SHINNSTON, W.Va. (September 16, 2013) – Josh Richards earned his ninth World of Outlaws Late Model Series victory of 2013 on Saturday night at Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 in Pevely, Mo.
After seeing a potential top-three finish slip through his fingers due to a broken ring-and-pinion in last Friday night’s Photobilly 50 at Belle-Clair Speedway in Belleville, Ill., Richards roared back 24 hours later to win the national tour’s 55-lap Pevely Nationals. The win pushed his lead in the circuit’s standings to a season-high 114 points with just five events remaining on the schedule.
“All the credit goes to my guys,” said Richards, who matched his single-season career high in WoO LMS A-Main wins. “We had a really good car (at Belle-Clair). We were a little too tight (handling), but I felt like we could run at least second or third if we didn’t have some unfortunate mechanical failures (and retired on lap 34). The guys did a great job getting the car back together (for Saturday night) and it was fast right out of the box. We were a little tight hot lapping and then made some changes and were fast the rest of the night.
“For the (feature) race it was a little bit of a handful because something happened to the front end that first lap. It got bent up and didn’t steer at all, so it was definitely tough to drive the rest of the way. But we were able to get the job done.”
Richards, 25, of Shinnston, W.Va., steered his Mark Richards’s Valvoline-sponsored Rocket Chassis house car forward from the fourth starting spot on Saturday night to take the lead on lap 32. He led the remainder of the distance to record his 48th career win in the WoO LMS.
Richards will return to action on the WoO LMS on September 20-21 when the tour contests the second annual Keyser Manufacturing Down & Dirty 100 Presented by NAPA Auto Parts at Berlin Raceway in Marne, Mich., a 7/16th-mile paved track that is being covered with a layer of clay for the special event.
For more information on Josh Richards, visit www.joshrichards.com and follow him on Twitter at @Josh_Richards1 and on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/JoshRichardsRacing.
Josh Richards’ No. 1 team carries support from Valvoline, Seubert Calf Ranches, Ernie D’s, Ace Welding, Petroff Towing, Sallack Well Service, Tony Stewart Racing, Rocket Chassis, Roush Yates Engines, Hoosier Racing Tires, Sunoco Racing Fuels, Keyser Manufacturing, Integra Shocks, Sweet Manufacturing, Slavic Custom Tee Shirts And Graphics, Brown and Miller, Brazwell Carburetors, Bazell Racing Fuels, ButlerBuilt Seat, Beyea Headers, Performance Rod and Custom, Wilwood Disc Brakes, Frankland Rear Ends, Simpson Safety Equipment, J E Pistons, Strange Oval, Wrisco Aluminum, R2C Filters, Aurora Rod Ends, Snap On Tools, Scott Wires, Trick Carbon Fiber Drive Shafts, Five Star Bodies, Jones Racing Products, Howe Racing, Performance Bodies, Turbo Start Batteries, Brinn Transmissions, Eagle One, Car Brite, ATL Fuel Cells, Dohm’s Cycles, Weld Wheels, Barnes Oil Systems, Tel-Tac, MSD Ignitions.
David Smith
Rising Star Management Group
dsmith@risingstarmg.com
(704) 658-7650