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Pittman Powers to 4th Win of Season at Nodak

Daryn Pittman passed Cory Eliason on Lap 22 and never looked back, winning his fourth World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series Feature of 2018 Sunday evening at Nodak Speedway. Pittman hounded the California native for the majority of the race before making the race-winning move in turn one. Pittman’s Kasey Kahne Racing teammate Brad Sweet finished second with Donny Schatz completing the podium.

Eliason won the Sears Craftsman Dash to earn the pole of the 30-lap Feature in his first career start at Nodak Speedway. Eliason powered away on the initial start, as Pittman maneuvered underneath front row starter David Gravell to take command of second down the backstretch of the opening circuit.

The lone caution of the event flew for Jack Croaker on Lap 5. Eliason again motored away on the ensuing restart as Pittman had his hands full with his KKR teammate Sweet. Sweet had the second position at the line on Lap 6, but Pittman muscled back underneath to take the position back the next lap.

Eliason set a strong pace out front in search of his second career Outlaw triumph. But as Eliason worked lapped traffic, the rest of the field closed in. At the halfway point, a blanket could be thrown over the top five.

Pittman reached Eliason’s tail tank on multiple occasions, looking for a way around the Roth Motorsports No.83. Pittman pulled even with Eliason in turn one on Lap 18, but the latter maintained the lead with momentum around the top down the backstretch.

Pittman got another run, this time on the top of three and four, that propelled his Ionomy-sponsored No.9 to the lead into turn one on Lap 22. From there, Pittman proved he was the class of the field, distancing himself and getting through lapped traffic like the veteran he is.

While Pittman pulled away, the war continued behind him. Sweet, Eliason, Schatz and Gravel all jockeyed for position in heavy traffic. Sweet, who at this point had lost his brakes completely, and Schatz shuffled Eliason back to fourth on Lap 25.

Out front though, it was all Daryn Pittman, who went on to win by more than three seconds for his fourth win of the year.

“My car was really good all night long from the moment we unloaded,” Pittman, who set Quick Time and won his Heat Race, said.

“The last few weeks we’ve really been hitting stride. I love winning before we have a week off and I love winning on Father’s Day, I am extremely blessed to travel with my wife and kids out here,” Pittman, the 2007 Outlaw winner at Nodak, added before thanking the large crowd for coming out on a Sunday.

Sweet was pleased with another runner-up finish.

“We were battling with Daryn and Cory the whole race, I actually lost brakes with around ten laps to go and I was just hanging on. You don’t realize how much you need brakes until they are gone,” Sweet said with a smile. “We’ll take another second place and move on to next week,” the Grass Valley, CA native added.

North Dakota’s own Donny Schatz was in good spirits after finishing third and thanked the large crowd for coming out on Father’s Day. “Obviously, we would have liked to get a win, but to be out here on Father’s Day in Minot was great. Thanks to all the fans for their support these past 25 years and for supporting dirt track racing,” Schatz added.

Last year’s winner at Nodak, David Gravel settled for fourth with Eliason getting shuffled back to fifth. Sheldon Haudenschild earned KSE Hard Charger honors coming from 13th to finish sixth. Logan Schuchart, Brent Marks, Ian Madsen and Dominic Scelzi completed the top ten at Nodak.

The World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series continues its 40th Anniversary Season with its first trip to the newly-reconfigured Farley Speedway in Iowa in over 20 years Friday, June 22 before heading back into Wisconsin for a date at Beaver Dam Raceway on Saturday, June 23rd. If you can’t make it to the track, be sure to watch all the action LIVE on DIRTVision.com.

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