At A Glance: Stewart and Pittman Return to their Roots

At A Glance: Stewart and Pittman Return to their Roots
The Oklahoma natives lead the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series north from ‘The Sooner State’ to Missouri and Indiana
CONCORD, N.C. – April 28, 2015 – The World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series takes on three straight nights of racing action this weekend as the series travels to Salina, Okla., Pevely, Mo. and Haubstadt, Ind.

The series’ return to Salina Highbanks Speedway in Oklahoma on Friday represents a homecoming for two series regulars – Daryn Pittman and Shane Stewart. Pittman is a native of Owasso, Okla. while Stewart hails from nearby Bixby, Okla.

Pittman, the 2013 World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series champion, has two wins so far this season – one during DIRTcar Nationals in Florida and another at Antioch Speedway one month ago.

Though he does not have a lot of experience at Salina, Pittman said he looks forward to racing at the 3/8 mile oval every year.

“It’s an awesome racetrack – probably one of the best ones close to Tulsa,” Pittman said. “I had probably only raced there twice before the Outlaws started going there. It’s definitely not a place that I have any sort of advantage or a lot of laps at.”

“(My wife Mandy and I have lived) in Indianapolis for 12 years and I don’t even remotely think of Indiana races as home races for me. My home races are Devil’s Bowl and Salina and places that are close to my friends and family growing up from Oklahoma. I look forward to it. It’s a lot of fun to go back and see people you don’t see very often at those races once a year. For it to be such a cool racetrack makes it even better.”

Stewart, a former Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year award recipient, returned to the World of Outlaws full-time this season for the first time since 2005. He echoed Pittman’s sentiments.

“I haven’t raced at Salina that many times but obviously being born and raised around Tulsa, of course, all my friends and family will be there,” Stewart said. “(The Devil’s Bowl and Salina weekends) were the races I wanted to do good at just because there’s going to be a few sponsor people there with our team and obviously having friends and family there you want to do good in front of them. They’re all busy, working people so they don’t get to travel to come see me race as much as they would like.”

So far this season, Stewart has scored two wins and maintained a steady consistency that has put him just 26 points behind reigning series champion Donny Schatz.

“I’m excited about where we’re at,” Stewart said. “I think we’re in a good position and if we can keep plugging along here and keeping Schatz honest, hopefully when it comes down to Charlotte at the end of the year, hopefully we have a shot. I think if we can keep putting ourselves into position, I think we’ll be OK.”

Following Friday night’s Salina event, the series heads north to Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 in Pevely, Mo. on Saturday night and then Tri-State Speedway in Haubstadt, Ind. on Sunday.

Tickets for the World of Outlaws event at Salina Highbanks Speedway are available by calling (815) 344-2023 or by visiting http://slspromotions.ticketforce.com/ordertickets.asp?p=113&backurl=default.asp . Tickets for Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 are available by visiting http://www.WorldofOutlaws.com/Tickets or by calling the ticket hotline at (877) 395-8606. For advance ticket purchases to the Outlaws’ event at Tri-State Speedway, call (812) 768-6025.