David Gravel
A near photo finish would be the final act for the Devil’s Bowl Speedway on Saturday night as David Gravel just edged James McFadden at the finish line in the last Sprint Car Stampede to ever be staged at the historic track. And not only did Gravel win the race but he also saw his two biggest championship rivals, Brad Sweet and Carson Macedo, experience trouble during the feature.
The caution filled race redeemed itself at the end proving to be a great send off for the track that served as the birthplace of the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series.
The Big Game Motorsports driver from Watertown, Connecticut earned $20,023 from the track located in Mesquite, Texas in a race shown live by DirtVision.com.
A total of 30 cars were signed in for competition
Qualifying Results: 1. Brad Sweet(14.266), 2. David Gravel, 3. Spencer Bayston, 4. Kasey Kahne, 5. Sheldon Haudenschild, 6. James McFadden, 7. Scott Bogucki, 8. John Carney II, 9. Donny Schatz, 10. Noah Gass
Heat 1 Results: 1. Kasey Kahne, 2. Brad Sweet, 3. Scott Bogucki, 4. Noah Gass, 5. Carson Macedo, 6. Brenham Crouch
Heat 2 Results: 1. Sheldon Haudenschild, 2. David Gravel, 3. John Carney II, 4. Brock Zearfoss, 5. Cory Eliason, 6. Sam Hafertepe Jr.
Heat 3 Results: 1. Spencer Bayston, 2. James McFadden, 3. Donny Schatz, 4. Blake Hahn, 5. Giovanni Scelzi, 6. Danny Jennings
WoO Dash Results: 1.James McFadden, 2. David Gravel, 3. Brad Sweet, 4. Spencer Bayston, 5. Sheldon Haudenschild, 6. Kasey Kahne
Last Chance Showdown Finish: 1. Austin Mundie, 2. Ayrton Gennetten, 3. Matt Covington
Feature Re-cap: At the start of the 30-lap feature it was McFadden who took the early lead with Gravel, Sweet, Bayston and Haudenschild in arrears. A caution for the stalled car of Crouch just after the completion of the first lap regrouped the field.
Kahne jumped to fourth on the restart passing Bayston and Haudenschild. Another yellow flag waved after the completion of the second circuit when a pair of cars slowed to a stop. On the restart, Kahne got tangled with Sweet sending the series points leader tumbling along the front stretch with Hahn, Schuchart and Bogucki being collected. That incidence brought out a red flag.
Sweet’s crew made extensive repairs to get their car back on the track.
When cars began rolling again, McFadden was the leader over Gravel, Bayston and Haudenschild. Schatz quickly moved up to third when green flag racing resumed. Meanwhile McFadden looked to pull away from the pack. However, Sweet would bring out another yellow on lap 8 when he shredded a left rear tire.
Once again under green, Macedo and Haudenschild tangled with several cars then being collected after Macedo spun. Like Sweet earlier, Macedo had to have his car repaired as the field sat idle under and open red flag condition.
Fourth-running Haudenschild slowed and pulled off track when the race went back to green while McFadden continued to lead ahead of Gravel, Schatz and Scelzi. However, another caution flag would wave on lap 15 when Macedo slowed.
Carney spun while racing alongside Bayston for fourth causing another caution.
McFadden began to again slip away when back under green until a lap 21 yellow for a spin by Hafertepe erased that advantage. After his early troubles, Sweet had climbed back into the top-10 at the time of caution.
Schatz pulled up to challenge Gravel for second following the restart as McFadden looked to pull away again. But as the laps clicked off, Gravel began to cut into McFadden’s lead.
With slower cars playing a role, Gravel took to the high side of the track at the white flag. The No. 2 car made a strong run through turns three and four as McFadden found himself pinned behind slower machines.
At the line, Gravel just nipped McFadden by .015 seconds.
Feature Results: 1. David Gravel, 2. James McFadden, 3. Donny Schatz, 4. Giovanni Scelzi, 5. Cory Eliason, 6. Spencer Bayston, 7. Brad Sweet, 8. Logan Schuchart, 9. Robbie Price, 10. Brenham Crouch, 11. Noah Gass, 12. Austin Mundie, 13. Brock Zearfoss, 14. Carson Macedo, 15. Danny Jennings, 16. Johnny Carney II, 17. Riley Goodno, 18. Sam Hafertepe Jr., 19. Sheldon Haudenschild, 20. Matt Covington, 21. Kasey Kahne, 22. Scott Bogucki, Blake Hahn, 24. Ayrton Gennetten
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