After Strong Outing In Alabama, Josh Richards Heads To Texas With Plenty Of Momentum
Wednesday March 18, 2009
SHINNSTON, WV – Josh Richards didn’t add another checkered flag to his already bulging 2009 win list last Friday night at Deep South Speedway in Loxley, Ala., but he certainly didn’t lose much momentum either.
The soon-to-be 21-year-old sensation (he celebrates his milestone birthday on March 22) from Shinnston, W.Va., registered a solid fifth -place finish in Friday’s 40-lap World of Outlaws Late Model Series A-Main at Deep South, keeping him on the right track entering the tour’s two-day ‘Lone Star 100’ this weekend (March 20-21) at Battleground Speedway in Highlands, Texas.
Josh, who arrived at Deep South with six victories already under his belt this season, appeared primed to pump up his total on Friday night after qualifying sixth fastest in time trials and winning a heat race in his 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. But drawing the sixth starting spot in the pre-feature draw likely doomed the young star, who found moving forward to be difficult on the high-banked, four-tenths-mile oval.
“It was tough to pass because the track was so fast,” said Josh. ““I think we were better than Brady (Smith, who finished fourth), but I ran behind him the whole race. I could get under him in (turns) one and two, but I couldn’t carry enough speed off the corner to pass him.
“I know that (Steve) Francis (race winner) was good, but I think that if we started up front we would’ve had a chance to stay there and win.”
Saturday night’s scheduled 60-lap, $12,000-to-win WoO LMS finale at Deep South was called off by officials after steady rain arrived late in the afternoon, leaving Josh second in the tour’s points standings after three events, 16 markers behind Francis.
Josh, his father Mark and crewmen Jimmy Frey and Matt Barnes are spending the week on the road, remaining on the Gulf Coast in advance of this weekend’s two-day program at Battleground Speedway. The event will mark Josh’s first career visit to Texas for a race.
For more information on Josh Richards, visit www.joshrichards.com.
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This report was provided by an outside PR source and posted by Kim DeHaven.
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