Daryn Pittman Scores 8th Win of 2018 in Dramatic Fashion at Calistoga

CALISTOGA, CA – September 14, 2018 – Daryn Pittman held off Logan Schuchart by a car-length to win his 8th World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series Feature of 2018 Friday night at Calistoga Speedway. Pittman led all 25 laps but shredded a right rear immediately after the checkered and limped his Kasey Kahne Racing No.9 to the scales and to Victory Lane. Schuchart settled for second, just 0.133 seconds behind Pittman, with Rico Abreu completing the podium.

Daryn Pittman drew the pole for the Sears Craftsman Dash and won the six-lap event to earn the pole for the 25-Lap Feature. Pittman used a strong start to lead the first two laps before a Red Flag for Sheldon Haudenschild and Willie Croft halted the action. Both drivers were uninjured. Haudenschild was able to return and run a few laps but was forced back to the pits with lingering issues.

The ensuing double-file restart saw Donny Schatz get by Logan Schuchart for third and begin to put pressure on Abreu for second.

Cory Eliason brought out the Yellow with seven laps complete running sixth.

As Pittman and Abreu powered away from the field, Schuchart was able to get back by Schatz for third on the restart down the backstretch.

The remaining 18 laps went non-stop allowing Pittman to reach the back of the field, forcing the Owasso, OK native to slow his pace out front. Abreu, Schuchart and Schatz closed in on Pittman as the racing surface became locked down. Schatz took third back from Schuchart with five laps remaining and looked poised to make a late-race charge.

With two laps remaining, the top four were nose-to-tail entering turn one. Schuchart muscled his way underneath Schatz to take third down the backstretch, then hit the rubber perfectly off of turn four to take second from Abreu coming to the White Flag.

Schuchart got a big run off turn two and took a peak underneath Pittman for the lead down the backstretch but thought better of it entering turn three. Schuchart turned the car hard left off turn four to try and steal the win but came up .133 short as Pittman collected his 8th win of 2019.

As Pittman went into turn one after the Checkered, his right rear tire blew, and he had to limp his KKR No.9 to the scales.

“I knew something was wrong the last three laps, I must have hit something,” Pittman said about the dramatic ending. “Hopefully we can continue to pick up wins and land a sponsor on this thing, it’s been a good stretch for Kasey Kahne Racing, Brad [Sweet] has obviously been really good this year. I’m so blessed to be able to be out here with my family doing this for a living,” Pittman said as his two daughters hugged him.

Logan Schuchart matched his career-best at the historic Calistoga Speedway with a second-place finish, “It was one of those deals where you wish it would have been one more lap,” the Hanover, PA native said with a smile. “I’m really proud of this team and hopefully we can finish one spot better tomorrow.”

Rico Abreu was the highest finishing local, coming home third with Donny Schatz, who set Fast Time and Brad Sweet completing the top-five.

Joey Saldana was strong all evening finishing sixth with Shane Stewart, 14th-starting Brent Marks, Gio Scelzi and Jacob Allen completing the top-ten. Shane Golobic earned KSE Hard Charger honors, coming from 19th to finish 12th.

The World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series concludes the West Coast portion of its 40th Anniversary Season at Calistoga Speedway tomorrow evening. Tickets are still available. As always, if you can’t make it to the track, watch all the action LIVE on DIRTVision.com!

Feature (25 Laps): 1. 9-Daryn Pittman [1] [$8,000]; 2. 1S-Logan Schuchart [3] [$4,000]; 3. 24-Rico Abreu [2] [$2,500]; 4. 15-Donny Schatz [6] [$2,200]; 5. 49-Brad Sweet [4] [$2,100]; 6. 26-Joey Saldana [7] [$2,000]; 7. 2-Shane Stewart [5] [$1,800]; 8. 19-Brent Marks [14] [$1,600]; 9. 41S-Giovanni Scelzi [10] [$1,500]; 10. 1A-Jacob Allen [8] [$1,300]; 11. 18-Ian Madsen [11] [$1,200]; 12. 17W-Shane Golobic [19] [$1,100]; 13. 5-David Gravel [13] [$1,000]; 14. O-Bud Kaeding [12] [$700]; 15. 83JR-Kyle Hirst [18] [$600]; 16. 83-Cory Eliason [9] [$600]; 17. 11K-Kraig Kinser [22] [$600]; 18. 88N-DJ Netto [24] [$600]; 19. 45-Austen Wheatley [23] [$600]; 20. 7S-Jason Sides [16] [$600]; 21. 37-Mitchell Faccinto [21] [$600]; 22. W20-Greg Wilson [20] [$600]; 23. 17-Sheldon Haudenschild [17] [$600]; 24. 29-Willie Croft [15] [$600]; Lap Leaders: Daryn Pittman 1-25; KSE Hard Charger Award: 17W-Shane Golobic[+7]

Qualifying: 1. 15-Donny Schatz, 15.968; 2. 49-Brad Sweet, 15.982; 3. 1S-Logan Schuchart, 16.031; 4. 9-Daryn Pittman, 16.088; 5. 1A-Jacob Allen, 16.091; 6. 83-Cory Eliason, 16.144; 7. 41S-Giovanni Scelzi, 16.208; 8. 2-Shane Stewart, 16.229; 9. 24-Rico Abreu, 16.281; 10. 26-Joey Saldana, 16.3; 11. 18-Ian Madsen, 16.3; 12. O-Bud Kaeding, 16.309; 13. 5-David Gravel, 16.31; 14. 19-Brent Marks, 16.316; 15. 88N-DJ Netto, 16.327; 16. 7S-Jason Sides, 16.373; 17. W20-Greg Wilson, 16.396; 18. 29-Willie Croft, 16.407; 19. 17W-Shane Golobic, 16.41; 20. 17-Sheldon Haudenschild, 16.45; 21. 83JR-Kyle Hirst, 16.634; 22. 11K-Kraig Kinser, 16.678; 23. 45-Austen Wheatley, 16.83; 24. 37-Mitchell Faccinto, 16.843