Oklahoma racer, Daryn Pittman will return to fulltime STP World of Outlaws competition for the first time in five years after signing a deal to join Kasey Kahne’s Sprintcar outfit.
With KKR ousting veteran, Joey Saldana at the end of 2012, Pittman will take the reigns in his first fulltime Outlaws drive since racing for pioneering Australian team, Reeve Kruck’s Titan Racing USA.
Over recent years, the only American to have won the Australian World Series Sprintcars Championship has been based racing in Pennsylvania as part of the famed ‘PA Posse.’
“The bottom line is, I really, really missed being on the (Outlaws) tour,” said Pittman – who has 35 World of Outlaws wins to his credit. “That’s where my heart is and I really feel that is where I belong. I believe if you’re going to be considered one of the best, you need to be racing with the best every night. And believe me, that is no knock on the Posse or anybody else, but I believe the Outlaw tour is the toughest competition night in and night out.
“I always knew I wanted to get back out there, but I wouldn’t do it unless it was for a team that was able to compete for the World of Outlaws Championship. And I know KKR is capable of that. They have the personnel, the resources and everything a team needs to be successful at that level. You don’t get opportunities like this very often, so it was one that I had to take.”
Pittman arrives in Australia this week for the two night ENZED World Series Sprintcars event at Sydney Speedway before heading south to compete in the Kings Challenge at Mount Gambier and the Grand Annual Sprintcar Classic at Warrnambool. He will drive for the Aprile Racing Team from Victoria.
The 95 event strong STP World of Outlaws Sprintcar Series season begins at Volusia in Florida over February 15-17.
