News 2009

Official Release

RICHARDS SCORES ANOTHER RUNNER-UP FINISH AT LINCOLN SPEEDWAY

Team Contact: Michelle Petroff, Josh Richards Racing, (618) 406-6842 or michelle@michellepetroff.com

SHINNSTON, WV (May 19, 2009) – Josh Richards gave a stellar performance and challenged eventual race winner, Rick Eckert, for the lead but fell just shy of Victory Lane in Sunday night’s World of Outlaws’ Late Model Series’ ‘Land of Lincoln 40’ at Lincoln (IL) Speedway.

“We finished second here last year and I was hoping for a win but it turned out to be a good points night,” said Richards, who took advantage of Shane Clanton’s troubles to move to second in the WoO LMS standings through nine events, just 12 points behind Lanigan. “We needed a good run after the problems we had in the last two Outlaws’ races.”

In what was the first WoO LMS A-Main completed in a month (scheduled events were rained out on May 1-2 at Ohio’s K-C Raceway and May 16 at Indiana’s Lawrenceburg Speedway, and the A-Main was postponed by rain on May 5 at Lernerville Speedway), Richards registered the fourth-fastest time in qualifying and finished second in a heat race before drawing the pole position for the feature.

Richards appeared ready to make a bid to overtake Eckert just after the race’s halfway point but a caution flag on lap 24 was seemingly his undoing. He wasn’t able to get close to Eckert until the final lap when the leader became bottled up behind a lapped car, allowing Richards to drive his Cornett powered Rocket Chassis No. 1 across the finish line just a couple car lengths behind Eckert.

“I feel like I overran the first part of the race and I think it might have cost me,” said Richards. “I got up to Eckert at one point but the caution just killed us because my left rear tire sealed up so we had to just settle in.”

Richards survived a last-lap challenge from Chub Frank. With little luck on the low groove of the track, Frank pushed the inside uke tire higher on the track in turn three during a lap-24 caution. Forcing to change his preferred line, Josh moved to a higher groove while Frank made an assault around the high side of the 1/4-mi oval.

“I guess Chub knocked that bottom uke tire up the racetrack a little bit in turn three, so after that last caution everybody on the bottom couldn’t run in that moisture anyway and got stuck up in that black,” said Richards. “I came through there higher in turn three and I was like, ‘Man, it’s really slick now.’ Then I realized that the uke tire was higher so that was making you miss the brown moisture on the bottom.”

Richards was planning to stay on the road after Lincoln’s event. He headed to sponsor Ed Petroff’s shop near St. Louis to prepare for this weekend’s WoO LMS ‘Tri-State Late Model Challenge,’ which visits U.S. 36 Raceway in Osborn, MO, on Friday and 34 Raceway in West Burlington, IA, on Saturday before concluding at Charter Raceway Park in Beaver Dam, WI, on Sunday.

The No. 1 Rocket Chassis Factory Car carries support from Seubert Calf Ranches, Ace Metal Works, Tony Stewart Racing, Petroff Towing, MCB Motorsports, Ernie D’s Enterprises and Cornett Racing Engines.

Official Release

RICHARDS SHINES IN NASCAR CAMPING WORLD EAST DEBUT

Team Contact: Michelle Petroff, Josh Richards /Ken Schrader Racing, (618) 406-6842 or michelle@michellepetroff.com

SHINNSTON, WV (April 12, 2009) – While the name Josh Richards is a familiar one on dirt ovals of all sizes across the nation, it was relatively unrecognized in the paved short track proving grounds of Greenville Pickens (SC) Speedway. The twenty-one year-old left the familiar seat of his No. 1 Rocket Chassis dirt late model and his rank as the reigning point leader in the World of Outlaws Late Model Series for unchartered territory on Saturday for his NASCAR Camping World East Series’ debut and first glimpse of South Carolina’s historic half-mile – Greenville Pickens Speedway.

The NASCAR Camping World East Series falls under the same flagship as the premier Camping World Truck, Nationwide and Sprint Cup Series’ but consists of the former Busch East and North tours that visit short tracks and intermediate venues as a stepping stone into the upper echelon of NASCAR. Several development teams regularly field entries in the East Series including those present at Saturday’s 2009 series opening “NASCAR Home Tracks 150” – Joe Gibbs Racing, Michael Waltrip Racing, Ken Schrader Racing and Earnhardt Ganassi. Additionally, two younger brothers of Sprint Cup stars Jimmie Johnson and Martin Truex, Jr., are also showcasing their abilities in the division.

Richards, fielding one of two Ken Schrader Racing Chevrolets, first set eyes on the flat half-mile Friday evening and realized this was going to be a new experience.

“I am used to banking on our dirt tracks and my experience in these cars has been limited to a couple of tests over the last year but nothing was like Greenville Pickens,” explained the rookie driver. “This is place is like Martinsville – flat. When we pulled in, I first thought ‘oh this is like nothing I’ve been on before’ and then was kind of caught up in the history of the place. It’s an awesome little track that feels like a throwback to the old days of stock car racing especially when you see names of guys like David Pearson and Elmo Langley who competed there on the wall. It was going to be a challenge but I knew it was going to be fun.”

Competing against a strong majority of drivers who have a few events (or seasons) under their belts including a veteran like Steve Park, Josh had a lot of small milestones to make but had the experience of team owner Ken Schrader to draw upon. During a two hour practice session, crew chief Mike Fritts and Josh worked on a tight handling condition to prepare for qualifying and race trim. Similar to his practice times, Josh qualified the No. 52 Seubert Calf Ranches/Petroff Towing Chevy Monte Carlo SS in the 17th position knowing that they sacrificed a little speed due to the impound demands for a car that was capable of handling better in race conditions.

A delayed start entering turn one caused cars to check up and start spinning ahead of the West Virginia native and the No. 52 was one of eight entries bruised in the melee. The team pitted to pull sheet metal away from the right front tire and restarted 26th but was confident in both the car they prepared and their rookie driver. By lap 50, Josh had already advanced to 11th place and was steadily continuing his march to the front. His dirt track skills and technique impressed many as he saved his brakes by rolling through the turns and utilizing the treacherous outside groove to complete a pass on several occasions.

After passing series champions, NASCAR veterans and the other development drivers, Richards set his sights on the Top-5 with eight laps to go. While running 5th, a caution flag with five laps remaining is the last thing the greenhorn wanted to see. Adamant his tires were completely used up after the previous 145 circuits, Richards knew his work was cut out for him when the green flag dropped but he was able to edge past fast qualifier, Brett Moffitt, for fourth place honors.

“I had a blast,” Josh proclaimed. “I want to thank Seubert Calf Ranches, Petroff Towing, Ken Schrader, Mike Fritts and the entire No. 52 crew, and everyone involved including Tony Stewart for this opportunity. When everyone around me started piling up on the first lap and we got caught up in it, the team could’ve been discouraged but they encouraged me to just give it time and we were able to work to a fourth place finish and have a clean run. There is a lot of tough competition out here in the NASCAR Camping World East Series and it was an amazing experience to be able to race against them.”

Richards was not only part of the show but one of the key ingredients. Post-race commentary from fellow competitors, track representatives and series officials illustrated how impressed they were with Josh’s utilization of the outside groove on a track where a key motto is “slow and low”. Those moves were credited to his dirt track roots but earned honors as the “Coca Cola Move of the Race”. Back behind the wheel of his No. 1 Seubert Calf Ranches/ACE Metal Works Rocket Chassis this weekend, Richards will return to the World of Outlaws Late Model Series for stops at Fayetteville (NC) Speedway on Friday, April 17, and Virginia Motor Speedway on Saturday.

Televised coverage of the “NASCAR Home Tracks 150 presented by Kevin Whitaker Chevrolet” at Greenville Pickens Speedway will air on SPEED at 3 p.m. ET on Thursday, April 16th, 2009.

Josh Richards’ #52 Ken Schrader Racing fielded Chevy Monte Carlo SS carried support from Seubert Calf Ranches, Petroff Towing, Tony Stewart Racing, ACE Metal Works, Fastenal and Sunoco Race Fuels. For the latest news and information on Josh, log on to http://www.joshrichards.com

FUEL FOR THOUGHT
– Josh Richards received his NASCAR competition license on his 21st birthday in March
– This event marked Richards’ NASCAR Camping World East Series debut
– 29 entries were present for the 150 lap season opener
– His #52 has longstanding ties to team owner Ken Schrader
– The Top-5 finishers (and 79% of the field) were all in Chevrolets
– Greenville Pickens Speedway is NASCAR’s 2nd oldest home track
– Josh finished behind three Camping World East Veterans and was the highest finishing rookie
– After being one of 8 cars caught in a Lap 1 stalled start, Richards restarted 26th
– Although he advanced 22 positions from the complete restart, he still earned honors with the most positions advanced (13) from his official 17th place berth
– Using his dirt track skills, Richards was one of few cars attempting to pass on the outside on the flat oval – a feat that scored the “Coca Cola Move of the Race” distinction
– Development teams tied to Joe Gibbs Racing, Michael Waltrip Racing, Ken Schrader Racing and Earnhardt Ganassi were in attendance
– Josh advanced past reigning champion Matt Kobyluck, NASCAR veteran Steve Park, and two competitors with names familiar the NASCAR Sprint Cup garage – (Jarit) Johnson and (Ryan) Truex
– Competitors represented 14 states from Maine to California

Official Release

RICHARDS REPEATS WITH PODIUM FINISH AND RETAINS POINT LEAD

Team Contact: Michelle Petroff, Josh Richards Racing, (618) 406-6842 or michelle@michellepetroff.com

SHINNSTON, WV (April 8, 2009) – While only 21 years old, Josh Richards has veteran maturity as he is focusing on the war rather than the battle. His proving grounds are the 40+ dirt ovals of various sizes across the U.S. and Canada that Richards and his fellow World of Outlaws Late Model Series’ competitors are vying against for the championship prize.

Following a third place finish at the “Circle K Colossal 100″ that was contested the week before at The Dirt Track at Lowe’s Motor Speedway, Richards’ No. 1 Seubert Calf Ranches/Ace Metal Works/Tony Stewart Racing/Petroff Towing Rocket Chassis team trekked to America’s heartland for the “Illini 100″ at Farmer City (IL) Raceway.

Richards, who started fourth in the $20,000-to-win event, was able pass Shane Clanton for second and challenge Brian Birkhofer for the lead on a lap 37 restart but later lost the runner-up spot to Clanton on a subsequent restart. The performance extended his WoOLMS point lead to sixteen markers over defending champion Darrell Lanigan.

“I knew at that point (following the lap-43 restart) there was no way I could get back by them because they were both really good,” Josh explained. “So I was just trying to hold on to what I had for the rest of the race. There was a point (late in the race) where I maybe could’ve pushed the issue and tried to get up there but I was in third and didn’t want to do anything crazy to jeopardize what I had so I just points-raced the rest of the way.”

Josh flashed some unquestionable maturity with his smart run, which gave him a tour-best five top-five finishes in six WoO LMS events this season behind the wheel of his Mark Richards Racing-owned, Cornett-powered machine.

“On that last restart I should’ve picked the outside,” said Josh, who opted to restart from the inside line. “That was just a dumb move on my part.The restart before Clanton chose the outside and I was on the inside and that’s when I passed Clanton and got up beside of Birkhofer. But on the second restart Birkhofer pulled down and left the whole outside to Clanton, so I lost time getting up to speed and Clanton got me. But we’ll take third and the points and go on. It was tough to pass out there because once everybody got in line the top was so much faster but the track didn’t rubber up and you could pass if the right situation presented itself, so overall it was a good night.”

Official Release

RICHARDS RETURNS TO PODIUM AT LOWE’S MOTOR SPEEDWAY

Team Contact: Michelle Petroff, Josh Richards Racing, (618) 406-6842 or michelle@michellepetroff.com

SHINNSTON, WV (April 2, 2009) – Josh Richards has a proven record of championship caliber consistency but he is still in pursuit of an elusive victory in a “crown jewel” event

.Richards, 21, made a strong bid for his first career win in a marquee title at the rain-delayed “Circle K Colossal 100” at The Dirt Track @ Lowe’s Motor Speedway in Concord, NC, but he had to settle for a podium finish.

“ Man, we came close again to winning a big one,” Josh declared after matching his career-best finish in the fourth installment of the World of Outlaws Late Model Series’ event. “We just have to keep trying and hopefully sometime soon we’ll get one (or two!) of these.”

After wet weather forced Lowe’s Motor Speedway officials to condense the scheduled two-day program (Friday/Saturday) into a one-day affair on Sunday, Richards in the No. 1 Seubert Calf Ranches Rocket Chassis house car turned the fifth quickest lap in the 63-car qualifying session. He then finished second during preliminary heat race action before drawing the pill for the 8th place berth for the 100-lap A-Main.

In a race slowed by just three caution flags, the native West Virginian steadily advanced before surging into second place past Jonathan Davenport on a lap-53 restart and even challenged race leader Earl Pearson Jr. heading down the backstretch.

Pearson rebuffed Josh’s challenge and opened up his lead but Richards closed back within striking distance of the leader on lap 69. Shortly thereafter, however, he lost momentum in lap traffic and never again threatened Pearson for the $50,000 payday.

“ Man, the car was fast all day,” exclaimed Richards, who settled for third place after losing the runner-up spot to Darrell Lanigan on lap 90. “We had a shot there beside Earl. We were racing right there with Earl but my car was just a little free and I couldn’t run a good, smooth line.”

Josh noted that the 4/10-mile oval’s surface was much better for the feature than anyone could have anticipated considering the sunny, windy conditions.
“ For a daytime race, it really wasn’t that bad,” noted Richards. “From what the track was for the heats when you couldn’t pass, they worked on it and put just enough water down to make it a pretty good race.”

With the “Colossal 100” offering WoOLMS show-up points, Josh remained the tour’s points leader by eight markers over Lanigan.

Official Release

RICHARDS CELEBRATES 21st BIRTHDAY WITH TEXAN TOP-5

Team Contact: Michelle Petroff, Josh Richards Racing, (618) 406-6842 or michelle@michellepetroff.com
SHINNSTON, WV (March 24, 2009) – Just days after celebrating his 21st birthday, Josh Richards had cause for a big, Texas-sized celebration on Saturday night at the Lone Star State’s Battleground Speedway.

While the young sensation was edged out of what would have been the richest victory of his career, he was satisfied with a solid fourth-place finish in the inaugural World of Outlaws Late Model Series’ “Lone Star 100”.

As an added bonus, Josh left the 3/8-mile oval leading the WoOLMS’ points standings by eight points over reigning champion Darrell Lanigan.

“ For a hundred laps it couldn’t get any better than that,” said Richards while praising the preparation of the Texas track’s multi-groove black-clay surface. “I had so much fun tonight. As far as quality of racing – for a hundred laps, it’s probably the best track I’ve ever raced on. You could pass the entire race.”

Josh wasn’t feeling as positive before taking the green flag in the $20,000-to-win spectacular because of a deep 15th-place starting spot following a rough-and-tumble Friday-night heat race in his No. 1 Seubert Calf Ranches/ACE Metal Works/Petroff Towing Cornett powered Rocket.

“ After practice tonight I wasn’t confident at all,” noted Richards. “In hot laps I felt terrible and we changed so much stuff for the feature, I didn’t know how the car would react.”

But after avoiding several early-race tangles, Josh was able to settle in a bit following eventual race leader Shannon Babb. “I thought we’d be able to race him a little bit but I think he and Darrell (Lanigan) were a little bit softer on tires. At the end I couldn’t run the top as well as they could, but I’m more than happy with fourth,” added the youngest full-time driver on the WoOLMS’ tour. “Starting where I was, I just wanted to get a good, solid top-five finish for the points, and we came out with one and the car’s in one piece.”

Official Release

RICHARDS’ HOT STREAK CONTINUES IN HAGERSTOWN

Contact: Michelle Petroff, Josh Richards Racing, (618) 406-6842 or michelle@michellepetroff.com
SHINNSTON, WV (March 9, 2009) – Before many racetracks have opened their gates for the season, Josh Richards has already notched his sixth victory of the young 2009 racing season after a dominating performance at Hagerstown (MD) Speedway’s season opener.

“Its been an awesome year so far,” Josh said after backing up his amazing five-win February in Florida with a checkered flag in his first northern start of the season behind the wheel of the Ernie Davis owned No. 25 that saw Victory Lane multiple times in Florida. “Every time I think about how this season has started, I just can’t believe it. Hopefully we can keep it up.”

“ We lucked out with the draw (for heat position),”noted Richards, who survived several caution flags en route to crossing the finish line with a commanding 5.94-second advantage over Frankie Plessinger. “We started the heat from the outside pole and won it to get the pole for the feature – and that was where you wanted to be. Even though we started from the pole, the car was still phenomenal. I never even had to run it to its full potential all day.”

Josh earned $2,000 for his third career win at Hagerstown, a half-mile oval at which he ran the second dirt late model race of his career as a 15-year-old early in the 2004 season. The victory earned him a guaranteed starting spot in the 100-lap dirt late model portion of Hagerstown’s “22nd Annual Octoberfest 350” on Oct. 24-25.

“ All the credit for this win goes to Joe Pingleton,” said Josh, singling out the chief mechanic of the Ernie D’s Enterprises’ No. 25 Rocket that he runs in selected non-World of Outlaws Late Model Series’ events. “He worked his butt off for the past month to get this car ready after East Bay.”

Josh will return to the seat of his familiar Mark Richards Racing-owned Seubert Calf Ranches/Ace Metal Works/TSR-Tony Stewart Racing/Petroff Towing/MCB Motorsports/Ernie D’s Enterprises/Cornett Racing Engines Rocket Chassis No. 1 this weekend (March 13-14) for a World of Outlaws Late Model Series’ doubleheader at Deep South Speedway in Loxley, L. After a practice night on Thursday (March 12), the two-day spectacular includes a 40-lap/$7,000-to-win A-Main on Friday and a 60-lap/$12,000-to-win show on Saturday.

With a victory in the WoOLMS’ season opener at Volusia Speedway Park in Barberville, FL, already under his belt, Josh enters the Deep South weekend second in the tour’s points standings, just six points behind Steve Francis.

Official Release

RICHARDS REPEATS AT VOLUSIA AND EARNS FIRST UMP VICTORY

Contact: Michelle Petroff, Josh Richards Racing, (618) 406-6842 or michelle@michellepetroff.com
BARBERVILLE, FL (February 13, 2009) – Go ahead and call him Kid Rocket but Josh Richards has proven he is anything but juvenile. Twenty year-old Richards ignited his 2009 season with five victories during two weeks of competition during Florida’s Speedweeks.

After a historic performance of three trips to victory lane within twenty-four hours at East Bay Raceway Park, the West Virginia hotshoe was primed to repeat with his third consecutive World of Outlaws Late Model Series’ opener at Volusia Speedway Park. Richards, driving the No. 1 Seubert Calf Ranches/ACE Metal Works/ Petroff Towing Rocket Chassis house car, had another noteworthy performance Friday night with his first United Midwestern Promoters (UMP) special event win. The $10,000 40-lap event was the UMP DIRTcar Super Late Model finale of the twelve day marathon “38th Annual Alltel DIRTcar Nationals” and his repeat performance earned the talented young driver the distinction as one of only two drivers (the other being Billy Moyer) to win both a WoOLMS event and the UMP finale during the same Nationals.

“ We did everything exactly the same as Thursday night – qualifying, heat race and ran the same tires in the feature. The track was just a little wetter tonight so you had to run down against the brown in turns three and four but everything worked out great again,” recapped Richards. “To win three last week and two this week is pretty unreal. It’s starting to sink in a bit but I still don’t know what to say.”

Richards launched his Cornett Chevy powered Rocket into the lead on lap 14 the previous night but advanced from his fifth place starting position into the top spot on lap 13 with a pass on Billy Moyer utilizing the bottom of the track and completed the remaining 27 circuits unchallenged. The remaining Top-5 finishers were Rick Eckert, Shane Clanton, Darrell Lanigan and Scott James.

Tune in to the conclusion of the “38th Annual Alltel DIRTcar Nationals” featuring the World of Outlaws Late Model Series tonight via http://www.dirtvision.com. Additional news and information on Josh Richards can be found at http://www.joshrichards.com

Josh Richards’ No. 1 team is able to return to victory lane because of continued support from Rocket Chassis, Cornett Racing Engines, Seubert Calf Ranches, Ernie D’s Enterprises, ACE Metal Works, MCB Motorsports, Petroff Towing, Tony Stewart Racing, Sunoco Race Fuels, Hoosier Racing Tires, Integra Shocks, Slavic Custom Decals, Valvoline, AEM, AFCO, ATL Fuel Cells, Aurora Bearing Company, Autolite, Banshee Graphics, Barnes Systems, Beyea Performance, Brinn Transmissions, Brodix Cylinder Heads, Braswell Carburetion, Butlerbuilt Seat Systems, CV Products, Dohm Cycles, Dyer’s Top Rods, Fram Filters, Frankland Rearends, Howe Racing, Kwik Change Product, LSI, Mason Racin’, MSD Ignition, Outerwears, Performance Bodies, Performance Friction Brakes, Performance Rod & Custom, Ringers Gloves, Scott Performance Wire, Simpson Race Products, Sweet Manufacturing, Tel Tech, TWM Racing Products, Trick Carbon Fiber Driveshafts, TurboStart Racing Batteries, US Brake, Weld Racing Wheels, Wehr’s Machine, Wilwood and Wrisco Aluminum.

Official Release

JOSH RICHARDS LAUNCHES 2009 WoOLMS TOUR WITH THIRD CONSECUTIVE OPENING NIGHT WIN

Contact: Michelle Petroff, Josh Richards Racing, (618) 406-6842 or michelle@michellepetroff.com
BARBERVILLE, FL (February 12, 2009) – With two weeks of racing already under his belt in the 2009 season, Josh Richards remained focused on the most important race of his Florida Speedweeks performance – the World of Outlaws Late Model Series’ opening event during the “38th Annual Alltel DIRTcar Nationals”. The preceding glories of all Top-5 performances at the “Superbowl of Racing” in Georgia to the record-setting three Lucas Oil Late Model Dirtcar Series’ events within 24 hours at East Bay Raceway Park were all primers for this one event, which Richards has won for the past two seasons.

Luck from his exhilarating East Bay performances in the No. 25 Ernie D’s Enterprises Rocket Chassis did not seem to transfer to the sweeping 1/2-mi oval of Volusia Speedway Park. In three nights of preliminary United Midwestern Promoters competition, the 20 year-old West Virginia native managed a pair of Top-10 and three Top-15 finishes but a third trip to WoOLMS victory lane was not looking promising.

Thursday, Richards’ No. 1 Seubert Calf Ranches/Ernie D’s Enterprises/ACE Metal Works Cornett powered Rocket Chassis team opted to swap cars. After a day of preparations to the second entry, it appeared that the extra effort was worth it after registering the fifth quickest qualifying lap out of the sixty-one entries. Richards reached another milestone with a dominating performance in preliminary action with his 50th career WoOLMS heat race victory, an honor that only four other competitors have earned.

Once again, celebrations would be short-lived as Kid Rocket declared that he was experiencing engine problems. His team launched into action to diagnose the situation and prepare for an engine swap but found an electrical malfunction.

Rolling out of the third place starting berth, Richards had most of the sport’s best competition and fifty laps between him and victory lane. He fell back to fourth before reeling in Shannon Babb and assuming the lead on lap 14. Richards remained unchallenged most of the race with a full straightaway lead over the competition until lapped traffic became a factor late in the race and whittled his pace to two seconds ahead of the pack. When the checkers dropped, the youngest competitor on the tour once again managed to kick off the World of Outlaws Late Model Series’ tour with a win and was trailed by reigning series’ champion Darrell Lanigan, Babb, Steve Francis and the victor of Wednesday’s UMP action, Dan Schlieper.

“ Winning the opener three years in a row – it’s just crazy. It’s a great feeling,” commented Richards. “We just hit everything right tonight. When this track is like this, I love every second out there – it just fits my driving style. You can get in the black and you can get in the traction. You don’t have to worry about being on the cushion the whole race.”

The “Alltel DIRTcar Nationals” will continue tonight with the $10,000-to-win finale for the UMP DIRTcar Super Late Models before the WoOLMS capstones the racing action on Saturday with another $10,000 main event. Richards’ No. 1 Rocket team will be in attendance and looking for their 13th tour victory.
Follow the excitement live on the web at http://www.dirtvision.com and be sure to log on to http://www.joshrichards.com for the latest news and information.

Josh Richards’ No. 1 team is able to return to victory lane because of continued support from Rocket Chassis, Cornett Racing Engines, Seubert Calf Ranches, Ernie D’s Enterprises, ACE Metal Works, MCB Motorsports, Petroff Towing, Tony Stewart Racing, Sunoco Race Fuels, Hoosier Racing Tires, Integra Shocks, Slavic Custom Decals, Valvoline, AEM, AFCO, ATL Fuel Cells, Aurora Bearing Company, Autolite, Banshee Graphics, Barnes Systems, Beyea Performance, Brinn Transmissions, Brodix Cylinder Heads, Braswell Carburetion, Butlerbuilt Seat Systems, CV Products, Dohm Cycles, Dyer’s Top Rods, Fram Filters, Frankland Rearends, Howe Racing, Kwik Change Product, LSI, Mason Racin’, MSD Ignition, Outerwears, Performance Bodies, Performance Friction Brakes, Performance Rod & Custom, Ringers Gloves, Scott Performance Wire, Simpson Race Products, Sweet Manufacturing, Tel Tech, TWM Racing Products, Trick Carbon Fiber Driveshafts, TurboStart Racing Batteries, US Brake, Weld Racing Wheels, Wehr’s Machine, Wilwood and Wrisco Aluminum.

Official Release

JOSH VOTED OVERWHELMING FAVORITE TO WIN 2009 CHAMPIONSHIP IN WoOLMS’ PRE-SEASON MEDIA POLL

Prepared by: Kevin Kovac, World of Outlaws Late Model Series P.R. Director

CONCORD, NC (February 9, 2009) – Josh Richards is ready to reach the mountaintop of the World of Outlaws’ Late Model Series.

That’s the press contingent’s consensus opinion of the 20-year-old sensation from Shinnston, WV, who was voted the overwhelming favorite to win the national tour’s 2009 points championship in the second annual WoOLMS’ Pre-Season Media Poll.

Two-dozen writers, photographers and broadcasters who cover the WoOLMS participated in the poll, which asked the press members to predict the top-five finishers in the tour’s 2009 points standings. Points were distributed to each driver named on the media ballots using a 5-4-3-2-1 system. Richards tallied 106 points in the poll, including an impressive 17 first-place votes. No other driver received more than three first-place selections and Richards appeared on all 24 media ballots – a clear sign of the good feelings swirling around the young driver entering the 2009 WoO LMS campaign, which kicks off on Feb.12 and 14 with a pair of programs during the “38th annual Alltel DIRTcar Nationals by UNOH” at Volusia Speedway Park in Barberville, F”.

Coming off a breakout 2008 season that saw him win a career-high six A-Mains (tied for the series lead) and finish second in the points standings, Richards carries plenty of momentum into the new year. He captured the tour’s ’08 season finale during the “VAULT World Finals” at The Dirt Track @ Lowe’s Motor Speedway in Concord, NC, and tuned up for the WoOLMS by winning three features last week in other Florida action.

The 2005 WoOLMS’ Rookie of the Year is set to make his fifth full-time assault on the tour behind the wheel of the Seubert Calf Ranches-sponsored Rocket Chassis house car. Prior to his runner-up finish in last year’s points battle, he placed eighth (2005), ninth (2006) and sixth (2007) in the standings.

One media member provided a comment that neatly sums up the general feeling about Richards’s prospects in 2009.

“ He kicked off 2008 with a win (at Volusia) and closed it with a win,” wrote the journalist. “This year he’ll be good the whole year – ‘Kid Rocket’ becomes ‘King Rocket.’”

Comments are closed.