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ROSSBURG — With no feature wins and trailing deep in the World of Outlaws point standings, Daryn Pittman has been kicked around much of this racing season.

On Sunday, July 13, he finally received some well-deserved slaps.

Pittman was all smiles as he made his way through the Eldora Speedway grandstand crowd toward the tower for his media obligations.

Spectators stretched out to give the Kings Royal winner a congratulatory smack on the back.

It's the best hit Pittman has received in a season of hard knocks.

Pittman, who has just four top-five finishes and sits 11th in the World of Outlaws point standings, chased pole-sitter and two-time Kings Royal champ Joey Saldana for the first 27 laps of the 40-lap, $50,000-to-win feature. But a shredded tire ended Saldana's bid on lap 28.

Pittman, who never ran lower than second, held off Jason Meyers to win the milestone running of the 25th Kings Royal.

Meyers — who finished second for the second straight year — nearly pulled off a slide job on the final lap coming out of Turn 4 but couldn't carry the momentum. Chad Kemenah, Donny Schatz and Steve Kinser rounded out the top five.

"It's been bad enough this year. I wondered if I wanted to stay out here," said Pittman, who won six features and finished fourth in WoO points last season.

"This is a mentally tough deal to come out here and get beat up as bad as we have all year. I can't stand being a field filler. Truth is, that's what we've been this year."

Pittman's last win at Eldora came in the Historical Big One in 2003. He added a huge win on Sunday.

"I'm nowhere in the class (of the past Kings Royal winners)," he said. "I don't believe it, but it's nice to (have the trophy) sitting next to us."

Saldana, who won the Kings Royal in 2002 and 2006, was the driver to beat early. He jumped out to a nearly two-second lead that had him coming out of the turns as Pittman was just entering on the half-mile track.

Six-time winner Kinser gave it another solid run, finishing fifth. But with his 20th starting spot out of 26 cars, he ran out of time picking off the field.