BRANDON, S.D. — David Gravel enjoyed one of the biggest nights any sprint car driver has ever had when the Big Game Motorsports driver captured the BillionAuto.com Huset’s High Bank Nationals June 24 at Huset’s Speedway.
The finale of the four-day World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series event paid $250,000 — the largest winner’s share in the history of winged sprint car racing.
Gravel, who won the Knoxville Nationals in 2019, says he’s still coming to grips with his big night.
“It still hasn’t really set in,” he said. “Winning the Knoxville Nationals is really prestigious and the Kings Royal is a really prestigious race. Now the High Bank Nationals is really prestigious. It’s motivating to want to check off the big races off your list. It’s Eldora now.”
Gravel’s next quest will be the Eldora Million and Kings Royal at Ohio’s Eldora Speedway July 12-15, as well as this weekend’s World of Outlaws doubleheader at Wisconsin’s Cedar Lake Speedway.
But first Gravel’s looking back on the night he won a quarter of a million dollars.
Gravel started the 40-lap main event fourth on the three-eighths-mile track and quickly moved forward.
He was in second spot when leader Buddy Kofoid dropped out with engine failure with 10 laps remaining.
“We were able to jump to second right away,” he said. “I tried to pace myself and go easy and conserve my stuff. When Logan (Schuchart) got by me I had to turn the wick back up. That cost me with Buddy (Kofoid) getting a lead on us. With 10 laps to go he blew up. Who would have known if we could have caught up, but I felt I had more in the tank and could have pushed harder.
“It was definitely a good feeling because it was a single-file restart. That ended up being perfect for me. It was one of those things that felt good and I was confident in what we had to be able to win it.”
Gravel mostly stayed committed to the cushion around the high-banked track as he led the remainder of the race to win the prestigious event at the track owned by Tod Quiring, who also owns Big Game Motorsports.
“It was just relief, happiness, with everybody there,” he said. “With being at Tod’s track with the Billion Automotive guys there. Jill was there. Levi was there. My parents were there. It was a great feeling, the stuff you dream about and strive for.”