| Richards Battles Forward for Hard-Earned Fifth-Place Finish in Prestigious World 100 at Eldora
SHINNSTON, W. Va (September 11, 2013) – Nothing short of a victory in last Saturday night’s 43rd annual World 100 at Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio, was going to completely satisfy Josh Richards, but a hard-earned fifth-place finish in dirt Late Model racing’s most prestigious event was a decent consolation prize.
While Richards’s near decade-long pursuit of a triumph in one of Eldora’s two annual DIRTcar UMP-sanctioned crown-jewel races continues, the 25-year-old star from Shinnston, W.Va., showed plenty of resiliency in registering his second top-five finish in seven World 100 A-Main starts since 2005.
“We had a good car,” said Richards. “We could’ve made a few minor tweaks, but we had a really good car. I would’ve liked to have seen a caution come out sometime late in the race after we got close to the top five (the last of the race’s two caution flags flew on lap 56), but we never got it so we had to take what we were given.
“I would’ve liked to finish a few spots further up, but my guys did a great job and we had a good car at the Dream (Eldora’s big event in June) and a good car (at the World) so I feel confident about coming back here next year,” he added. “Hopefully we can get one of these next year.”
Despite recording quiet 11th-place finishes in 25-lap World 100 Preliminary A-Features on both Thursday and Friday night, Richards entered Saturday’s headline program with plenty of confidence. He turned the second-fastest time-trial lap overall out of 113 entrants during the two rounds of qualifying (15.872 seconds on Friday night), stamping him as a favorite for the race’s $46,000 top prize.
But with the 36-car inversion giving Richards the sixth starting spot in Saturday’s second of six 15-lap heat races, he knew he faced a big challenge just to grab one of the three transfer spots available in each preliminary. He ended up getting involved in an early turn-two tangle during the heat, which cut the right-rear tire on his Valvoline-sponsored Mark Richards Racing Enterprises Rocket No. 1 and forced him to fall back on a fast-time provisional to start 20th in the World 100.
Richards recovered nicely from his heat-race problems, steadily advancing through the field in the World 100 to reach his fifth-place finishing position with just two laps remaining. But he wondered what might have been had he been able to earn a better World 100 starting position by qualifying through a heat race.
“I think we’ve got qualifying pretty well down here,” said Richards. “If we can hit it right, we always seem to be able to qualify in the top five or so. In turn, though, that always puts us behind in the heat races because of the invert. We usually end up starting fifth or sixth, and with so many good cars making it tough to get up there to a transfer spot, we end up having to use a fast-time provisional or run a B-Main and we have to start far back (in the 100).
Richards will return to action on the World of Outlaws Late Model Series this weekend on Friday, Sept. 13, at Belle-Clair Speedway in Belleville, Ill., and Saturday, Sept. 14, at Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 in Pevely, Mo. He leads the tour’s point standings by 96 points with seven events remaining on the 2013 schedule.
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. |
