Daryn Pittman Scores Ninth WoO Win Of 2018 In Convincing Fashion At Lakeside Speedway

Story By: ANTHONY CORINI / WORLD OF OUTLAWS – KANSAS CITY, KS – Daryn Pittman scored his ninth World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series Feature win of the season in convincing fashion, leading every lap of the FVP Platinum Battery Shootout at Lakeside Speedway.

Donny Schatz extended his points lead with a runner-up finish and Sheldon Haudenschild completed the podium. It was Pittman’s 81st career World of Outlaws win and second at Lakeside with his prior triumph coming 15 years ago in 2003.

Pittman won the Sears Craftsman Dash to earn the pole for the 30-lap Feature, alongside Logan Schuchart. Pittman held off an early charge from Schuchart to take command of the field.

A fast racing surface allowed Pittman to reach lapped traffic on Lap 8. The Oklahoma veteran negotiated traffic well, before the lone caution flag of the Feature fell on Lap 12 as heartbreak struck second-place running Logan Schuchart. Schuchart smoked down the frontstretch before coming to stop in turn one, ending his evening.

Sheldon Haudenschild assumed second place alongside Pittman with Jason Sides and Donny Schatz in row two of the double-file restart.

Pittman powered away from the field with a strong restart as Haudenschild and Schatz waged war for the second spot with the nine-time and defending Series Champion taking the position for good on Lap 16.

Schatz narrowed Pittman’s lead, but the Kasey Kahne Racing, Ionomy-sponsored No.9 remained proficient through traffic.

The best battle on the race track was between Jason Sides, Brad Sweet and Joey Saldana, aboard the Jason Johnson Racing No.41, as the trio utilized the entire the Lakeside Speedway racing surface battling for the fifth position.

Back up front, Schatz continued to close in on Pittman, but time was running out. With five laps remaining, Pittman maintained good speed on the cushion as Schatz was a car-length lower than him, desperately trying to reel him in.

Pittman stayed strong up top and rode the cushion to victory, a mere .586 seconds ahead of Schatz.

“This place is always been a track I’ve enjoyed coming to. If your car is good, you can get by guys and as a racer that’s all you can ask for,” Pittman said speaking fondly of Lakeside Speedway.

“Hats off to my guys, my car was great. It was a lot of fun, lapped traffic was tight, but I could move around and maintain speed everywhere. Man, these wins are hard to come by. I’ve been doing this a long time and they never get easier,” Pittman said with a smile next to his KKR No.9.

Schatz settled for second and kept things simple after the race, “That’s the way it goes sometimes. We got ourselves up there to compete for the win but didn’t get it. We’ll try again tomorrow.”

In his second career Lakeside appearance, Sheldon Haudenschild landed on the podium for the second consecutive year, finishing third. “The 9 and 15 were good, I like this place, it’s wide and fast. It’s definitely cool to have Ricky [Stenhouse Jr.] here and a couple of the NASCAR boys, we’ll try again tomorrow,” Haudenschild said next to his NOS Energy Drink sponsored Stenhouse Jr-Marshall No.17.

Shane Stewart was strong all night and finished fourth with Joey Saldana finishing fifth in his debut aboard the JJR No.41.

Brad Sweet, Jason Sides, Ian Madsen, Kraig Kinser and Brent Marks completed the all-Outlaw top-ten. Brock Zearfoss, in his Lakeside debut, earned KSE Hard Charger honors coming from the LCS to finish 11th.

The World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series continues its 40th Anniversary Season tomorrow with a return to Dodge City Raceway Park in Dodge City, KS. Weather has prevented the Series from racing there since 2015, don’t miss this year’s Boot Hill Showdown.

Feature (30 Laps): 1. 9-Daryn Pittman [1][$10,000]; 2. 15-Donny Schatz [7][$5,500]; 3. 17-Sheldon Haudenschild [3][$3,200]; 4. 2-Shane Stewart [5][$2,800]; 5. 41-Joey Saldana [8][$2,500]; 6. 49-Brad Sweet [4][$2,300]; 7. 7S-Jason Sides [6][$2,200]; 8. 18-Ian Madsen [10][$2,100]; 9. 11K-Kraig Kinser [9][$2,050]; 10. 19-Brent Marks [13][$2,000]; 11. 4-Brock Zearfoss [19][$1,500]; 12. 2M-Kerry Madsen [11][$1,200]; 13. 21-Brian Brown [12][$1,100]; 14. 5-David Gravel [15][$1,050]; 15. 15H-Sam Hafertepe [18][$1,000]; 16. 97G-Hunter Schuerenberg [14][$900]; 17. 1A-Jacob Allen [20][$800]; 18. 35L-Cody Ledger [24][$800]; 19. 33M-Mason Daniel [17][$800]; 20. W20-Greg Wilson [22][$800]; 21. 2C-Wayne Johnson [23][$800]; 22. 1S-Logan Schuchart [2][$800]; 23. 12-Lynton Jeffrey [21][$800]; 24. 1X-Don Droud [16][$800]; Lap Leaders: Daryn Pittman 1-30; KSE Hard Charger Award: 4-Brock Zearfoss[+8]

Qualifying: 1. 49-Brad Sweet, 13.626; 2. 7S-Jason Sides, 13.734; 3. 1S-Logan Schuchart, 13.744; 4. 2-Shane Stewart, 13.758; 5. 9-Daryn Pittman, 13.76; 6. 17-Sheldon Haudenschild, 13.764; 7. 18-Ian Madsen, 13.799; 8. 41-Joey Saldana, 13.814; 9. 21-Brian Brown, 13.831; 10. 15-Donny Schatz, 13.833; 11. 2M-Kerry Madsen, 13.844; 12. 11K-Kraig Kinser, 13.909; 13. 1X-Don Droud, 13.964; 14. 1A-Jacob Allen, 13.969; 15. 5-David Gravel, 13.98; 16. 19-Brent Marks, 13.985; 17. 97G-Hunter Schuerenberg, 13.997; 18. 4-Brock Zearfoss, 14.022; 19. W20-Greg Wilson, 14.024; 20. 12-Lynton Jeffrey, 14.04; 21. 15H-Sam Hafertepe, 14.117; 22. 2C-Wayne Johnson, 14.123; 23. 33M-Mason Daniel, 14.226; 24. 35L-Cody Ledger, 14.302; 25. 8H-Jade Hastings, 14.395; 26. 91-Adam Gullion, 14.853; 27. 91X-Riley Kreisel, 15.125