Four-time WoO champion Brad Sweet leads the standings
Despite the fact that there are typically so many races on the World of Outlaws NOS energy Drink Sprint Car Series schedule each year, it seems as if more often than not the battle at the top of the point standings is a close one right to the very final checkered flag. And that is certainly the case here in 2023.
Last weekend as the World of Outlaws raced at the Port Royal Speedway, the driver who currently sits second in the standings used a play on words to describe how he hoped to apply pressure on the series leader. In a post-race interview with DirtVision.com, David Gravel altered the last name of four-time champion Brad Sweet saying that he hoped to make Brad “Sweat” over the next few weekends.
Whether that actually happened or not can’t be known but what is known is that Gravel finished higher than Sweet in both the Friday and Saturday features at the Pennsylvania track trimming the lead held by the driver of the Kasey Kahne Racing No. 49 down to 68 points with just eight races remaining on the schedule.
The ‘Greatest Show on Dirt’ will head to the Midwest this weekend for races in Kansas at 81 Speedway and Lakeside Speedway. If Gravel can finish ahead of Sweet in both of those shows, the run for the championship could show signs that it will go down to the wire at The Dirt Track at Charlotte in the World Finals in early November.
Hiccups by either or both of the top contenders could also bring third-place Carson Macedo into the championship mix.
David Gravel is closing in on the points leader
The Big Game Motorsports driver from Watertown, Connecticut has finished second in the standings to Sweet of Grass Valley, California in each of the last two seasons. Like this time around appears to be going, the margins of victory for Sweet were close being just 80 points in 2021 and 48 points in 2022.
The World of Outlaws awards 150 points to a feature winner with the second place finisher receiving 146. From there, there is a two point drop off per position from third-place back through the field. As a result, there is a 10-point difference from the feature winner to fifth place and a 20-point margin from first to tenth. A 68-point deficit, such as that currently faced by Gravel, can be made up rather quickly under the right circumstances.
Good runs by Gravel coupled with a poor outing or two by Sweet would allow for a big gain by Gravel. At the same time, with the season winding down, the No. 2 team can ill afford to finish more than a few positions behind the No. 49 in any given feature race.
One factor to consider is that of having non series regulars and those regulars who are outside the championship hunt competing in the races. Should a driver who does not run the full schedule or who is well back in the standings post a strong finish, or just simply end up between the two points contenders at the end of the night, that is a position, and thus, more points separating those vying for a title. It is important to not only beat the rival but also to hope others can finish ahead of him as well to be create a bigger gap in the number of points earned.
By the look of things, it appears as if, once again, the question of who will win the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series title will not be answered until the final weekend in Charlotte.
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