From Bob Jones
Daryn Pittman has been hired by Kasey Kahne Racing to pilot the Great Clips/Sage Fruit No. 9 car for the 2013 racing season on the World of Outlaws tour. “I am very excited to accept the opportunity to drive for Kasey Kahne Racing. KKR is a first class operation from top to bottom and I’m looking forward to seeing what we can accomplish together,” said Pittman.
Although Pittman has spent the past four years racing in Pennsylvania with the PA Posse, he is no stranger to the Outlaw tour. During his career Pittman has compiled over 30 WoO victories and has scored some of the crown jewels of the sport including the King’s Royal, the Historical Big One, the Gold Cup and the Summer Nationals (twice) to name a few.
“I’ve really enjoyed racing in PA these past couple years. Everybody knows the competition is tough and you have the opportunity to race so many nights, that you can really get your program dialed in. The fans are very passionate about the racing out there. Lucky for me they welcomed me into The Posse right off the bat, so that made it even a little more fun. I’m sure I’ve been kicked out by now, but at least I can say I was in there for a while,” he laughed.
“But the bottom line is, I really, really missed being on the tour (WoO). That’s where my heart is and I really feel that is where I belong. I believe if you’re going to be considered one of the best, you need to be racing with the best every night. And believe me, that is no knock on the Posse or anybody else, but I believe the Outlaw tour is the toughest competition night in and night out,” explained Pittman.
“I always knew I wanted to get back out there, but I wouldn’t leave Heffner Racing unless it was for a team that was able to compete for the World of Outlaws Championship. And I know KKR is capable of that. They have the personnel, the resources and everything a team needs to be successful at that level. You don’t get opportunities like this very often, so it was one that I had to take,” said Pittman.
“One thing I need to make clear is that my decision was absolutely no reflection of Mike Heffner or his racing team. Mike is a class act who gave me a great opportunity to drive for an excellent race team. They have excellent equipment, an awesome crew and they just love to race. I mean, we won around 33 races together in three seasons, so that just goes to show how strong their program is. I had a great time racing with them and wish them nothing but the best. I expect to stay friends with all of those guys for a long time,” said Pittman.
As the 2013 season draws closer, for Pittman it can’t start soon enough. “We have the Chili Bowl, a trip to Australia and after that the Florida races will be just around the corner. I’m really excited to get out there and see what we can do. It’s no secret that there will be a lot of eyes watching this team, but we’re up for the challenge and I know we have what it takes to park the Great Clips/Sage Fruit machine in victory lane,” said Pittman.
Stay tuned to www.darynpittman.com for continued news, results and updates of Daryn and the Kasey Kahne Racing team.