Big Game Motorsports driver David Gravel captured the first two World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series main events of the season last weekend during the Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals at Volusia Speedway Park in Barberville, Fla.
Gravel’s victories, which both came on Friday evening only a few hours apart after Thursday’s opener was postponed because of rain, made him only the sixth driver to win twice on the same day and just the seventh driver to capture the first two main events of a season
It also marked three straight World of Outlaws triumphs at the track dating back to the DIRTcar Nationals finale in 2021.
“Volusia has been a good track for us,” Gravel said. “We were pretty strong every night. We were happy to unload and be in the ball game. We lacked a little qualifying speed, but we had one of the best cars in race trim.”
Gravel entered the event on Tuesday when he qualified fourth quickest overall and won both a heat race and the dash to garner the pole position for the Tezos All Star Circuit of Champions main event.
The team returned to the half-mile track on Wednesday for another All Star race. Gravel timed in 30th quickest overall, but a rally from eighth to fifth place in a heat race locked him into the main event. He then charged from 20th to 10th to pass the second-most cars in the feature.
In the event finale on Saturday Gravel qualified 13th quickest overall. A run from fourth to third place in a heat race locked him into the ninth starting spot in the A Main, which was postponed because of rain.
The team will be off until returning to Volusia Speedway Park March 5-6 for the Lowe-E Insulation Spring Showdown, which also features the rained out feature from the DIRTcar Nationals.
Working together
Two racetracks in the region are going to combine their efforts this season.
Officials from Fairmont Raceway and Sports Park Raceway in Fort Dodge, Iowa plan to work in tandem to bring Friday Night Lights to life for dirt track racing fans.
In addition to the regular Summit USRA Weekly Racing Series track and national points funds, drivers racing at the two tracks this year will compete for a bonus points fund for the top five drivers that acquire the most points between the two tracks about 90 miles apart.
Every scheduled night at each track will count and drivers in all divisions are competing against each other for this extra money.
The driver who earns the most points will pocket a $1,000 cash prize while the second-place finisher will get $800. Rounding the top five, it’s $650 for third place, $450 for fourth $300 for fifth.
Management from both track said that they’ve heard from drivers that would like to run both tracks, but both now race on Friday. Under the current schedule, June 2 is the only time the tracks run on the same night.
There is a Monday show and a Wednesday show scheduled at Fairmont.
Here's the Friday Night Lights schedule:
Friday, May 5 – Fairmont Raceway
Friday, May 12 – Sports Park Raceway
Friday, May 19 – Fairmont Raceway
Friday, May 26 – Fairmont Raceway
Friday, June 2 – Fairmont Raceway & Sports Park Raceway
Friday, June 9 – Fairmont Raceway
Friday, June 16 – Sports Park Raceway
Monday, June 19 – Fairmont Raceway
Friday, June 23 – Sports Park Raceway
Friday, June 30 – Sports Park Raceway
Friday, Jul 28 – Sports Park Raceway
Wednesday, Aug. 2 – Fairmont Raceway
Friday, Aug. 11 – Sports Park Raceway
Friday, Aug 18 – Fairmont Raceway
Friday, Aug 25 – Fairmont Raceway
Friday, Sept. 1 – Sports Park Raceway