Daryn Pittman Gains Momentum Heading Into Knoxville
August 5, 2008
By Bob Jones

Racing is a demanding sport.  Over the course of a season a racing team experiences highs and lows, ups and downs, and a roller coaster ride of emotions.  Heading into what is commonly known as “The Month of Money”, Daryn Pittman’s 2008 racing season on the Advanced Auto Parts World of Outlaws Tour certainly hadn’t been what any of the Titan Racing USA Team had hoped for.  The team found themselves sitting 11th in points and despite some solid runs, had yet to crack into the winner’s circle.  That would all change at Eldora Speedway for the 25th running of the Kings Royal.
“We’ve just had some really bad luck this year.  We’ve been in position to win a couple times when circumstances happen that take us out of the race.  But I’m a firm believer that you make your own luck out here racing with the Outlaws.  All it takes is one race to turn your season around.  And that is exactly what happened at Eldora,” said Pittman.  “We were to the point that we just needed to win a race…any race, but for it to happen at one of the big ones is just an added bonus.  Sure it pays good, but to know my name is up there with some of the great ones to have won that race is a real honor.  That is something they can’t take away from us,” said “King Daryn the 25th”.

The Kings Royal victory lit a fire under the Titan Racing Team because just two nights later Pittman found himself battling Donny Schatz for the win at the Summer Nationals at Williams Grove Speedway.  A restart with three laps to go gave Pittman the chance he needed to make the pass for the lead.  “I knew I only had one shot, so I had to make it a good one.  I threw a slide job at Donny and I was really surprised not to see him drive back under me.  Our car was really good that night and passing the 15 car for the win proved that, because it sure hasn’t happened much this year,” he said.

Since then Pittman has notched an Outlaw victory at Wilmot Speedway and also won the Front Row Challenge at Oskaloosa, IA.  “More than anything, these races gave us the confidence to know we can beat these guys.  Winning races really boosts the team’s spirits and gets everybody pumped up.  I feel like we have built up some good momentum winning at Wilmot and the Front Row Challenge and the timing couldn’t be better.  We’re going to ride this momentum into the Knoxville Nationals and hope to carry it throughout the rest of the year.  The Nationals is the one race everybody wants to win.  In my career I’ve been fortunate enough to win the Historical Big One, the Gold Cup and now the Kings Royal, and I’d really love to add the Knoxville Nationals to that list,” said Pittman.

As previously announced, Daryn and the Titan Racing USA Team will be unveiling a special paint scheme for the Knoxville Nationals.  To commemorate the Knoxville Nationals car Pittman and Titan Racing are releasing a limited number of Knoxville Nationals edition 1:18th scale die-cast cars.  Along with the die-cast, there will also be a limited number of crew shirts and t-shirts available.  The die-cast and apparel are available at www.darynpittman.com, where race fans can see just a peek of the new Knoxville Nationals car, the crew shirts and Daryn’s new driving suit.