Forum: HoseHeads Sprint Car General Forum (go)
Moderators: dirtonly  /  dmantx  /  hosehead

Any official word on what broke on David Gravel?

My Signature

Crankshaft.

Thanks that's what I figured broke.  That's what happens to the light weight parts when it gets abused.  

My Signature

4 race old crankshaft at that...ouch

https://twitter.com/CJB_51/status/896605043318824960

This is just my opinion, but even if Gravel didn't have an engine break, I don't think he would have won the Nationals this year.  He was abusing his car the entire first 21 laps he completed (he stopped during lap 22).

I believe it was lap 6 or 7 he split 2 lap cars and pounded the cushion and came up off the track with all 4 wheels and then continued to do that lap after lap until he finally broke.

Schatz seemed to be making sure his car would make it to lap 50 during the first segment of the race then "went ot work" during the final 26 laps.  Sound familiar?  he's done that every year he's won (or ran 2nd) whether it was a 30, 40 or 50 lap race.

Now, how does this affect Gravel the rest of the season.  Does he start second guessing himself at every event the rest of the season and run bad?  Does he start being more conservative early in races and actually start winning more because the car is capable of more at the end of the race?

I think he would have won had he lasted. The track was used up on the bottom, I don't think Schatz had a way by him assuming he lasts 50 laps. 

Pretty sure Vande's point is that there was now way he was gonna last to the end.   I agree completely, I expected he was going to break something or blow a right rear at some point.    He definetly had the car and speed to beat Schatz, I have no doubts about that.   He could have driven a much smarter race.   Hard to win if you never get to lap 50, or even lap 25.   

The 15 was right there even with David hammering the thing.

Luna's Ford engine style that won 2 WoO titles and 3 
Kings Royals before a weight rule against the best EVER
in their prime and now DOMINATES super dirt late model
racing is no longer allowed/wanted in a WoO sprint
car.... Was Luna a miracle worker?

Donny commented in his initial interview that he was watching Gravel's car leave the surface with all four wheels, and that he suspected it might not hold up. I would think the revs would bury the needle when that happens.....even for an instant that can't be good on a crankshaft.

Man Gravel was fast though

Gravel might be the next to go to NASCAR,   He can drive the hell out of a car.  We will see.

If he has $1,000,000 he can get a two race deal with Gibbs in Xfinity..... 

Conversation between my brother and I on Saturday during one of the cautions....

Bro: "Someone should tell Gravel he can't win the Nationals in the first 25 laps, but he sure could lose it."

Me: "Yeah, he's running her hard, thats for damn sure. But you gotta throw the kitchen sink at Schatz to beat him at Knoxville."

Bro: "That car ain't gonna last...."

Me: "We'll see. I hope you're wrong."

(Lap 22 caution)

Bro: (Gives me an I told you so look while shaking his head)

Me: "Motherf--ker..."

Bro: "I don't blame him though, he was basically driving like Johnson was last year."

Me: "I think he was driving harder.... and the track was rougher."

Post of the month!

Luna's Ford engine style that won 2 WoO titles and 3 
Kings Royals before a weight rule against the best EVER
in their prime and now DOMINATES super dirt late model
racing is no longer allowed/wanted in a WoO sprint
car.... Was Luna a miracle worker?

I would disagree with your brother a little.   Johnson was fast last year and was fairly smooth.   The track was rougher, and that's one factor.   The only thing crazy Johnson did was the wheel banging with Schatz IMO.    Other than that, my bro and I had about the same conversation.    

It's a killer on motors. And it's really hard to control yourself and make sure your off the gas when it's rough. Especially at a place like Knoxville. He will be back though. That team has been firing on all 8 since Volusia. Guy is good. 

I'd have to check and do some research but off top of my head I believe Kyle did not pay for his ride and was hired based on his talent (as rare as that sounds). I believe that's one of the basis for why he's so loyal to Chip and why he was hired by Chip rather than another owner (others wouldn't talk to him unless he had money up front but Chip hired him for his talent). Again don't quote me. 

So correct me if I am wrong, but is the crankshaft an internal part of the engine and would have to do with the engine builder??

I would say that they requested a Light Weight on the edge engine for knoxville and that is what Kistler supplied. Kistler didn't do anything wrong it was a part failure.  I am sure that Kister had that same type of crank in a lot of his engines at Knoxville and they didn't have any failures.  The LW parts are good as long as they are not abused.  Schatz reconized that Gravel was abusing it and probably wasn't going to last.

My Signature

several different outcomes could have taken place, agreed, like always,  the 15 is in position to challenge for position but relaxes and lets things fall in place, gravel was setting a hard pace to upkeep and his engine was compromized, I will say this, it takes a hell of a driver to run the dogsh*t out of these engines to break them, thier so dam good nowdays, but, the fear of part failure is always there,  and lurking when things are pushed past thier limits, the loading and unloading of internals is hard on them, FACT, the curb was a asskicker, if a guy pulled a light/heavy drift to the cushion,it would swallow the frontend,  the cars were getting upset and a elbows up driver would love this type cushion, but schatz has mastered smooth and drives thro with little to no effort, its just his typical style, his RR was off the curb and rarely slid up to it with eccessive slip, his car is always driving forward, something alot of drivers cant get in routine of, one thing I grew to observe was, if Gavel could hang on for the remainder of the second 25 laps, and a late yellow came out, (IF) Gravel left enuff tire under him, or his pressures didnt start to get jacked up he may have left Schatz with a difficult task to catch him, I commend Larson on the late charge and was surprized Donny had as much trouble getting thro the final laps with traffic, Larson got a few breaks and made the best of it, i really dont care who won, i just wanted to see a good race. I wish Larson could have closed the gap sooner, but, as typical, leaders are golden in free air.