Red-Hot West Virginia Driver Will Aim for Weekend Trifecta in Sunday’s WoO LMS Visit to Eriez Speedway
CHILLICOTHE, Ohio – Aug. 22, 2015 – Josh Richards of Shinnston, W.Va., put on another stellar performance Saturday night at Atomic Speedway, leading all 50 laps of the night’s main event to complete a sweep of the 3/8-mile oval’s World of Outlaws Late Model Series doubleheader weekend.
The three-time WoO LMS champion left no doubt as to who was the dominant car at Atomic’s two-race event in driving his Valvoline Rocket Chassis house car to a lead of more than eight seconds in Saturday’s caution-free race. Richards, 27, earned $10,150 for his eighth WoO LMS victory of the season and his fourth in the national tour’s past five events.
“This car was a dream to drive,” said Richards, who will attempt to add another victory to his impressive weekend when the WoO LMS heads for Eriez Speedway in Erie, Pa., on Sunday. “I love coming here to this awesome track. To drive all over it and move around like that, it was a lot of fun.”
Richards crossed the finish line 8.471 seconds ahead of WoO LMS points leader Shane Clanton of Zebulon, Ga., while Jared Hawkins of Fairmont, W.Va., settled for third after challenging Richards through the race’s early portions. Devin Moran of Dresden, Ohio, was fourth with R.J. Conley of Wheelersburg, Ohio, rounding out the top five.
Starting from the fifth position, Clanton steadily moved forward in his Weldbank Energy Capital Race Cars house car before taking the second spot from Hawkins on lap 47.
Although he fell short of the victory, Clanton continued to march toward his first-career WoO LMS title with his fifth consecutive top-five WoO LMS finish and his third straight finish among the top three. His lead over Richards at the top of the WoO LMS standings sits at 158 points with eight races remaining on the season.
“It took me so long to get by a couple guys there and lapped traffic was pretty tough with the cushion as big as it was in one and two,” Clanton said. “I didn’t wanna take no chances. We needed to finish where we were and come home second. Josh has been on a roll. Our Capital Race Car is pretty good right now, just needs to be a little better.”
After starting alongside Richards on the front row, Hawkins was the only driver to provide Richards a serious challenge. Hawkins’ Rocket machine kept pace with Richards through the early laps with Hawkins even taking a few looks under Richards when the leaders reached lapped traffic around lap 10.
But Hawkins couldn’t maintain Richards’ pace and faded late. He settled for third in completing a solid weekend.
“I was surprised I was keeping up with him because I was really pushing it,” Hawkins said of his attempt to keep pace with Richards early in the race. “I’m sure I burnt my stuff up there. Those last 20 laps were a handful.
“I’m glad we came home with a top three and I’m real happy with the weekend. It’s a lot of fun racing these guys. To be able to come out and be competitive with them makes it even better.”
Jason Montgomery of Jackson, Ohio, was sixth in the final rundown, with Eric Wells of Hazard, Ky., taking seventh. Chub Frank of Bear Lake, Pa., was eighth with Chris Ferguson of Mount Holly, N.C., and Chase Junghans of Manhattan, Kan., rounding out the race’s top 10 finishers.
Gates open at 4:30 p.m. at Eriez Speedway on Sunday with racing scheduled to begin at 6. The night’s program will feature a 50-lap, $10,000-to-win WoO LMS A-Main. Adult general admission is $30, while children ages 6 to 15 and children 5 and under are free. A general admission family package of two adults and up to four children is $75. Pit entrance is $35. Visit www.eriez-speedway.com for more information.
For more information on the WoO LMS, visit www.worldofoutlaws.com. Fans can also follow the WoO LMS on Twitter at Twitter.com/WoOLateModels and Facebook at Facebook.com/WorldofOutlawsLateModelSeries.
Results of World of Outlaws Late Model Series at Atomic Speedway (Finishing Position/Start/Driver/Laps Completed/Money Won):
- (1) Josh Richards/50 $10,150
2. (5) Shane Clanton/50 $5,050
3. (2) Jared Hawkins/50 $3,000
4. (6) Devin Moran/50 $3,000
5. (8) R.J. Conley/50 $2,000
6. (4) Jason Montgomery/50 $1,850
7. (3) Eric Wells/50 $1,450
8. (7) Chub Frank/50 $1,400
9. (12) Chris Ferguson/50 $1,250
10. (18) Chase Junghans/50 $1,650
11. (10) Rick Eckert/50 $1,200
12. (13) Darrell Lanigan/50 $1,150
13. (16) Gregg Satterlee/50 $950
14. (9) Mason Zeigler/49 $950
15. (15) Frank Heckeneast Jr./49 $900
16. (17) Tim McCreadie/49 $950
17. (11) Jackie Boggs/49 $1,320
18. (22) Rod Conley/49 $750
19. (20) J.T. Conley/49 $730
20. (21) Morgan Bagley/49 $750
21. (23) Boom Briggs/48 $750
22. (19) Brandon Overton/40 $1,000
23. (14) Steve Casebolt/26 $700
24. (25) Greg Oliver/22 $725
25. (24) Jordan Yaggy/2 $700
Time of Race: 13 Mins., 27 Secs.
Margin of Victory: 8.471 Secs.
Yellow Flags: None
Lap Leaders: Richards (1-50)
Provisional Starters: Briggs (WoO), Yaggy (WoO), Oliver (track)
WoO LMS ‘Bonus Bucks’ Winner ($500): Moran
WoO LMS ‘Rookie of the Race” ($250): Overton
Ohlins Shocks Time Trial Results (Position/No./Driver/Hometown/Best Lap):
Group A
- 18-Eric Wells, Hazard, Ky., 14.088
2. 37-Jared Hawkins, Fairmont, W.Va., 14.088
3. 21m-Jason Montgomery, Jackson, Ohio, 14.123
4. 99-Devin Moran, Dresden, Ohio, 14.148
5. 25z-Mason Zeigler, Chalk Hill, Pa., 14.179
6. 7-Rick Eckert, York, Pa., 14.195
7. 29-Darrell Lanigan, Union, Ky., 14.200
8. c9-Steve Casebolt, Richmond, Ind., 14.272
9. 39-Tim McCreadie, Watertown, N.Y., 14.347
10. 5-Brandon Overton, Evans, Ga., 14.390
11. 14m-Morgan Bagley, Longview, Texas, 14.410
12. 11-Billy Gullion, Waverly, Ohio, 14.417
13. 9F-Mark Frazier, Chillicothe, Ohio, 14.427
14. 1J-Davey Johnson, Imperial, Pa., 14.627
15. 47-Greg Oliver, Jackson, Ohio, 14.841
16. 36-Craig Wofford, hometown unavailable, 14.888
17. 29-Rocky Owens, Mansfield, Ohio, 15.150
18. 12-Derek Chaney, hometown unavailable, 15.929
Group B
- 4B-Jackie Boggs, Grayson, Ky., 13.853
2. 1*-Chub Frank, Bear Lake, Pa., 14.035
3. 71c-R.J. Conley, Wheelersburg, Ohio, 14.055
4. 1-Josh Richards, Shinnston, W.Va., 14.099
5. 99jr-Frank Heckenast Jr., Frankfort, Ill., 14.103
6. 22-Chris Ferguson, Mount Holly, N.C., 14.163
7. 25-Shane Clanton, Zebulon, Ga., 14.196
8. 18c-Chase Junghans, Manhattan, Kan., 14.241
9. P17-Ben Adkins, West Portsmouth, Ohio , 14.262
10. 22-Gregg Satterlee, Rochester Mills, Pa., 14.370
11. 77-Jordan Yaggy, Rochester, Minn., 14.463
12. 71R-Rod Conley, Wheelersburg, Ohio, 14.521
13. 99B-Boom Briggs, Bear Lake, Pa., 14.536
14. 19-Chad Smith, Miamisburg, Ohio, 14.642
15. 71j-J.T. Conley, Wheelersburg, Ohio, 14.671
16. 93-Pancho Lawler, Glenville, Pa., 15.193
17. 45-Ross Frohnapfel, Columbus, Ohio, 15.643
Heat No. 1 (10 laps – Top 4 Transfer): Montgomery, Wells, Zeigler, Lanigan, McCreadie, Bagley, Oliver, Frazier, Owens.
Heat No. 2 (10 laps – Top 4 Transfer): Moran, Hawkins, Eckert, Casebolt, Overton, Gullion, Johnson, Wofford, Chaney.
Heat No. 3 (10 laps – Top 4 Transfer): R.J. Conley, Clanton, Boggs, Heckenast, Yaggy, J.T. Conley, Adkins, Briggs, Frohnapfel.
Heat No. 4 (10 laps – Top 4 Transfer): Richards, Frank, Ferguson, Satterlee, Junghans, Smith, Lawler, Rod Conley.
Last-Chance Showdown No. 1 (10 laps – Top 3 Transfer): McCreadie, Overton, Bagley, Gullion, Frazier, Owens, Wofford, Johnson, Oliver, Chaney.
Last-Chance Showdown No. 2 (10 laps – Top 3 Transfer): Junghans, J.T. Conley, Rod Conley, Adkins, Smith, Briggs, Lawler, Frohnapfel, Yaggy.
World of Outlaws Late Model Series Contingency Award Winners (awards presented to noted finisher/qualifier or next highest displaying decal):
Ohlins Shocks ($50 cash to fast qualifier): Boggs
Comp Cams ($50 certificate to A-Main winner): Richards
MSD Ignition ($50 cash to A-Main winner): Richards
Quartermaster ($100 certificate to A-Main winner): Clanton
Wrisco (three sheets of aluminum/certificate to A-Main winner): Richards
Mobil 1 ($50 cash to 4th-place finisher in A-Main): Montgomery
JE Pistons ($50 cash to 5th-place finisher in A-Main): Montgomery
Lincoln Welders ($50 cash to 6th-place finisher in A-Main): Montgomery
VP Racing Fuels ($50 cash to 8th-place finisher in A-Main): Frank
Edelbrock ($50 cash to 9th-place finisher in A-Main): Ferguson
Comp Cams ($50 cash to 10th-place finisher in A-Main): Junghans
Cometic ($50 cash to 12th-place finisher in A-Main): Lanigan
JRI Shocks ($50 cash to 13th-place finisher in A-Main): Zeigler
Superflow Dynos ($50 cash to 14th-place finisher in A-Main): Heckenast
Quartermaster ($25 certificate to 15th-place finisher in A-Main): Heckenast
JE Pistons (one set of rings certificate to 16th-place finisher in A-Main): McCreadie
Quartermaster ($50 certificate to 19th-place finisher in A-Main): J.T. Conley
Mobil 1 (20 percent certificate to 20th-place finisher in A-Main): Bagley
JE Pistons (one set of rings certificate to 21st-place finisher in A-Main): Briggs
MSD Ignition ($25 cash to 24th-place finisher in A-Main): Oliver
QA1 ($50 to driver with fastest lap of the night): Frank
Arizona Sports Shirts ($100 certificate to highest-finishing non-WoO driver): Moran
2015 World of Outlaws Late Model Series Point Standings as of Aug. 22 – 34 A-Mains completed (rank/driver/points/deficit to leader):
- Shane Clanton 4800
2. Josh Richards 4642 (-158)
3. Chub Frank 4492 (-308)
4. Rick Eckert 4378 (-422)
5. Tim McCreadie 4364 (-436)
6. Morgan Bagley 4338 (-462)
7. Chase Junghans 4258 (-542)
8. Eric Wells 4232 (-568)
9. Frank Heckenast Jr. 4224 (-576)
10. Brandon Overton 3968 (-832)
11. Boom Briggs 3910 (-890)
12. Darrell Lanigan 3860 (-940)
13. Jordan Yaggy 3516 (-1284)
The World of Outlaws Late Model Series is brought to fans across the country by many important sponsors and partners, including: Arizona Sport Shirts (Official Apparel Company), Hoosier Racing Tires (Official Racing Tires), Lincoln Welder (Official Welder), VP Racing Fuel (Official Racing Fuel), DirtonDirt.com (Hard Charger Award) and McCarthy’s One Hour Heating & Air Conditioning (Raye Vest Memorial Pill Draw Award); in addition to contingency sponsors: Butlerbuilt, Cometic Gasket, Comp Cams, Edelbrock, JE Pistons, JRI Shocks, Mobil 1, MSD, Ohlins Shocks, QA1, QuarterMaster, Superflow Dynos and Wrisco Aluminum; along with manufacturer sponsors Capital Race Cars, Club 29 Chassis, Integra Shocks, Impact Racing Products, Intercomp, Racing Electronics, Rocket Chassis, and TNT Rescue.