KNOXVILLE, Iowa — Life is significantly different for Daryn Pittman these days.
At the beginning of June, he and his family moved from Pittsboro, Ind., to the Flint, Texas, area and for the first time since 1998, Pittman is not a full-time racer.
He is, however, a full-fledged business owner. Pittman and his wife, Mandy, purchased the Texas-based Ultra Shield Race Products company so the couple can have greater influence in and lasting stability the racing world.
After not knowing what life after full-time racing would entail in January, Pittman has not only set himself up for the second half of his life, but he’s found an ideal part-time ride with Swindell SpeedLab.
Through all the changes, one constant withstands.
“Win,” Pittman said. “If I felt like I don’t have a chance to win, I would not show up.”
Pittman, in the Swindell SpeedLab No. 39 adorned in a throwback wrap to his ride from 2008, has shown up to the 60th running of the Knoxville Nationals at Knoxville Raceway in Knoxville, Iowa, this week.
The 42-year-old knows he’s not as sharp and nimble as he used to be, but he boasts an important attribute.
“I feel more comfortable here than I ever have during my career,” said Pittman, fresh off a runner-up in the 360 Nationals.
Pittman led the 360 Nationals until the final lap, when 19-year-old Gio Scelzi squeezed past in turns one and two. It would have been Pittman’s first 360 Nationals triumph, but on the bright side, tasting victory on a big stage at Knoxville could translate to the 410 in his qualifying effort tonight.
“It was devastating to lose a race on the last lap,” Pittman said. “From a confidence standpoint, I think we were close.”
The Knoxville Nationals has never been Pittman’s forte. He’s finished on the podium only once in 17 main event starts and went the first 12 Knoxville Nationals with three top-10s.
But since 2017, Pittman has finished in the top-10 four times with that lone podium coming in his latest attempt in ‘19.
“At the end of the day this is a tough place to come,” Pittman said. “I feel confident we are at least in the ballpark and we’re close if we continue to make some changes. I think we can put ourselves in a good position and at least have a good showing.”
Pittman’s ever-growing relationship with crew chief and owner Kevin Swindell keeps things fresh. The two didn’t know how the deal would work, considering Pittman and Swindell didn’t talk much through the years, but they’ve meshed rather seamlessly.
“From my standpoint, I couldn’t be happier with this situation I’ve put myself in,” said Pittman, who’s scored three top-10 finishes in 10 races with the team this year. “The reason I wanted to drive his car has solidified itself. It’s everything I hoped it’d be.”
Beyond this week, two events remain on Pittman’s schedule with the Swindell SpeedLab crew: The Tuscarora 50 at Port Royal Speedway in Port Royal, Pa., from Sept. 9-12 and the Williams Grove National Open at Williams Grove Speedway in Mechanicsburg, Pa., from Oct. 1-2.
First, though, Pittman will try to score an evasive Knoxville Nationals victory in his 18th attempt.
“I think we can be a sleeper team,” Pittman said. “If we can get qualified well, we can definitely contend. I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t think that.”