Pittman dominates to break free of rut

Daryn Pittman
Daryn Pittman

WEST MEMPHIS -- Daryn Pittman of Owasso, Okla., shrugged off a slow start to his season Friday night, winning the World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series event in front of a capacity crowd at Riverside International Speedway.

"I'm not done yet," said Pittman, who recorded his first top-five finish of the season. "As a driver, when you start off the season like that, you can't help but question yourself and your ability."

Pittman, the 2013 Outlaws champion, took the lead on the opening lap and led 39 of the 40 laps to collect his 73rd career series victory, which moved him into 10th on the all-time Outlaws victories list.

At the drop of the green flag, Pittman moved from second-row starting spot to pass pole-sitter Sheldon Haudenschild of Wooster, Ohio, and Rico Abreu of St. Helena, Calif., for the lead. He stretched the advantage until he was delayed by the lapped car of Australia's Ian Madsen, and Haudenschild passed him for the lead on the eighth lap. But Pittman was able to race past Madsen and Haudenschild for the top spot on the next lap and never trailed again.

At the checkered flag, Pittman's advantage was .518 seconds over second-place Brad Sweet of Grass Valley, Calif., his Kasey Kahne Racing teammate. Paul McMahon of Hendersonville., Tenn., took third.

"I was questioning what to do," said Pittman, who collected $10,000 with the victory. "The bottom [groove] was getting really slow in turns three and four, but my guys told me that Sheldon was banging down the wall and still couldn't quite get by. I figured I would stick to what we were doing, until someone showed me different."

Haudenschild tapped the wall one too many times on lap 20, causing his sprinter to spin and tip over. He was able to continue and limped to a 19th-place finish.

Abreu finished fourth, and 21st-place starter David Gravel of Watertown, Conn., took fifth. Rounding out the top 10 were Joey Saldana of Brownsburg, Ind.; Hunter Schuerenburg of Sikeston, Mo.; four-time defending Outlaws champion Donny Schatz of Fargo, N.D.; Jason Johnson of Eunice, La.; and Kraig Kinser of Bloomington, Ind.

Marion's Derek Hagar was the only Arkansan competing in the event. He started eighth in the main event and finished 11th.

World of Outlaws

WEST MEMPHIS — Friday night’s feature race results from the World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series event from Riverside International Speedway with finishing position, driver, hometown, starting position in parentheses, laps completed and earnings:

  1. Daryn Pittman, Owasso, Okla. (4), 40, $10,000

  2. Brad Sweet, Grass Valley, Calif. (9), 40, $5,500

  3. Paul McMahon, Hendersonville, Tenn. (7), 40, $3,200

  4. Rico Abreu, St. Helena, Calif. (3), 40, $2,800

  5. David Gravel, Watertown, Conn. (21), 40, $2,500

  6. Joey Saldana, Brownsburg, Ind. (13), 40, $2,300

  7. Hunter Schuerenberg, Sikeston, Mo. (5), 40, $2,200

  8. Donny Schatz, Fargo, N.D. (16), 40, $2,100

  9. Jason Johnson, Eunice, La. (11), 40, $2,050

  10. Kraig Kinser, Bloomington, Ind. (12), 40, $2,000

  11. Derek Hagar, Marion (8), 40, $1,500

  12. Jason Sides, Bartlett, Tenn. (17), 40, $1,200

  13. Logan Schuchart, Hanover, Pa. (23), 40, $1,100

  14. Kerry Madsen, Australia (14), 40, $1,050

  15. Cory Eliason, Selma, Calif. (22), 40, $1,000

  16. Shane Stewart, Bixby, Okla. (18), 40, $900

  17. Brent Marks, Myerstown, Pa. (25), 40, $850

  18. Carson Short, Marion, Ill. (15), 40, $800

  19. Sheldon Haudenschild, Wooster, Ohio (1), 39, $800

  20. Howard Moore, Memphis (19), 39, $800

  21. Cale Thomas, Fairland, Ind. (10), 39, $800

  22. Ian Madsen, Australia (24), 37, $800

  23. Jacob Allen, Hanover, Pa. (6), 14, $800

  24. Sammy Swindell, Germantown, Tenn. (2), 8, $800

  25. Ernie Ainsworth, Bartlett, Tenn. (20), 5, $800

Lap leaders — Pittman 1-7, Haudenschild 8, Pittman 8-40.

Top qualifier — Haudenschild, 11.746 seconds (76.622 mph).

Heat winners — Pittman, Schuerenberg, Abreu, Swindell.

Dash winner — Haudenschild. B-Main winner — Gravel.

Sports on 04/22/2018

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