Gravel is the driver to beat at 37th Brad Doty Classic

David Gravel won the 2024 Brad Doty Classic and is in great position to repeat when the World of Outlaws hit the dirt at Attica Raceway Park on Tuesday night. Gravel leads the WoO points standings this year and has 10 wins in 39 starts. The driver from Watertown, Conn., was the 2024 Outlaws series champion. Tuesday's weather forecast for racing on the dirt track in Attica is very favorable, which is something new for ARP this year. "We're good to go with some beautiful weather," ARP director of operations Justin Liskai said. "Seems like the first time all year. It's literally felt like most Fridays this year there's been a threat of rain." Liskai said a few reserved seats remain. He expects another packed house at the facility that can seat up to 5,200. Tuesday's race marks the 37th Doty Classic, which honors the former Outlaws star who was paralyzed in a wreck at Eldora Speedway in 1988. Doty, the race's co-promoter, lives in Wayne County, Ohio. The race has proven to be a popular midsummer draw in north-central Ohio. "Everyone has a thousand things they can do for entertainment," Liskai said. "What makes us different is we have the baddest sprint car race at our track. My dad (Brian) always joked, 'Get them to one race and they're hooked.' It's trying to find new fans to come and come up with ideas to entice them to get there." Liskai said he's talked to fans from around the country — and even one from Australia — about the race. "It's a countrywide event that people come to," he said. "It's been growing and I don't see any slowdown. The appeal across the country is amazing to me. A lot of people take a vacation and come here and then held to Eldora. That helps." From Attica, the sprint cars will head southwest to famed Eldora Speedway for some big-money races this weekend, including the 42nd running of the Kings Royal, which pays $200,000 to the winner. One positive to the race at Attica is the efficiency with which the Outlaws operate. The fast-paced show is designed to finish at about 10 p.m. "Especially on a weeknight it's important to get people in and out," Liskai said. "They gotta go to work the next day." The racing bill consists of four heat races, a C-Main, B-Main, trophy dash and the 40-lap A-Main, which pays $15,000 to the winner. Donny Schatz, a 10-time Outlaws series champion, took second in last year's A-Main, followed by Kyle Larson, Carson Macedo and Corey Day. The race included several caution flags. "It was hard to get into a rhythm and you had no one to base it off of with lapped traffic so it was really hard to know where to be in (turns) one and two," Gravel said afterward. "Every other lap I tried a different lane and the car started getting free and it just kept getting slicker and slicker every lap… 40 laps here the track changes so much." Several area drivers will compete at the Doty, including Cap Henry, Chris Andrews, DJ Foos and Bryce Lucius. Sandusky's Andrews won the C-Main last year. ARP is offering a $2,000 bonus if a local driver wins the A-Main or $1,000 to finish in the top 10. Michael Kofoid won last Saturday's Outlaws race in Wilmot Raceway in Wisconsin. Gravel finished second. Kofoid (seven wins), Carson Macedo, Logan Schuchart and fan favorite Sheldon Haudenschild from Wooster, Ohio, round out the top five in the points standings. Schuchart won the WoO A-Main at Attica in late May. NASCAR star Larson has confirmed that he'll return to Attica on Tuesday. Larson has four wins in nine Outlaws appearances this year. He won the Doty in 2020, 2022 and 2023. Ticket prices top out at $40 for reserved seats. General admission is $38 with ages 11-15 getting in for $20. Fans 10 and under get in free and pit passes are $45. Gates open at 3 p.m. and heat races start at 7:30. Brad Doty Classic winners Attica Raceway Park 1989 – Steve Kinser 1990 – Jack Hewitt 1991 – Bobby Allen 1992 – Rained Out 1993 – Mark Keegan 1994 – Danny Smith 1995 – Randy Kinser 1996 – Dale Blaney 1997 – Tyler Walker 1998 – Jeff Shepard 1999 – Butch Schroeder 2000 – Kelly Kinser 2001 – Danny Smith (2) 2002 – Alvin Roepke 2003 – Dean Jacobs 2004 – Greg Wilson 2005 – Stevie Smith Limaland Motorsports Park 2006 – Joey Saldana 2007 – Jac Haudenschild 2008 – Jason Meyers 2009 – Steve Kinser (2) 2010 – Dale Blaney (2) 2011 – Donny Schatz 2012 – Kerry Madsen 2013 – Donny Schatz (2) 2014 – Paul McMahan 2015 – Rained Out Attica Raceway Park2016 – Donny Schatz (3)2017 – David Gravel2018 – Donny Schatz (4)2019 – Brock Zearfoss2020 – Kyle Larson2021 – Spencer Bayston2022 – Kyle Larson (2)2023 – Kyle Larson (3)2024 – David Gravel (2)