Daryn Pittman won with the WoO Saturday night at Billings (Dave Biro - DB3 Imaging)
BILLINGS, MT – August 25, 2018 – Daryn Pittman got by Jacob Allen on a double-file restart halfway through the race and never looked back, scoring his second consecutive win at Big Sky Speedway and capturing his sixth World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series victory of 2018. Allen settled for second with Donny Schatz completing the podium.
For the second consecutive night, Jacob Allen won the Sears Craftsman Dash, earning the pole for the 35-Lap Feature. Allen drag raced with fellow front row starter Pittman the entire opening lap and edged ahead off of turn four to lead Lap 1.
The first 15 laps went non-stop, forcing Allen to negotiate lapped traffic and allowing Pittman and Schatz to close in. Brent Marks had a right rear explode, bringing out the first of a handful of cautions.
The ensuing double-file restart saw Allen elect the top of the speedway. Allen fought off two Pittman slidejobs to maintain control and lead Lap 16 before the yellow flew for Dominic Scelzi, who lost the handle of his family-owned machine off of turn one.
The caution restacked the field double-file once again, but this time the veteran Pittman prevailed over young Allen, controlling the field off of turn two to lead Lap 17.
A pair of cautions for Alan Gilbertson and Jason Sides gave Allen ample opportunity to steal the lead back from Pittman, but the Owasso, OK native was too strong on the double-file restarts and motored away.
The final caution of the evening came with four to go as Sheldon Haudenschild’s engine gave out. With less than five laps to go in the Feature, Outlaw rules dictate single-file restarts, giving Allen a different chance to wrestle the lead back. Allen stayed with Pittman on the restart, but couldn’t mount a serious challenge as Pittman went on to win by .904 seconds.
“To get this win the way the last few months have been is really something special. Man, our last win was tough,” Pittman said solemnly before thanking his Kasey Kahne Racing crew for their continued support.
“There’s nothing better than winning these races, you never know when your last one is going to be,” Pittman, who now has 78 career Outlaw wins, added. "As you can see there’s nothing on the side of this car and there’s no better way to sign a sponsor than by winning races. That’s my job, to go out there and focus on putting this car in Victory Lane so I can keep this job and keep doing what I love,” Pittman said before thanking the sellout crowd at Big Sky Speedway.
Jacob Allen’s first World of Outlaws win continues to elude him, but the young Hanover, PA native remains in good spirits. “Leading laps and running up front is a lot of fun. Obviously, I want to get that first win, but to be able to be on the podium, finish top-five and contend for a win against these guys is something to be proud of and I’m proud of my race team,” Allen said positively.
Donny Schatz was pleased to come home third but wished the race got into more lapped traffic. “It’s fun to be in traffic, but that wasn’t in the cards tonight. Third is pretty respectable, the race track was fun and that’s all you can ask for as a racer. Full house tonight, thank you guys for being here, it was an awesome night for all of us,” Schatz said in good spirits.
Brad Sweet picked up KSE Hard Charger honors coming forward to fourth with Kraig Kinser completing the top five.
The World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series continues its trek west to Washington and has a pair of dates at Skagit Speedway this upcoming weekend Friday, August 31 and Saturday, September 1 in Alger, WA. Following that, the Series will head to Grays Harbor Raceway in Elma on Monday, September 3rd before making its lone appearance inOregon at Willamette Speedway on Wednesday, September 5.
If you can’t make it to the track, be sure to watch all the action LIVE on DIRTVision.com!