Daryn Pittman Cashes In $20,000 With Fourth Career Front Row Challenge Win

Story By: BILL WRIGHT / OSKALOOSA CHALLENGE – OSKALOOSA, IA – Daryn Pittman became the first four-time winner of the prestigious 24th Annual Sage Fruit Front Row Challenge presented by Musco Lighting Monday night.

The Owasso, Oklahoma native cashed in $20,000 for his win aboard the Roth Motorsports #83. In addition, Pittman’s crew chief, Brent Ventura, was named Snap-On Tools “Mechanic of the Race,” good for an impact wrench set. Nebraska’s Jason Martin was victorious in the $1,000 to win IMCA Racesaver 305 sprint car main event.

Before a lap could be completed in the feature, Rusty Hickman went upside down. He walked away. Finishing second to Cory Eliason in the $1,000 Keith Hutton Memorial “King of the Hill” Max presented by DeBerg Concrete, Pittman led from the outset of the 30-lapper. Early on, Pittman’s lead came ahead of Eliason and Carson Macedo.

Pittman pulled away from the field and entered lapped traffic by the seventh circuit. Behind him, defending champion, Kyle Larson, was on the move. Larson took fourth from Ian Madsen on lap eight, and third from Macedo on lap 13.

Pittman’s lead at the halfway mark was 4.4 seconds over Eliason, and he had put five lapped cars between himself and second. Larson gained speed int eh middle stages, grabbing second from Eliason on lap 16. Pittman kept cruising, however, and built his lead to 6.5 seconds with ten to go.

Pittman rolled the bottom well. Larson gained a little ground, trailing by 2.8 seconds with five to go, but he ran out of time chasing Pittman, who lapped up to tenth place. Following Pittman and Larson were Eliason, Macedo and Brian Brown. Hard-charger Brad Sweet, Madsen, Parker Price-Miller, Danny Dietrich and James McFadden rounded out the top ten.

Pittman set quick time over the 31-car field, while Skylar Gee, Brock Zearfoss, Eliason and Shane Stewart were heat winners taking home plenty of contingencies, including $500 from Rudeen Racing. Andrew Schuerle claimed the B main.

In the 15-lap 305 feature, Elliot Amdahl led lap one, but it was all Jason Martin after that to claim the $1,000 prize. The event saw a number of cautions, but each time, Martin would pull away.

Trevor Grossenbacher advanced from row four to nail down second with three to go. Mike Moore ran a steady race to finish third. Colin Smith was fourth, ahead of hard-charger, Adam Gullion, who was disqualified in his heat. Amdahl, Tyler Thompson, Stu Snyder and Val Urman completed the top ten. Jack Potter and Martin were heat race winners.

24th Annual Sage Fruit Front Row Challenge presented by Musco Lighting Results

Sage Fruit Front Row Challenge Main Event (started), 30 laps: 1. 83, Daryn Pittman, Owasso, OK (2) 2. 57, Kyle Larson, Elk Grove, CA (6) 3. 26, Cory Eliason, Visalia, CA (1) 4. 2, Carson Macedo, Lemoore, CA (3) 5. 21, Brian Brown, Grain Valley, MO (10) 6. 49, Brad Sweet, Grass Valley, CA (14) 7. 18, Ian Madsen, St. Mary’s, NSW, Aust. (4) 8. 71P, Parker Price-Miller, Kokomo, IN (5) 9. 48, Danny Dietrich, Gettysburg, PA (8) 10. 9, James McFadden, Warrnambool, VIC, Aust. (15) 11. 5, Shane Stewart, Bixby, OK (9) 12. 41s, Dominic Scelzi, Fresno, CA (11) 13. 13, Mark Dobmeier, Grand Forks, ND (16) 14. 99, Skylar Gee, Leduc, ALB, Can. (17) 15. 14, Marcus Dumesny, Sydney, NSW, Aust. (23) 16. 1, Travis Rilat, Heath, TX (19) 17. 17w, Shane Golobic, Fremont, CA (22) 18. 44s, Trey Starks, Puyallup, WA (7) 19. Chase Johnson, Penngrove, CA (20) 20. 2AU, Andrew Schuerle, Brisbane, QLD, Aust. (21) 21. 2KS, Austin McCarl, Altoona, IA (18) 22. 70, Brock Zearfoss, Jonestown, PA (13) 23. 87, Aaron Reutzel, Clute, TX (12) 24. 45, Rusty Hickman, Bendigo, VIC, Aust. (24). Lap Leader: Pittman 1-30. KSE/Capital Renegade $250 Hard-charger: Sweet. Snap-On Mechanic of the Race: Brent Ventura.

Seafoam Motor Treatment/Wicked Energy Gum $500 Quick Time: Daryn Pittman, 15.703 seconds.

Heat one (started, qualified for feature), 8 laps: 1. Skylar Gee (1) 2. James McFadden (2*) 3. Kyle Larson (4*) 4. Daryn Pittman (6*) 5. Mark Dobmeier (3*) 6. Brian Brown (5*) 7. 44, Chris Martin, Ankeny, IA (7) 8. 19, Bob Weuve, Newton, IA (8)

Heat two (started, qualified for feature), 8 laps: 1. Brock Zearfoss (2) 2. Trey Starks (4*) 3. Andrew Schuerle (1) 4. Brad Sweet (3*) 5. Parker Price-Miller (5*) 6. Ian Madsen (6*) 7. 21P, Robbie Price, Cobble Hill, BC, Can. (7) 8. 2K, Kevin Ingle, Huron, SD (8)

Heat three (started, qualified for feature), 8 laps: 1. Cory Eliason (4) 2. Marcus Dumesny (1) 3. Carson Macedo (6*) 4. Chase Johnson (2*) 5. Austin McCarl (3*) 6. Aaron Reutzel (5*) 7. 7s, Jeff Swindell, Bartlett, TN (7) 8. 85, Chase Wanner, Agency, IA (8)

Heat four (started, qualified for feature), 8 laps: 1. Shane Stewart (5) 2. Shane Golobic (1) 3. Travis Rilat (2*) 4. Dominic Scelzi (5*) 5. Rusty Hickman (7) 6. Danny Dietrich (6*) 7. Skylar Prochaska 35 (3)

DeBerg Concrete $1,000 Keith Hutton Memorial “King of the Hill” Max, 2 laps: Round one: Daryn Pittman, Ian Madsen / Parker Price-Miller, Trey Starks Round two: Cory Eliason, Carson Macedo / Kyle Larson, Danny Dietrich Final Round: 1. Cory Eliason (2) 2. Daryn Pittman (1) 3. Carson Macedo (4) 4. Ian Madsen (3)

B Main (started), 12 laps: 1. Andrew Schuerle (2) 2. Shane Golobic (4) 3. Marcus Dumesny (1) 4. Rusty Hickman (6) / 5. Jeff Swindell (8) 6. Robbie Price (7) 7. Chris Martin (3) 8. Kevin Ingle (10) 9. Chase Wanner (9) 10. Bob Weuve (5) DNS – Skylar Prochaska

IMCA Racesavers

A main (started), 15 laps: 1. 5x, Jason Martin, Lincoln, NE (1) 2. 95, Trevor Grossenbacher, Bennet, NE (7) 3. 69, Mike Moore, Des Moines, IA (8) 4. o5, Colin Smith, Sheldon, IA (6) 5. 91JV, Adam Gullion, Lincoln, NE (17) 6. 51A, Elliot Amdahl, Flandreau, SD (2) 7. 48T, Tyler Thompson, Des Moines, IA (5) 8. 5, Stu Snyder, Waverly, NE (10) 9. 46+2, Val Urman, Urbandale, IA (11) 10. 15, Jack Potter, Lee’s Summit, MO (4) 11. 82c, Christian Kinnison, Fort Worth, TX (3) 12. 43MB, Tim Fricke, Hastings, NE (13) 13. 15K, Kaitlyn Boland, Columbia, MO (9) 14. 43, Jake Greenwood, Woodward, IA (15) 15. 16w, Weston Miller, Stillwater, OK (12) 16. 45, Joe Miller, Vail, IA (14) 17. 12P, Ryan Navratil, Des Moines, IA (16) DNS – 24, Kade Higday, Des Moines, IA. Lap Leaders: Amdahl 1, Martin 2-15. Hard-charger: Gullion.

Heat one (started), 8 laps: 1. Jack Potter (2) 2. Elliot Amdahl (4) 3. Christian Kinnison (6) 4. Kaitlyn Boland (1) 5. Tyler Thompson (8) 6. Trevor Grossenbacher (9) 7. Weston Miller (7) 8. Jake Greenwood (5) 9. Kade Higday (3)

Heat two (started), 8 laps: 1. Jason Martin (6) 2. Colin Smith (1) 3 Mike Moore (4) 4. Val Urman (3) 5. Stu Snyder (7) 6. Tim Fricke (5) 7. Joe Miller (8) 8. Ryan Navratil (9) DQ (No Scales, crossed 2nd) Adam Gullion (2)