At A Glance: Big Momentum for Kasey Kahne Racing as the Series Heads to Vegas and Phoenix

This week the Series takes on the FVP Outlaw Showdown presented by Dollar Loan Center at the Dirt Track at Las Vegas and the NAPA Desert Shootout at Arizona Speedway

Story By: AARON FIEDLER / WoO CRAFTSMAN SERIES MEDIA     Photos By: DICK AYERS / RACERSGUIDE.COM

CONCORD, NC- March 2, 2016- As the World of Outlaws Craftsman® Sprint Car Series continues its march west this week to the FVP Outlaw Showdown presented by Dollar Loan Center at the Dirt Track at Las Vegas and the NAPA Desert Shootout at Arizona Speedway near Phoenix, one team has staked its claim early as one to watch – Kasey Kahne Racing with Mike Curb.

The two cars of Daryn Pittman and Brad Sweet rolled through DIRTcar Nationals with precision and speed and carried the momentum to Cotton Bowl Speedway and Royal Purple Raceway Park last weekend.

Together, they have claimed four of the five series wins and three quick times. Sweet has finished in the top-five all five nights so far this season with four podium finishes while Pittman has done it four times with three podium finishes.

The early dominance gives the teammates big momentum as they head into this weekend and the month-and-a-half-long western stretch.

“We have had a good start with Daryn winning one and me winning three. That puts us four out of five to start the year,” Sweet said. “It’s great to have momentum and start the year strong, it means a lot because it shows how hard the guys have worked in the offseason and how great the equipment is that Kasey gives us to race with.”

Pittman said he and his team are focused on being the best that they can be every night and not taking anything for granted.

“We’re confident but it doesn’t do you any good to get over confident because things change in a hurry and it’s hard to win races,” Pittman said. “But we have been really fortunate that our cars have been fast and the way the format works out, both of us have been able to start close to the front and battle for the win.”

After running well out West in 2013 and 2014, last season, Pittman, the 2013 World of Outlaws Craftsman® Sprint Car Series champion, struggled and was sidelined for one weekend after an injury at Placerville.

“I am looking forward to getting back and redeeming ourselves a little bit out there,” Pittman said.

As for Las Vegas, it is a place where he and his team have seen some speed but have had problems that resulted in bad finishes. In spite of that, he said he looks forward to coming to Las Vegas every year.

For Sweet, his success comes as he and crew chief Lee Stauffer take on their first full season together. Stauffer replaced Mike Carber in the role late last summer. Sweet said getting more experience and developing a working relationship with Stauffer helped through the end of last season and into the early part of this season.

“It’s great how we finished last year and we felt like we finished strong,” Sweet said. “It seems like in sprint car racing the older you get, the better you get and it feels like I’m starting to get more into the prime and where I would like to be.”

After the World of Outlaws Craftsman® Sprint Car Series leaves Las Vegas and Phoenix, the series heads to California for 11 nights of racing, kicking off at Thunderbowl Raceway in Tulare on March 11 and ending at Perris (Calif.) Auto Speedway on April 16.

Sweet said he is keeping everything in prospective as the grueling 90-race season takes shape.

“It is a long season, and I know by the time July and August comes around, the west coast swing feels like forever ago,” Sweet said. “Also I have a little more experience this year and realize how long a season is and I am a lot more prepared for it for sure.”

Tickets for the FVP Outlaw Showdown presented by Dollar Loan Center at the Dirt Track at Las Vegas on Thursday and Friday, March 3 and 4 and the NAPA Desert Shootout at Arizona Speedway on Sunday, March 6 are available by calling 844-DIRT-TIX (347-8849), or visiting WorldofOutlaws.com/Tickets.

DRIVER INFO
The following World of Outlaws Craftsman® Sprint Car Series drivers maintain websites:
Jacob Allen – Shark1s1a.com
David Gravel – DavidGravel89.com
Jason Johnson – JasonJohnsonRacing.com
Kraig Kinser – KraigKinser.com
Terry McCarl – TerryMcCarl.com
Paul McMahan – PaulMcMahanRacing.com
Daryn Pittman – DarynPittman.com
Joey Saldana – JoeySaldanaRacing.com
Donny Schatz – DonnySchatz.com
Logan Schuchart – Shark1s1a.com
Jason Sides – SidesMotorsports.com
Shane Stewart – ShaneStewart.com
Brad Sweet – Bradsweetracing.com
Greg Wilson – GregWilsonRacing.com
For more driver information, visit: WoOsprint.com

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).

LIVE ONLINE UPDATES: Watch live pay-per-view of the FVP Outlaw Showdown presented by Dollar Loan Center onDIRTVision.com. Listen live for free on the DIRTVision Radio Network as the Outlaws take on both the Dirt Track at Las Vegas and the NAPA Desert Shootout at Arizona Speedway.

GET SOCIAL: Follow the World of Outlaws Craftsman® Sprint Car Series on Twitter atwww.twitter.com/WorldofOutlaws, like it on Facebook at www.facebook.com/WorldofOutlaws, follow on Instagram at @WoOSprint or check out the latest videos on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/WorldofOutlaws. The official hashtag is #WoOCraftSCS.

COMING UP NEXT: The World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series heads west to California as it takes on Thunderbowl Raceway in Tulare for two nights on March 11 and 12.

World of Outlaws Craftsman® Sprint Car Series Championship Standings

2016 STAT ATTACK
There have been 5 World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series features this season.

Winners (3 Different Drivers)
Rank Driver, Hometown – Wins
1. – BRAD SWEET, Grass Valley, Calif. – 3
2. – DARYN PITTMAN, Owasso, Okla. – 1
– DONNY SCHATZ, Fargo, N.D. – 1

Total Laps Led (5 Different Drivers)
Rank Driver, Hometown – Laps

1. – DARYN PITTMAN, Owasso, Okla. – 67
2. – BRAD SWEET, Grass Valley, Calif. – 47
3. – JOEY SALDANA, Brownsburg, Ind. – 32
4. – DONNY SCHATZ, Fargo, N.D. – 9
5. – CHAD KEMENAH, Findlay, Ohio – 4

Pole Positions (3 Different Drivers)
Rank Driver, Hometown – Poles

1. – DARYN PITTMAN, Owasso, Okla. – 2
– JOEY SALDANA, Brownsburg, Ind. – 2
3. – CHAD KEMENAH, Findlay, Ohio – 1

Hard Charger Award (4 Different Drivers)
Rank Driver, Hometown – H.C. Awards

1. – PAUL MCMAHAN, Nashville, Tenn. – 2
2. – JASON JOHNSON, Eunice, La. – 1
– KERRY MADSEN, St. Marys, New South Wales, Austrailia – 1
– JOEY SALDANA, Brownsburg, Ind. – 1

Time Trial leaders (3 Different Drivers)
* (1) championship driver point will be awarded to the Time Trial leader
Rank Driver, Hometown – Quick Times

1. – DARYN PITTMAN, Owasso, Okla. – 2
2. – BRAD SWEET, Grass Valley, Calif. – 1
– DANNY LASOSKI, Dover, Mo. – 1

Podium Finishes (9 Different Drivers)
Rank Driver, Hometown – Finishes in the Top-Three

1. – BRAD SWEET, Grass Valley, Calif – 4
2. – DARYN PITTMAN, Owasso, Okla. – 3
3. – DONNY SCHATZ, Fargo, N.D. – 2
4. – DALE BLANEY, Hartford, Ohio – 1
– DAVID GRAVEL, Watertown, Conn. – 1
– JOEY SALDANA, Brownsburg, Ind. – 1
– SHANE STEWART, Bixby, Okla. – 1
– SAMMY SWINDELL, Germantown, Tenn. – 1
– LUCA WOLFE, Mechanicsburg, Pa. – 1

Heat Race Winners (12 Different Drivers)
Rank Driver, Hometown – Win

1. – BRAD SWEET, Grass Valley, Calif. – 3
2. – DAVID GRAVEL, Watertown, Conn. – 3
3. – DARYN PITTMAN, Owasso, Okla. – 2
– JOEY SALDANA, Brownsburg, Ind. – 2
5. – GREG HODNETT, Spring Grove, Pa. – 1
– JASON JOHNSON, Eunice, La. – 1
– DANNY LASOSKI, Dover, Mo. – 1
– BRENT MARKS, Myerstown, Pa. – 1
– LOGAN SCHUCHART, Hanover, Pa. – 1
– SHANE STEWART, Bixby, Okla. – 1
– SAMMY SWINDELL, Germantown, Tenn. – 1
– LUCAS WOLFE, Mechanicsburg, Pa. – 1

Last Chance Showdown Winners (5 Different Drivers)
Rank Driver, Hometown – Wins

1. – JACOB ALLEN, Hanover, Pa. – 1
– KRAIG KINSER, Bloomington, Ind. – 1
– PAUL MCMAHAN, Nashville, Tenn. – 1
– AUSTIN MCCARL, Altoona, Iowa – 1
– JOEY SALDANA, Brownsburg, Ind. – 1

Dash Draw Selection (5 Dashes)
Number – Times Picked

0 – 2
4 – 2
6 – 0
8 – 1

Feature Winnings (Platinum Drivers)
Rank Driver, Hometown – Winnings

1. – BRAD SWEET, Grass Valley, Calif. – $38,300
2. – DARYN PITTMAN, Owasso, Okla. – $24,600
3. – DONNY SCHATZ, Fargo, N.D. – $20,900
4. – JOEY SALDANA, Brownsburg, Ind. – $11,300
5. – SHANE STEWART, Bixby, Okla. – $11,000
6. – DAVID GRAVEL, Watertown, Conn. – $9,550
7. – JASON JOHNSON, Eunice, La. – $7,200
8. – KRAIG KINSER, Bloomington, Ind. – $6,400
9. – PAUL McMAHAN, Nashville, Tenn. – $6,250
10.– JASON SIDES, Bartlett, Tenn. – $6,050
11.– LOGAN SCHUCHART, Hanover, Pa. – $5,750
12.- GREG WILSON, Benton Ridge, Ohio – $4,600
13.- TERRY MCCARL, Altoona, Iowa – $2,900
14.– JACOB ALLEN, Hanover, Pa. – $2,825

2016 World of Outlaws Craftsman® Sprint Car Series Schedule & Winners
No. / Day, Date / Track / Location / Winner (Number of Wins in 2016)

1. Friday, Feb. 12 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, Fla. / Brad Sweet (1)
2. Saturday, Feb. 13 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, Fla. / Donny Schatz (1)
3. Sunday, Feb. 14 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, Fla. / Brad Sweet (2)
4. Friday, Feb. 26 / Cotton Bowl Speedway / Paige, Tex. / Brad Sweet (3)
5. Saturday, Feb. 27 / Royal Purple Raceway Park / Baytown, Tex. / Daryn Pittman (1)

The World of Outlaws Craftsman® Sprint Car Series is brought to fans across the country by many important sponsors and partners, including: Bad Boy Buggies (Official Side-by-Side Vehicle), Craftsman (Official Tool), Hoosier Racing Tire (Official Tire), Morton Buildings (Official Building), Sears (Official Home Store), The Kenny Wallace Dirt Racing Experience (Official Racing Experience) and VP Racing Fuels (Official Racing Fuel); in addition to contingency sponsors, including: Cometic Gasket, Comp Cams, Edelbrock, JE Pistons, KSE Racing Products, Mobil 1, MSD, Penske Shocks, Sweet Manufacturing and Superflow Dynos; along with manufacturer sponsors, including: Impact Racing Products, Intercomp, Racing Electronics, S&S Volvo and TNT Rescue.