When David Gravel entered the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series scene in 2013, he had his hopes pinned on driving for Big Game Motorsports.
Owned by Tod Quiring, the operation was quite a threat on the WoO circuit, due to the array of drivers that represented the team — including Craig Dollansky, Danny Lasoski and Terry McCarl.
Spurred on by the operation’s success and its professionalism, the young Gravel eagerly knocked on Quiring’s door, determined to become next in line to fill the seat.
“I asked him if I could drive for him way back early in my career, and he said, ‘No.’ He wasn’t really interested,” Gravel said.
The Connecticut native wasn’t done with his Big Game dream despite the initial rejection, but Gravel pivoted on his WoO path and joined Roth Motorsports in 2014. It seemed like it was all meant to be, as the opportunity to drive the No. 83 Roth Motorsports machine landed Gravel on the map.
CJB Motorsports was the next team to take interest in Gravel’s budding career. From 2016 to ’18, he drove the No. 5 entry for the Pennsylvania-based operation. Ironically, the car was primarily sponsored by Quiring.
“That’s kind of where the groundwork got laid,” Gravel said. “I’ve become friends with the Quiring family, and now, he’s my boss.”
After two seasons with Jason Johnson Racing that included winning the Knoxville Nationals, Gravel signed to drive Quiring’s No. 2 Big Game Motorsports sprint car in 2021 — just under a decade after his first attempt to make the roster.
Huset’s Speedway — the three-eighths-mile track in South Dakota that Quiring owns and promotes — became his sponsor.
With the High Bank Nationals at Huset’s next on the World of Outlaws schedule, featuring a $750,000 overall purse over four nights of action, Gravel is aware there will be an extra spotlight on the No. 2 entry.
“There’s always pressure when it pays $250,000-to-win,” Gravel said. “At the end of the day, we just have the mindset to go out and try to win that race, do the best job and I think Tod knows that too. Things can go your way, and things can’t.”
He considers Quiring to be an easy boss, as both the driver and owner juggle busy schedules and rely on one another to carry out their respective duties on the team. They still “circle up” several times a month, Gravel says.
With the No. 2 ranked second points in with a series-best six victories this season, it appears their simple routine has its rewards. But even with the strong record, the 30-year-old doesn’t take his position with Big Game Motorsports lightly.
“There are not a lot of race teams out there nowadays to race for. When you’re with a well-funded team like Tod, there’s no expenses spared. If we need something, we can get it, and we know we’re going to be there at the next race,” Gravel said. “That’s a comforting feeling today in 2023.”