DARYN PITTMAN
After three consecutive top 10‘s, Pittman slipped to 17th in 2018 after qualifying through the B. Look for him to bounce back this year. He has qualified well in recent Nationals, setting fast time in 2016 and earning enough points to start Saturday‘s final from the pole.
He was fast again when the Outlaws were at Knoxville in June, setting quick time in his group on night two after timing third on Friday. His feature finishes were impressive too. He was second to Brown on Friday and third behind Sweet and Logan Schuchart on Saturday.
Pittman has never stood on the podium at the Nationals. His best finish was fourth after starting on the pole in 2016. That could change this year.
DONNY SCHATZ
Although the first half of the 2019 season hasn‘t quite been up to his high standards, Schatz is still very much in contention for another World of Outlaws championship.
Even his performance during the Outlaws’ Knoxville weekend in June was sub-par for the 10-time Nationals winner. He finished fourth the first night, timed poorly the second and finished 15th in the feature after coming through the B. But that was in June. Things could be much different in August.
We can‘t count out the man who hasn‘t finished worse than second since 2004. That is a remarkable statistic. And, while the competition may be closing in, they all realize they will have to beat that 15 car to win the Knoxville Nationals.
SHANE STEWART
Few active drivers have a better record at the Nationals than Shane Stewart, who has amassed 18 consecutive A-Main starts, 11 of which have resulted in top-10 finishes. He‘s been on the podium three times, most recently in 2016.
It doesn‘t seem to matter whose car he‘s driving. He‘s put eight different rides in the show and he‘s got another good one this year in the Clemens‘ No. 5, a car that has been fast at Knoxville in recent years.
Stewart timed third on Friday night and set fast time on Saturday when the Outlaws were at Knoxville in June. He finished third in Friday‘s feature and eighth on Saturday.
TOP 10 CANDIDATES
LANCE DEWEASE
Following a lengthy absence, the Hall of Fame Dream Team is taking their return to the Nationals very seriously.
The Pennsylvanians towed halfway across the country for Knoxville‘s WoO weekend and, after being humbled the first night, Dewease was second quick in his group on night two and won the dash. He faded from the pole to a sixth-place finish, but Davey Brown and Don Kreitz will have had two months to solve the problem.
Dewease is still the man to beat in Pennsylvania, and proved it with World of Outlaws victories at Lincoln and Williams Grove in May. This is not a high-dollar team, though, and something like a blown engine in late July could change their plans.
