Leads Every Lap In A-Main; Gains Momentum Heading Into World Finals
Story By: BREDAN CAPERIA / WOO SERIES MEDIA
Photos By: DAVE DALESANDRO / RACERSGUIDE.COM
PRYOR, OK – October 23, 2016 – Daryn Pittman returned to his winning ways on the World of Outlaws Craftsman® Sprint Car Series tour Saturday night, winning the O’Reilly Auto Parts Twister Showdown at Salina Highbanks Speedway. Pittman’s trip down victory lane was his eighth of the season.
With the win, Pittman – like his teammate Brad Sweet the night before – shattered a winless streak that spanned four months. His last victory was at Williams Grove (Pa.) Speedway on July 22. Pittman made his return to victory lane convincing, as he led all 31 laps of the night’s feature in his No. 9 Kasey Kahne Racing with Mike Curb GF1 car.
“We haven’t really been struggling, but I haven’t been able to finish the job and get the win,” Pittman said. “We’ve been there knocking on the door, and it’s the driver’s job to be able to finish and get the win. Our team has really been working hard and the car’s fast. It’s good to finally reward them with a win. It’s been too long. Hopefully we can use this momentum headed into Charlotte – we always seem to run well there – and get the win there.”
By the courtesy of the Craftsman Club® Draw, Pittman led the 24-car field into the green flag. Pittman held his ground in the opening laps. A notably shift in the podium was last year’s winner and Oklahoma-native Shane Stewart, who moved into the podium by passing David Gravel’s No. 5 CJB Motorsports GF1 racecar.
Two cautions on the seventh lap ultimately caused a single-file restart. While Pittman extended his lead to nearly a .400-second margin, the same interval separated Stewart and Gravel. The two battled side-by-side, until Gravel reclaimed third position.
Pittman consistently extended his lead. Pittman had a 2.323 advantage with 10 laps remaining, and behind him, the podium began to shuffle. Jason Johnson, who was forced to use a backup car because of a wreck the night before, began to charge to the front. Johnson solidified fourth position; he started eighth in the feature.
Pittman led as much as 3.799 seconds with six laps remaining, and was on his way to the checkers. But, the race’s final caution on the last lap of the race regrouped the field, giving hope to those drivers behind him. In a green-white-checkered scenario, Pittman led the single-file restart with Gravel behind him. Johnson’s No. 41 Jason Johnson Racing Maxim car was in fourth.
On the restart, Gravel dove to the bottom of the 3/8-mile oval to contend with Pittman for the lead. Pittman slammed the door on Gravel exiting turn four and turn two heading to the checkers. Though Gravel ran out of real estate, Johnson did not for third position. In the closing lap, Johnson made his move into the final podium position in turn three, redeeming the weekend from an 11th place finish on Friday night.
“This car is a car we ran previously this season,” Johnson said. “We had a lot of confidence in it, and all of our Maxim cars. We build a chain of them through the winter months, and they have a lot of similarities. Tonight, when we get in a predicament like that to get a car down, we know what to expect. We had to get down tonight after the wipeout last night in the heat race.”
Pittman joined fellow Kasey Kahne Racing teammate Sweet as the weekend’s feature winners. The duo ended their droughts that dated back to July. Both picked up their eighth win of the season.
Earlier in the program, Gravel recorded his second-consecutive quick time and heat win of the weekend – also in a backup ride. Gravel owed his strong performance to his engine, and said his consistently fast laps will give him momentum leading into the Bad Boy Off Road World Finals on October 27-29.
“Qualifying as good as we have, we keep putting ourselves in a good position,” said Gravel, visibly distraught that he could not get Pittman in the final laps for his 10th win. “We’ve had good motors, and we’re putting in the good, fresh ones now. They’re showing [up]. We just can’t get good feature finishes. So, glad to come home on the podium heading to Charlotte.”
Salina HighbanksSpeedway Notebook
RACE NOTES: Daryn Pittman led every lap of the 31-lap feature, winning his eighth World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series feature of the season. Pittman established his dominance early, but it was not until late in the race when he got challenged by David Gravel in the final two laps. In a green-white-checkered situation, Pittman fended-off Gravel. Jason Johnson, starting eighth in the feature, made a late push to round-out the podium.
CONTINGENCY WINNERS: MSD Ignitions ($25 cash): Clyde Knipp; MSD Ignitions ($50 cash): Daryn Pittman; Penske Shocks ($50 cash): Donny Schatz; JE Pistons ($50 cash): Shane Stewart; VP Racing Fuels ($50 cash): Brad Sweet; Edelbrock ($50 cash): Joey Saldana; Comp Cams ($50 cash): Greg Wilson; Morton Buildings ($50 cash): Greg Wilson; Cometic Gasket ($50 cash): Jason Sides; Super Flow ($50 cash): Jacob Allen; Craftsman Club Fast Five ($100 cash): Daryn Pittman, David Gravel, Shane Stewart, Logan Schuchart; Craftsman/Sears: Ian Madsen; KSE Hard Charger: Matt Covington; Comp Cams ($50 product certificate): Daryn Pittman; JE Pistons (Set of Rings): Jacob Allen; JE Pistons (Set of Rings): Logan Schuchart
SEASON WINNERS: Donny Schatz – 24(Volusia Speedway Park on Feb. 14, The Dirt Track at Las Vegas on March 4, Stockton Dirt Track on March 18, Stockton Dirt Track on March 19, Silver Dollar Speedway on April 2, Lincoln Speedway on May 19, Weedsport Speedway on May 22, Lincoln Park Speedway on June 8, Knoxville Raceway on June 11, River Cities Speedway on June 17, Rockford Speedway on June 29, Badlands Motor Speedway on July 3, Cedar Lake Speedway on July 9, Attica Raceway Park on July 12, Eldora Speedway on July 16, Ohsweken Speedway on July 26, Junction Motor Speedway on August 16, Angell Park Speedway on August 21, River Cities Speedway on August 26, Nodak Speedway on August 28, Willamette Speedway on September 7, Clay County Fair Speedway on September 16, Lernerville Speedway on September 24, Fulton Speedway on October 8); David Gravel – 9 (Thunderbowl Raceway on March 12, Tri-State Speedway on May 14, I-96 Speedway on June 6, Eldora Speedway on July 14, Lernerville Speedway on July 19, Wilmot Raceway on July 30, Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 on Aug. 5, Skagit Speedway on Sept 2 and 3); Shane Stewart – 8 (Arizona Speedway on March 6, Devil’s Bowl Speedway on April 23, Lawrenceburg Speedway on May 30, Granite City Speedway on June 15, Brown County Speedway on June 19, Silver Dollar Speedway on September 9; Hartford Speedway on September 22; Eldora Speedway on September 24); Brad Sweet – 8 (Volusia Speedway Park on Feb. 13, Volusia Speedway Park on Feb. 14, Cotton Bowl Speedway on Feb. 26, Ocean Speedway on April 1, Bakersfield Speedway on April 15, Plymouth Speedway on May 13, Badlands Motor Speedway on July 2; Lakeside Speedway on October 21); Daryn Pittman – 8 (Royal Purple Raceway on Feb. 27, Perris Auto Speedway on April 16, USA Raceway on April 18, New Egypt Speedway on May 24, Jackson Motorplex on June 24, Eldora Speedway on July 15, Williams Grove Speedway on July 22; Salina Highbanks Speedway on October 22); Joey Saldana – 5 (The Dirt Track at Las Vegas on March 3, Devil’s Bowl Speedway on April 22, Jacksonville Speedway on May 4, I-80 Speedway on June 22, U.S. 36 Raceway on September 17); Jason Johnson – 3 (Placerville Speedway on March 24, Knoxville Nationals on August 13, El Paso County Raceway on September 14); Lance Dewease – 2 (Williams Grove Speedway on May 20, Williams Grove Speedway on July 23); Kerry Madsen – 2 (Eldora Speedway on May 6 and 7); Rico Abreu – 2 (Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 on Aug. 6, Silver Dollar Speedway on September 10); Logan Schuchart – 2 (Cedar Lake Speedway on July 9; Port Royal Speedway on October 15); Bill Balog – 1 (Beaver Dam Raceway on June 25); Chad Kemenah – 1 (Fremont Speedway on June 3); Terry McCarl – 1 (Knoxville Raceway on June 10); Jason Sides – 1 (I-30 Speedway on April 26); Greg Wilson – 1 (The Dirt Track at Charlotte on May 27); Danny Dietrich – 1 (Williams Grove Speedway on October 14)
World of Outlaws Craftsman® Sprint Car Series Statistical Report; Salina Highbanks Speedway, Okla.; Oct. 22, 2016
Feature – (31 Laps due to green-white-checkered finish) -1. 9-Daryn Pittman [1] [$10,000]; 2. 5-David Gravel [3] [$5,500]; 3. 41-Jason Johnson [8] [$3,200]; 4. 18-Ian Madsen [2] [$2,800]; 5. 2-Shane Stewart [4] [$2,500]; 6. 99-Brady Bacon [10] [$2,300]; 7. 15-Donny Schatz [5] [$2,200]; 8. 49-Brad Sweet [12] [$2,100]; 9. 83-Joey Saldana [7] [$2,050]; 10. 45X-Johnny Herrera [14] [$2,000]; 11. W20-Greg Wilson [9] [$1,500]; 12. 7S-Jason Sides [13] [$1,200]; 13. 7-Paul McMahan [19] [$1,100]; 14. 82-Sammy Swindell [17] [$1,050]; 15. 12-Lynton Jeffrey [16] [$1,000]; 16. 95-Matt Covington [23] [$900]; 17. O9-Matt Juhl [20] [$800]; 18. 5J-Jeremy Schultz [18] [$800]; 19. 17W-Kerry Madsen [11] [$800]; 20. 1A-Jacob Allen [15] [$800]; 21. 71A-R.J. Johnson [22] [$800]; 22. 1S-Logan Schuchart [6] [$800]; 23. 13-Clyde Knipp [24] [$800]; 24. 2C-Wayne Johnson [21] [$800] Lap Leaders: Daryn Pittman 1-31 KSE Hard Charger Award: 95-Matt Covington[+7]
Qualifying –1. 5-David Gravel, 11.688; 2. 2-Shane Stewart, 11.758; 3. 18-Ian Madsen, 11.778; 4. 9-Daryn Pittman, 11.849; 5. 15-Donny Schatz, 11.851; 6. 1S-Logan Schuchart, 11.857; 7. 83-Joey Saldana, 11.886; 8. 41-Jason Johnson, 11.888; 9. 1A-Jacob Allen, 11.896; 10. 99-Brady Bacon, 11.899; 11. 17W-Kerry Madsen, 11.911; 12. W20-Greg Wilson, 11.931; 13. 7S-Jason Sides, 11.952; 14. 7-Paul McMahan, 11.972; 15. 49-Brad Sweet, 12.040; 16. 12-Lynton Jeffrey, 12.046; 17. 82-Sammy Swindell, 12.062; 18. O9-Matt Juhl, 12.157; 19. 2C-Wayne Johnson, 12.193; 20. 71A-R.J. Johnson, 12.210; 21. 5J-Jeremy Schultz, 12.218; 22. 13-Clyde Knipp, 12.238; 23. 45X-Johnny Herrera, 12.244; 24. 95-Matt Covington, 12.414; 25. 7W-Tasker Phillips, 12.722; 26. 53-Brett Wilson, 13.854
Heat 1 – (8 Laps – Top 6 finishers transfer to the A-feature) -1. 5-David Gravel [1] ; 2. 9-Daryn Pittman [2] ; 3. 83-Joey Saldana [3] ; 4. 99-Brady Bacon [4] ; 5. 7S-Jason Sides [5] ; 6. 12-Lynton Jeffrey [6] ; 7. 13-Clyde Knipp [8] ; 8. 2C-Wayne Johnson [7] ; 9. 7W-Tasker Phillips [9]
Heat 2 – (8 Laps – Top 6 finishers transfer to the A-feature) -1. 2-Shane Stewart [1] ; 2. 15-Donny Schatz [2] ; 3. 41-Jason Johnson [3] ; 4. 17W-Kerry Madsen [4] ; 5. 45X-Johnny Herrera [8] ; 6. 82-Sammy Swindell [6] ; 7. 71A-R.J. Johnson [7] ; 8. 53-Brett Wilson [9] ; 9. 7-Paul McMahan [5]
Heat 3 – (8 Laps – Top 6 finishers transfer to the A-feature) -1. 18-Ian Madsen [1] ; 2. 1S-Logan Schuchart [2] ; 3. W20-Greg Wilson [4] ; 4. 49-Brad Sweet [5] ; 5. 1A-Jacob Allen [3] ; 6. 5J-Jeremy Schultz [7] ; 7. O9-Matt Juhl [6] ; 8. 95-Matt Covington [8]
Craftsman Club® Dash – (6 Laps, finishing order determined first 6 starting positions of A-feature) -1. 9-Daryn Pittman [1] ; 2. 18-Ian Madsen [2] ; 3. 5-David Gravel [4] ; 4. 2-Shane Stewart [3] ; 5. 15-Donny Schatz [5] ; 6. 1S-Logan Schuchart [6]
Last Chance Showdown – (12 Laps – Top 6 finishers transfer to the A-feature) -1. 7-Paul McMahan [1] [-]; 2. O9-Matt Juhl [2] [-]; 3. 2C-Wayne Johnson [3] [-]; 4. 71A-R.J. Johnson [4] [-]; 5. 95-Matt Covington [6] [-]; 6. 13-Clyde Knipp [5] [-]; 7. 53-Brett Wilson [8] [$300]; 8. 7W-Tasker Phillips [7] [$250]
