Kyle Larson walked up to the World of Outlaws command center on Monday afternoon and drew the number one pill. On a normal night, sprint car fans would see Larson take the quick time in qualifying, make the A-Main and take dominate his way to a win.
This night, though, was made for fireworks at Huset’s Speedway.
Tod Quiring’s Big Game Motorsports car, piloted by David Gravel, went to victory lane in the first of five World of Outlaws Sprint Car races in a big week for the series.
“We’ve been really strong lately,” Gravel said. “Luckily, I got Donny (Schatz) back there in the beginning. I went to the top at the start knowing it was the faster lane, but he just snookered me on that first lap. I tried hard to get by him, but it turned out to be better running second with lap traffic here. That’s what won us the race.”
While Gravel sped off, Larson wasn’t able to crack the top three spots, let alone moving forward much through the field.
The No. 57 got in the top five only after Aaron Reutzel shredded a tire and came to the work area from fifth.
Gravel kept the race lead, though, despite Schatz passing him and holding the lead up until the lap before the caution.
It became pivotal, as Gravel had to hold off Schatz for the remaining 20 laps of the 35-lap main event.
“I was watching Donny on the DIRTVision screen there and saw him right on me,” Gravel said. “He’s one of the best rubber racers out here, I just knew I had to run it a little harder into turn three and I’d be fine. I conserved my tire quite a bit early on.”
Schatz looked to the inside of Gravel, but couldn’t complete the pass with four laps remaining.
He didn’t get close enough to try the move a second time.
“I just didn’t go in the right spot, I really misjudged that lapper,” Schatz said. “We had something for him there at the end, so that’s a positive. I was trying to force him into making a mistake, that’s about all I could do.”
Gravel, meanwhile captured his sixth win of the season with the tour, coming at the track that his car owner runs.
The win trims Brad Sweet’s championship lead down to 42 points and gives Gravel some momentum heading into tomorrow night.
The series returns to the South Dakota track on Tuesday, where teams and drivers will compete for $30,000 at the first ever Huset’s 50 in a 50-lap main event to close the night.
Whoever wins will have a chance to claim an extra $100,000 if they can sweep the finale races by winning again on Saturday at Jackson.
World of Outlaws Sprint Car Results
Night 1 – Huset’s 50
1. David Gravel
2. Donny Schatz
3. Kerry Madsen
4. Brad Sweet
5. Kyle Larson
6. Sheldon Haudenschild
7. Jacob Allen
8. Logan Schuchart
9. Justin Henderson
10. Kraig Kinser
11. Gio Scelzi
12. James McFadden
13. Shane Golobic
14. Parker Price-Miller
15. Carson Macedo
16. Wayne Johnson
17. Spencer Bayston
18. Cory Eliason
19. Brian Brown
20. Brock Zearfoss
21. Austin McCarl
22. Paige Polyak
23. Aaron Reutzel
24. Carson McCarl
| World of Outlaws Sprint Car Standings | ||||
| Position | Driver | Points | Behind | |
| 1 | Brad Sweet | 4754 | – | |
| 2 | David Gravel | 4212 | -42 | |
| 3 | Carson Macedo | 4654 | -100 | |
| 4 | Donny Schatz | 4616 | -138 | |
| 5 | Sheldon Haudenschild | 4614 | -140 | |
| 6 | Logan Schuchart | 4556 | -198 | |
| 7 | Aaron Reutzel ® | 4494 | -260 | |
| 8 | Kraig Kinser | 4202 | -552 | |
| 9 | James McFadden | 4170 | -584 | |
| 10 | Brock Zearfoss ® | 4002 | -752 | |
