SPRING VALLEY, Minn. – July 14, 2011 – Josh Richards of Shinnston, W.Va., made a spectacular surge to the front on the opening lap and never looked back en route to capturing Wednesday night’s 32nd annual NAPA Auto Parts Gopher 50 Charity Late Model Race at Deer Creek Speedway.
The 23-year-old vaulted from the fourth starting position to the lead at the initial green flag, capping the explosion by splitting front-row starters Clint Smith of Senoia, Ga., and Rick Eckert of York, Pa., rounding turns three and four. He turned back a late challenge from Brian Birkhofer of Muscatine, Iowa, to register his third victory of the 2011 World of Outlaws Late Model Series season and first-ever at the Queensland family’s three-eighths-mile track in southern Minnesota.
“It’s just awesome to get a win here at Deer Creek,” said Richards, “these guys do a phenomenal job with this place. It’s one of my favorite tracks to come to every year.”
Driving the Seubert Calf Ranches/Kentucky Fuel Corporation Rocket No. 1, Richards paced the entire distance in front of a standing-room-only crowd that turned out for the prestigious event co-promoted by the Blooming Prairie (Minn.) Lions Club and Deer Creek Speedway to raise money for Jaycee and Lions projects. The two-time defending WoO LMS champion was victorious for the third time in his last six starts on the national tour.
“The car just took off on the start and I couldn’t waste the momentum,” said Richards, who pushed his WoO LMS-leading career win total since 2004 to 31. “The track was getting more and more dry and Brian (Birkhofer) was on harder tires than we were, so I had to use every bit of the brown (moisture) that I could. I couldn’t really stick in the bottom too well so I just tried to use all of the track and get through there the best I could. If we would’ve hit it wrong just a little bit, Brian no doubt would’ve won the race.”
Birkhofer appeared to be in position to steal the race from Richards when he ducked underneath the leader in turns one and two with two laps remaining, but Richards managed to overtake the lapped machine of Ron Davies of Warren, Pa., entering turn three and hold on for one more tense circuit.
Richards now stands second in the WoO LMS standings, 26 points behind Rick Eckert who faded to seventh at the finish after starting from the pole position.
The WoO LMS Wild West Tour continues on Fri., July 15, at River Cities Speedway in Grand Forks, N.D., and Tues., July 19, at Gillette (Wyo.) Thunder Speedway.
For more information on Josh Richards, visit www.joshrichards.com. Follow on Twitter @Josh_Richards1.
Josh Richards’s No. 1 team carries support from Rocket Chassis, Kentucky Fuel Corporation, Cornett Racing Engines, Seubert Calf Ranches,Ernie D’s Enterprises, ACE Metal Works, Petroff Towing, Tony Stewart Racing, Sunoco Race Fuels, Hoosier Racing Tires, Integra Shocks, Slavic Custom Decals, Valvoline, AEM, 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, LSI, MSD Ignition, Outerwears, Performance Bodies, Performance Friction Brakes, Performance Rod & Custom, Rand, Ringers Gloves, Scott Performance Wire, Simpson Race Products, Sweet Manufacturing, Tel Tech, TWM Racing Products, Trick Carbon Fiber Driveshafts, Jones Racing Products, TurboStart Racing Batteries, Ultra Lite Brakes, US Brake, Weld Racing Wheels, Will Kinzer Foundation, Wehr’s Machine, Wilwood and Wrisco Aluminum.
Honey Elizabeth Rentz
Rising Star Management Group
hrentz@risingstarmg.com
