From Anthony Corini
ALGER, WA (September 1, 2017) – Brad Sweet led the first eight laps before getting together with a slower car and collecting second place running Daryn Pittman. Shane Stewart assumed the lead and never looked back, scoring his sixth win of the 2017 season. Jason Johnson and Jac Haudenschild completed the podium on Night 1 of the Outlaw Energy Showdown at Skagit Speedway with the World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Cars.
With an inversion of six, Sweet and Kraig Kinser shared the front row of the Craftsman Club Dash. In an action-packed event Sweet powered around Kinser earning the pole position for the 30-lap Feature.
In the Feature, Sweet was strong early as was his Kasey Kahne Racing teammate, Pittman. Pittman made his bid for the lead on the backstretch of the eighth circuit but Sweet muscled back ahead to lead the lap.
The following lap, off of turn four, a chain reaction sent the slower car of Austen Wheatley into the front end of Brad Sweet’s Ollie’s Bargain Outlet No. 49 ultimately sending the car down the track into his teammate Pittman. Pittman and Clyde Knipp, who was also a lapped down, had nowhere to go on the tight 3/10th mile racing surface.
Both Pittman and Sweet were able to make repairs and return to the rear of the field. Shane Stewart, who was just inches away from being collected as well, assumed the lead with Kinser, Jason Johnson and Jac Haudenschild in tow. ‘The Wild Child’ used a great restart on the top to shoot into the runner-up position and begin chasing down Stewart for the lead.
A pair of double-file restarts, for cautions on lap 10 and 18 respectively, gave Haudenschild a chance for the lead but the Wooster, Ohio veteran couldn’t get close enough to mount a serious challenge. With seven to go, Haudenschild took a chance ultimately opening the door for Johnson to squeeze by for second.
A yellow with five to go gave the field one last chance to steal the win from Stewart. To no avail as the Bixby, OK native piloted the Larson/Marks Racing No.2 to Victory Lane for the sixth time in 2017. Johnson, who has never finished worse than fourth at Skagit, settled for second with Haudenschild scoring a strong podium finish in the Stenhouse Jr./Wood Racing No. 17. Donny Schatz and Jac’s son, Sheldon, completed the top five. Greg Wilson picked up KSE Hard Charger honors coming from 14th to sixth. Pittman and Sweet made it back forward to tenth and 12th, respectively.
The World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series returns to the Skagit Speedway Saturday evening for the conclusion of the Outlaw Energy Showdown. For more information and a link to purchase tickets, click here.