They’re up to 72 victories as a pairing since Gravel came aboard in 2021. He’s now at 130 career triumphs with The Greatest Show on Dirt, and “The Grove” is most responsible for them with 11.
The World of Outlaws swept the weekend over the PA Posse thanks to Gravel’s Saturday score and Buddy Kofoid’s on Friday and now lead the rivalry this year four wins to two.
Logan Schuchart fell just short of his second win of the year with a runner-up finish in the Shark Racing No. 1s. The Hanover, Pa., native continues to be one of the most consistent drivers over the summer with five podiums in the last nine races and nine top fives in the last 12.
Logan Rumsey came home third to notch his first World of Outlaws podium and lead the way for the Posse contingent.
Dylan Norris and Sheldon Haudenschild completed the top five.
The finish:
Feature (30 Laps): 1. 2-David Gravel[1]; 2. 1S-Logan Schuchart[4]; 3. 71-Logan Rumsey[3]; 4. 17N-Dylan Norris[2]; 5. 18-Sheldon Haudenschild[5]; 6. 48-Danny Dietrich[10]; 7. 67G-Justin Whittall[6]; 8. 69K-Daryn Pittman[7]; 9. 19-Brent Marks[12]; 10. 39M-Anthony Macri[11]; 11. 23D-Chase Dietz[8]; 12. 1A-Cameron Smith[13]; 13. 41-Carson Macedo[14]; 14. 23-Garet Williamson[15]; 15. 11-TJ Stutts[9]; 16. 17-Spencer Bayston[18]; 17. 22-Doug Hammaker[17]; 18. 83-Michael Kofoid[25]; 19. 27W-Troy Wagaman Jr[26]; 20. 51R-Freddie Rahmer[22]; 21. 39-Lucas Wolfe[19]; 22. 27-Emerson Axsom[24]; 23. 12-Brent Shearer[21]; 24. 15-Donny Schatz[27]; 25. 2C-Cole Macedo[23]; 26. 17B-Bill Balog[20]; 27. (DNF) 91-Preston Lattomus[16]; 28. (DNF) 1W-Buddy Schweibinz[28]
