From Aaron Fielder
Baytown, TX — (February 27, 2016) — After coming just short the night before, Daryn Pittman was redeemed Saturday night as he scored the O’Reilly Auto Parts presents the World of Outlaws hosted by Kasey Kahne at Royal Purple Raceway Park, his first World of Outlaws Craftsman® Sprint Car Series victory of the season.
This is a big relief, Pittman said. I have had a lot of races slip away from me as the driver. My cars have been fast and we have been up front, but these races are just so hard to win so when you put yourself in position youve got to get the job done. Weve let too many of these slip away.
Pittmans Kasey Kahne Racing with Mike Curb teammate Brad Sweet passed him on the final turn of the final lap for the win on Friday night at Cotton Bowl Speedway. It was the second time since the start of the season Sweet had passed Pittman on the final lap for a win.
The wins by Sweet and Pittman capped off a Kasey Kahne Racing sweep of the Texas weekend.
Pittman took the feature green flag in his Great Clips/Team ASE No. 9 from the front row with Sheldon Haudenschild starting on his outside.
Pittman pulled out to an early lead over Haudenschild, as fifth place starter Jason Johnson in the Priority Aviation/MVT No. 41 made his way to the third position, passing reigning series champion Donny Schatz.
An early caution allowed Johnson and Schatz to pass Haudenschild who began to slip back.
With a track that allowed two and three lanes of racing, Johnson, Schatz and fourth-place starter Shane Stewart swapped the runner-up position back-and-forth, allowing Sweet to join the battle.
As Pittman started to encounter lapped traffic, the rest of the top five closed the gap on the leader creating a five-car battle for the lead near the halfway point in the feature.
Pittman increased the margin between he and the rest of the top five as Schatz worked his way past Johnson who slipped back to fifth after bobbling on the bottom of the race track. As Schatz claimed the second position, the leader controlled a one second lead with just 10 laps left.
With 5 laps remaining, Schatz reeled in the leader as he set up a shootout that Pittman has seen many times already this season. Schatz tried multiple times to complete a pass for the lead on the inside, but could not build up enough momentum to complete the pass.
Pittman fought off the hard charges from Schatz as he held on for his first victory of the World of Outlaws season.
[Jason] Sides gave me a heart attack there at the end, Pittman said. He beat me off of turn four to the line and I didnt see who it was until we had already passed the flag stand. I dont remember lapping him so I just thought we lost again off of turn four coming to the checkered. Im not sure how I wouldve dealt with another one like that back-to-back.
Thats all I had physically. Im probably in the best physical shape that Ive ever been in my life to start a season but the race track was just so physically demanding, especially up top where I was running most of the race.
Schatz finished second after fending off a late-race challenge from Stewart. After the feature, Schatz said his car was good and that he tried everything to get the victory but Pittman was really good tonight and they had the best car.
Stewarts third-place finish was his best so far of the season.
A podium finish is good because we have been struggling a little bit this year, Stewart said. Last year we struggled in Florida then went to Vegas and were able to win the first night out, and last night we werent able to do that. We got our work cut out for us. The KKR (Kasey Kahne Racing) guys have stepped their program up from last year and we have to get a little bit quicker.
Statement Regarding the Qualifying Change at Royal Purple Raceway Park
Due to a critical failure of the electronic timing and scoring system during qualifying time trials at Royal Purple Raceway Park on Saturday night, World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series officials made to the decision to line up Heat races based on the qualifying pill draw. The extraordinary circumstance is covered by Rule 5.6C.
The World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series will continue the western swing when the series travels to Sin City for the FVP Outlaw Showdown at the Dirt Track at Las Vegas (Nev.) for a double header on Thursday, March 3 and 4.
Follow the World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series on Twitter at www.twitter.com/WorldofOutlaws, like it on Facebook at www.facebook.com/WorldofOutlaws, or check out the latest videos on YouTube atwww.youtube.com/WorldofOutlaws.
Royal Purple Raceway Notebook
RACE NOTES: Kasey Kahne Racing has won four of five events so far in 2016. Donny Schatz has the only other victory… Brad Sweet snapped his streak of only top two finishes this season, but kept alive his top five finish streak… Joey Saldana picked up his first KSE Hard Charger Award after winning the last chance showdown to get into the feature.
CONTINGENCY WINNERS MSD Ignitions ($25 cash): Ray Allen Kulhanek; MSD Ignitions ($50 cash): Daryn Pittman; Sweet Manufacturing ($50 cash): N/A; Penske Shocks ($50 cash): Donny Schatz; Mobil 1 ($50 cash): Jason Sides; JE Pistons ($50 cash): Joey Saldana; VP Racing Fuels ($50 cash): Kraig Kinser; Edelbrock ($50 cash): Joey Saldana; Comp Cams ($50 cash): Joey Saldana; Cometic Gasket($50 cash): Logan Schuchart; Super Flow ($50 cash): Jason Sides; Sweet Manufacturing ($50 product certificate): Daryn Pittman; KSE Racing Products ($100 product certificate): Joey Saldana; Comp Cams($50 product certificate): Daryn Pittman; Mobil 1 (20% off Mobil1RacingStore.com): Ray Allen Kulhanek; JE Pistons (Set of Rings): Travis Rilat; JE Pistons (Set of Rings): Ray Allen Kulhanek.
SEASON WINNERS: Brad Sweet 3 (Volusia Speedway Park on Feb. 13, Volusia Speedway Park on Feb. 14, Cotton Bowl Speedway on Feb. 26); Daryn Pittman 1 (Royal Purple Raceway Park); Donny Schatz 1 (Volusia Speedway Park on Feb. 14).
World of Outlaws Craftsman® Sprint Car Series Statistical Report; Royal Purple Raceway; Baytown, Texas; Feb. 27, 2016
A-Main – (40 Laps) – 1. 9-Daryn Pittman [1] [$10,000]; 2. 15-Donny Schatz [3]; 3. 2-Shane Stewart [4]; 4. 49-Brad Sweet [13]; 5. 41-Jason Johnson [5]; 6. 5-David Gravel [15]; 7. 17W-Bryan Clauson [6]; 8. 11K-Kraig Kinser [16]; 9. 31B-Sheldon Haudenschild [2]; 10. 83-Joey Saldana [21]; 11. 1S-Logan Schuchart [18]; 12. 87-Aarin Reutzel [9]; 13. 7-Paul McMahan [10]; 14. 7S-Jason Sides [12]; 15. 1-Sammy Swindell [7]; 16. 29-Travis Rilat [23]; 17. 19M-Brent Marks [8]; 18. 1A-Jacon Allen [19]; 19. 8M-T.J. Michael [17]; 20. 21T-Ray Kulhanek [22]; 21. 2C-Wayne Johnson [11]; 22. 33-Danny Lasoski [20]; 23. 82-Dusty Zomer [24]; 24. 15H-Sam Hafertepe [14]. Lap Leaders: Daryn Pittman 1-40. KSE Hard Charger Award: 83-Joey Saldana [+11]
Heat 1 – (8 Laps – Top 5 finishers transfer to the A-feature) – 1. 1-Sammy Swindell [2]; 2. 15-Donny Schatz [5]; 3. 87-Aarin Reutzel [3]; 4. 49-Brad Sweet [7]; 5. 8M-T.J. Michael [4]; 6. 17X-Dustin Gates [8]; 7. 33M-Jon Agan [6]; 8. 1M-Freddie McCall [9]; 9. 13-Clyde Knipp [1]
Heat 2 – (8 Laps – Top 5 finishers transfer to the A-feature) – 1. 19M-Brent Marks [2]; 2. 17W-Bryan Clauson [1]; 3. 7-Paul McMahan [3]; 4. 15H-Sam Hafertepe [5]; 5. 1S-Logan Schuchart [7]; 6. 17-Josh Baughman [4]; 7. 21T-Ray Kulhanek [6]; 8. 45X-Johny Herrera [9]; 9. W20-Greg Wilson [8]
Heat 3 – (8 Laps – Top 5 finishers transfer to the A-feature) – 1. 2-Shane Stewart [1]; 2. 31B-Sheldon Haudenschild [2]; 3. 2C-Wayne Johnson [3]; 4. 5-David Gravel [5]; 5. 1A-Jacon Allen [4]; 6. 83-Joey Saldana [9]; 7. 82-Dusty Zomer [7]; 8. 19-Klint Angelette [6]; 9. 24-Terry McCarl [8]
Heat 4 – (8 Laps – Top 5 finishers transfer to the A-feature) – 1. 41-Jason Johnson [2]; 2. 9-Daryn Pittman [1]; 3. 7S-Jason Sides [4]; 4. 11K-Kraig Kinser [3]; 5. 33-Danny Lasoski [6]; 6. 29-Travis Rilat [5]; 7. 88-Scottie McDonald [7]; 8. 2M-Wes Miller [8]
Dash – (6 Laps, finishing order determined first 8 starting positions of A-feature) – 1. 9-Daryn Pittman [1]; 2. 31B-Sheldon Haudenschild [2]; 3. 15-Donny Schatz [4]; 4. 2-Shane Stewart [6]; 5. 41-Jason Johnson [5]; 6. 17W-Bryan Clauson [3]; 7. 1-Sammy Swindell [8]; 8. 19M-Brent Marks [7]
Last Chance Showdown – (12 Laps – Top 4 finishers transfer to the A-feature) – 1. 83-Joey Saldana [3]; 2. 21T-Ray Kulhanek [6]; 3. 29-Travis Rilat [4]; 4. 82-Dusty Zomer [7]; 5. W20-Greg Wilson [14]; 6. 17X-Dustin Gates [1]; 7. 45X-Johny Herrera [10]; 8. 19-Klint Angelette [11]; 9. 88-Scottie McDonald [8]; 10. 33M-Jon Agan [5]; 11. 1M-Freddie McCall [9]; 12. 2M-Wes Miller [12]; 13. 17-Josh Baughman [2]; 14. 13-Clyde Knipp [13]; 15. 24-Terry McCarl [15]
World of Outlaws Craftsman® Sprint Car Series Championship Standings
| Pos. |
Car |
Driver |
Total |
Diff |
Wins |
Top 5’s |
Top 10’s |
QT |
| 1 |
49 |
Brad Sweet |
739 |
0 |
3 |
5 |
5 |
1 |
| 2 |
9 |
Daryn Pittman |
700 |
-39 |
1 |
4 |
4 |
2 |
| 3 |
15 |
Donny Schatz |
684 |
-55 |
1 |
3 |
4 |
0 |
| 4 |
83 |
Joey Saldana |
676 |
-63 |
0 |
2 |
4 |
0 |
| 5 |
2 |
Shane Stewart |
666 |
-73 |
0 |
2 |
4 |
0 |
| 6 |
5 |
David Gravel |
656 |
-83 |
0 |
2 |
4 |
0 |
| 7 |
1 |
Sammy Swindell |
642 |
-97 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
| 8 |
41 |
Jason Johnson |
616 |
-123 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
| 9 |
7 |
Paul McMahan |
616 |
-123 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
| 10 |
11k |
Kraig Kinser |
614 |
-125 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
| 11 |
17W |
Bryan Clauson |
610 |
-129 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
| 12 |
7s |
Jason Sides |
610 |
-129 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
| 13 |
2L |
Danny Lasoski |
587 |
-152 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
| 14 |
1S |
Logan Schuchart |
580 |
-159 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
| 15 |
W20 |
Greg Wilson |
566 |
-173 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 16 |
24 |
Terry McCarl |
512 |
-227 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 17 |
1A |
Jacob Allen |
506 |
-233 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 18 |
13 |
Clyde Knipp |
450 |
-289 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 19 |
27 |
Greg Hodnett |
420 |
-319 |
0 |
2 |
3 |
0 |
| 20 |
1B |
Dale Blaney |
410 |
-329 |
0 |
1 |
3 |
0 |