WoO: Daryn Pittman sneaking up on Gravel as Eldora, Lernerville Loom

The World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series is heading to Eldora Speedway and Lernerville Speedway this weekend as the series makes its move to the northeast. Donny Schatz is 244 points ahead of Brad Sweet in the race for the championship title, but the real race is the one that is developing for third place.

Daryn Pittman sneaking up on Gravel as Eldora, Lernerville Loom

David Gravel has been in the third podium spot in the points standings for a majority of the season, trailing Sweet and Schatz while staying cemented in 3rd. He’s currently 466 points out of the lead with 7,854 on the year.

However, after winning three races in three weeks for Kasey Kahne Racing, Daryn Pittman is rapidly approaching Gravel for third and joining his teammate Sweet in the top three.

The uptake started after the Knoxville Nationals in August. Since his 17th-place finish in Iowa, Pittman has finished every 410 sprint car race he has entered in the top 11. That stretches back an entire month.

In result, Pittman is up to 7,808 points – just 46 behind Gravel for third. While Pittman hasn’t won at either of the two tracks, Gravel is the defending champion of this Saturday’s Commonwealth Clash at Lernerville. Last year, he led all 25 laps and held off Sweet for the victory.

Though with two races on different tracks on back-to-back nights, there is little time for practice, and the best drivers will make their presence felt. That’s where Pittman comes in.

At seemingly every race he has been at recently, Pittman has been able to adapt and maintain a solid finishing position everywhere he goes. Should that continue this weekend, we might see a change in the standings.

Schatz the favorite at both tracks

Although, there is one constant name on the record books from recent races at either of the tracks – Schatz. The nine-time champion has won four times out of the five that the series has visited Eldora for this season, and that’s not where the dominance stops.

On top of winning the Kings Royal – Eldora’s biggest race of the year – in each of the past three seasons, Schatz also captured the 2017 Don Martin Memorial Silver Cup at Lernerville. Even though Schatz is expected to show a lot of speed at any track that he goes to, he is a major threat to win either of the two races this weekend.

Friday night’s, “BeFour the Crowns Showdown,” at Eldora will kick off with hot laps at 6:30 p.m. CT, while Saturday’s hot laps for the Commonwealth Clash at Lernerville are set for 6:15 p.m.

LWOS’ Motorsport department will have live updates via twitter at @LWOS_Motorsport

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