Pittman Scores Southern Oregon Win
Gets his 13th World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series win of the season
MEDFORD, Ore. – Sept. 3, 2014 – Daryn Pittman faced stiff battles with Joey Saldana and Kraig Kinser on his way to a 13th World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series win at Wednesday night’s Rogue Valley Showdown at Southern Oregon Speedway.
Pittman’s toughest obstacle though just might have been the yellow flags that plagued much of the feature on the 1/3 mile oval. Though it was on the second caution of the night that Pittman took over the lead in his Great Clips car, he was forced to contend with five others and a red flag as the leader.
“I wasn’t liking the cautions for sure,” said Pittman, an Owasso, Okla. native. “You know, you’re running it through your head that that’s how you got the lead was on the outside on a restart so it could easily happen to you. I didn’t really know what to do if I should block someone on the outside of me going into one or just concentrate on hitting the bottom and hope that they didn’t get a run.
“So I just stuck with the bottom and luckily no one was able to get by us. You never know what to do with those and man that seemed like a lot of caution laps. I didn’t even feel that great on the single files. I knew somebody could still get a shot at it.”
Kraig Kinser led the field to the green as the first caution flew on lap one. As the field returned to green Kinser jumped out to a strong lead that evaporated with another caution on lap four. When the field again went back to green, Pittman got his shot, driving around Kinser and taking over the lead before the field could complete another lap.
“It was really tricky going into one,” Pittman said. “It was really slick on the bottom, so I knew if I had a shot it was going to be on a restart. When (Kinser) lifted to hit the moisture in the bottom of one I could just maybe sail through the middle. I really didn’t think I could get back in front of him before he picked up the moisture off of two. I just had a good car and it worked perfect. I knew getting out front and getting down to the bottom was going to be key.”
Farther back a battle was underway for second, third and fourth as Joey Saldana, in his Motter Equipment car, fought Cody Darrah, and Donny Schatz tried to advance from a fifth place starting position. Five more caution flags flew that saw Darrah lose a right rear and helped Paul McMahan battle forward.
On the restart for that fifth caution, McMahan got together with Kraig Kinser. The contact left Kinser flipping down the front stretch. When the wreck was over, Shane Stewart’s night was done and David Gravel’s car was damaged.
“I was fortunate to be on the inside lane for a lot of the restarts and you know on that last restart, I’m trying to get through the bottom, Kraig’s trying to get by me and we got together,” said McMahan, who finished the night in third in his CJB Motorsports car. “It’s unfortunate for them. I feel bad for Kraig. He’s a great racer.”
Two more yellows followed, including one with just two to go that led to a green-white-checkered to close out the feature. Pittman won, holding off Saldana, who finished second, and McMahan in third.
“Kale (Kahne), Kolten (Gouse) and (Mike) Carber, they always give me a great car,” Pittman said. “This was just a great team effort and a good car that was a lot of fun to drive.”
The World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series continue its drive south with two nights at the Gold Cup Race of Champions at Silver Dollar Speedway in Chico, Calif. on Sept. 5 and 6. The Outlaws then take on Antioch Speedway on Sept. 7 before returning to the Midwest.
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SOUTHERN OREGON SPEEDWAY NOTES: Daryn Pittman scored his 13th win of the season… Donny Schatz’s podium streak which extended to 18 races ended Wednesday night… Donny Schatz scored his seventh quick time of the season… Brad Sweet was the KSE Hard Charger Award recipient for the night after advancing 13 positions in the A main to finish in fifth.
SEASON WINNERS: Donny Schatz – 20 (Volusia Speedway Park on Feb. 15, The Dirt Track at Las Vegas on March 6, Devil’s Bowl Speedway on April 19, Lawrenceburg Speedway on May 27, I-96 Speedway on May 31, River Cities Speedway on June 20, 34 Raceway on June 27, Cedar Lake Speedway on June 29, Lernerville Speedway on July 15, Autodrome Drummond on July 26, Cornwall Motor Speedway on July 27, Ohsweken Speedway on July 29, Knoxville Raceway on Aug. 9, Junction Motor Speedway on Aug. 12, Nodak Speedway on Aug. 17, Castrol Raceway on Aug. 22 and Aug. 23, Skagit Speedway on Aug. 29 and Aug. 30 and Grays Harbor Raceway on Sept. 1); Daryn Pittman – 13 (Thunderbowl Raceway on March 14, Calistoga Speedway on April 6, Devil’s Bowl Speedway on April 19, Williams Grove Speedway on May 16 and May 17, Orange County Fair Speedway, May 18, New Egypt Speedway, May 20, Dodge City Raceway Park on July 4 and 5, Lincoln Speedway on July 17, Fulton Speedway on July 23, River Cities Speedway on Aug. 15 and Southern Oregon Speedway on Sept. 3); Kerry Madsen – 5 (Stockton Dirt track on March 22, El Paso Speedway Park on April 15, Lakeside Speedway on June 7, Eldora Speedway on July 12 and Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 on Aug. 3); Joey Saldana – 5 (Perris Auto Speedway on April 12, Salina Highbanks on April 25, The Dirt Track at Charlotte on May 23, I-80 Speedway on June 6 and Jackson Speedway on June 13); Brad Sweet – 5 (Volusia Speedway Park on Feb. 14, Tucson International Raceway on March 8, Calistoga Speedway on April 5, Knoxville Raceway on June 14 and Beaver Dam Raceway on June 28); David Gravel – 4 (Merced Speedway on March 28, Eldora Speedway on May 3, Wilmot Raceway on May 9 and Lebanon Valley Speedway on July 20); Paul McMahan – 4 (The Dirt Track at Las Vegas on March 5, Tri-State Speedway on May 10, Limaland Motorsports Park on July 9 and Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 on Aug. 1);Cody Darrah – 2 (Kings Speedway on April 11 and Lernerville Speedway on July 15); Shane Stewart – 2 (Eldora Speedway on May 2 and Willamette Speedway on Sept. 2); Sammy Swindell – 2 (Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 on April 26 and Eldora Speedway on July 11); Rico Abreu – 1 (Thunderbowl Raceway on March 15);Christopher Bell – 1 (Jacksonville Speedway on May 7); Dale Blaney – 1 (Attica Raceway Park on May 30); Lance Dewease – 1 (July 20 at Williams Grove Speedway); Greg Hodnett – 1 (July 18 at Williams Grove Speedway); Roger Crockett – 1 (I-94 Speedway on June 21); Mark Dobmeier – 1 (Huset’s Speedway on July 2); Steve Kinser – 1 (Volusia Speedway Park on Feb. 16); Stevie Smith – 1 (Lincoln Speedway on May 14).
World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series Statistical Report; Southern Oregon Speedway; Medford, Ore.; Sept. 3, 2014
A-Main – (30 Laps) – 1. 9-Daryn Pittman [2] [$6,000]; 2. 71M-Joey Saldana [7] [$3,500]; 3. 51-Paul McMahan [10] [$2,000]; 4. 15-Donny Schatz [5] [$1,800]; 5. 49-Brad Sweet [18] [$1,500]; 6. 7S-Jason Sides [6] [$1,400]; 7. 29-Kerry Madsen [17] [$1,350]; 8. 11-Steve Kinser [4] [$1,300]; 9. 3C-Jonathan Allard [14] [$1,250]; 10. 4-Cody Darrah [3] [$1,200]; 11. 88N-DJ Netto [11] [$900]; 12. 83-David Gravel [15] [$800]; 13. 44W-Austen Wheatley [21] [$700]; 14. 7-Kevin Smith [22] [$650]; 15. 2J-Jonathan Jorgenson [13] [$600]; 16. 11K-Kraig Kinser [1] [$550]; 17. 2-Shane Stewart [20] [$500]; 18. 18-Jason Solwold [9] [$500]; 19. 89-Branden Mansfield [23] [$500]; 20. 1s-Logan Schuchart [12] [$500]; 21. 19-Keith Bloom [19] [$500]; 22. 1A-Jacob Allen [8] [$500]; 23. 21W-Vern Wheeler [16] [$500]. Lap Leaders: Kraig Kinser 1-4, Daryn Pittman 5-30. KSE Hard Charger Award: 49-Brad Sweet [+13]
Qualifying – 1. 15-Donny Schatz, 12.357; 2. 11-Steve Kinser, 12.503; 3. 4-Cody Darrah, 12.608; 4. 71M-Joey Saldana, 12.701; 5. 11K-Kraig Kinser, 12.769; 6. 18-Jason Solwold, 12.795; 7. 51-Paul McMahan, 12.806; 8. 9-Daryn Pittman, 12.862; 9. 88N-DJ Netto, 12.888; 10. 7S-Jason Sides, 12.899; 11. 1s-Logan Schuchart, 12.902; 12. 1A-Jacob Allen, 12.903; 13. 2J-Jonathan Jorgenson, 12.926; 14. 3C-Jonathan Allard, 12.940; 15. 83-David Gravel, 12.940; 16. 21W-Vern Wheeler, 12.960; 17. 29-Kerry Madsen, 12.969; 18. 49-Brad Sweet, 12.981; 19. 19-Keith Bloom, 13.096; 20. 2-Shane Stewart, 13.175; 21. 44W-Austen Wheatley, 13.182; 22. 7-Kevin Smith, 13.279; 23. 89-Branden Mansfield, 13.438
Heat 1 – (8 Laps – Top 6 finishers transfer to the A-feature) – 1. 7S-Jason Sides [1]; 2. 51-Paul McMahan [2]; 3. 71M-Joey Saldana [3]; 4. 15-Donny Schatz [4]; 5. 19-Keith Bloom [7]; 6. 7-Kevin Smith [8]; 7. 2J-Jonathan Jorgenson [5]; 8. 21W-Vern Wheeler [6]
Heat 2 – (8 Laps – Top 6 finishers transfer to the A-feature) – 1. 9-Daryn Pittman [2]; 2. 1s-Logan Schuchart [1]; 3. 11-Steve Kinser [4]; 4. 11K-Kraig Kinser [3]; 5. 3C-Jonathan Allard [5]; 6. 2-Shane Stewart [7]; 7. 29-Kerry Madsen [6]; 8. 89-Branden Mansfield [8]
Heat 3 – (8 Laps – Top 6 finishers transfer to the A-feature) – 1. 1A-Jacob Allen [1]; 2. 4-Cody Darrah [4]; 3. 88N-DJ Netto [2]; 4. 18-Jason Solwold [3]; 5. 49-Brad Sweet [6]; 6. 83-David Gravel [5]; 7. 44W-Austen Wheatley [7]
Dash – (6 Laps, finishing order determined first 8 starting positions of A-feature) – 1. 11K-Kraig Kinser [2]; 2. 9-Daryn Pittman [1]; 3. 4-Cody Darrah [4]; 4. 11-Steve Kinser [5]; 5. 15-Donny Schatz [6]; 6. 7S-Jason Sides [7]; 7. 71M-Joey Saldana [3]; 8. 1A-Jacob Allen [8]