Contact: Kevin Kovac

World of Outlaws Late Model Series PR Director

kkovac@dirtcar.com | 704-254-7929

 

Defending Champion Josh Richards To Watch From Sidelines For Start Of 2014 World of Outlaws Late Model Series Season

 

SHINNSTON, W.Va. - Jan. 31, 2014 – By Andrea Cleveland/Josh Richards P.R. - Mark Richards Racing announced today that three-time World of Outlaws Late Model Series champion Josh Richards will not be in the seat of the No. 1 Valvoline Rocket Chassis house car due to medical issues for the start of the national tour’s 2014 season.

Brandon Sheppard of New Berlin, Ill., will be behind the wheel of the iconic blue No. 1 in Richards’s absence. Sheppard is a familiar face in the Rocket camp after filling in for the 25-year-old defending champion in 2012 as he ran a limited schedule in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. Sheppard also won the 33rd annual Red Buck Dirt Track World Championship at Portsmouth (Ohio) Raceway Park last October substituting for Richards.

“It’s not easy to watch from the sidelines for the start of the season, but I hope to have these issues resolved quickly and get back in the car as soon as possible,” said Richards. “I still plan to be involved with the race team and I have full confidence in Brandon (Sheppard). I know he will do a phenomenal job in my absence.”

Updates on Richards’s status will be made as additional details become available. For more information contact Richards’s public relations representative, Andrea Cleveland, at 704-575-2296 or via e-mail at andrea@joshrichards.com.

The 2014 WoO LMS season kicks off with the Bubba Army Dirt Late Model Winter Nationals on Feb. 14-16 at Bubba Raceway Park in Ocala, Fla., and the tour’s portion of the DIRTcar Nationals by Summit Racing Equipment on Feb. 20-22 at Volusia Speedway Park in Barberville, Fla.

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/WorldofOutlaws .

The World of Outlaws Late Model Series is brought to fans across the country by many important sponsors and partners, including: American Racing Custom Wheels (Official Custom Wheel), Arizona Sport Shirts (Official Apparel Company), Armor All (Official Car Care Products), Hoosier Racing Tires (Official Racing Tires), KMC (Official Custom Truck Wheel), Lincoln Welder (Official Welder), STP (Official Fuel Treatment), 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, Klotz Synthetic Lubricants, MSD, Ohlins Shocks, QuarterMaster, Roush Yates Performance Parts, Superflow Dynos and Wrisco Aluminum; along with manufacturer sponsors Capital Race Cars, Integra Shocks, GRT Chassis, Jake's Carts, Racing Electronics, Rocket Chassis and TNT Rescue.

For Immediate Release
Contact:  Susan Arnold
Sarnold00@earthlink.net
949-637-2216

DAN MOTTER ANNOUNCES HE&M SAW AS NEW 71M ASSOCIATE SPONSOR

PENGILLY, Minn. (Jan. 17, 2014) – Dan Motter, owner of the Motter Equipment 71M World of Outlaws Sprint Car, today welcomed HE&M Saw, a world leader in band saw technology, as an associate team sponsor.

HE&M Saw has more patented innovation than any other band saw manufacturer in the world.

“I met Doug Harris, president and CEO of HE&M Saw, at the PRI show in December,” explained Motter.  “There was a rare synergy between us from the beginning.  We share common philosophies on life and business, and we both have our families involved in our businesses.  It’s not often that you feel that you have made a good friend so quickly.

“For Joey (Saldana, driver), having Doug involved with the race team will be a reunion of sorts.  HE&M was an associate sponsor on Joey’s car in 2002 and 2003 and again when he drove for Kasey Kahne in 2008.

“We feel very fortunate to have Doug in our racing family and we feel our sport and our team will contribute unique marketing and sales opportunities for the HE&M Saw brand.”

“HE&M Saw has always been committed to the racing community; and we are excited to be back sponsoring Joey Saldana with Motter Motorsports,” said Doug Harris, HE&M Saw president.  “We look forward to the season and lots of success while building a loyal following where our customers and distributors can follow our winning race team.”

Based in Pryor, Oklahoma, HE&M Saw employees 220 people and manufactures over 72 different models of production band saws for the metalworking industry including Vertical, Horizontal, Plate and Double Column saws.  These American made state-of-the-art saws are in operation all over the United States as well as Europe, Canada, Mexico and the Pacific Rim.

The Femi line of HE&M Saws is a favorite of the racing industry because of their portability and impressive cutting and speed capabilities.  For more information, please visit www.hemsaw.com.

Saldana, a veteran of dirt track racing, is seventh on the World of Outlaws all-time win list and drove the Motter Equipment 71M to fourth in final point standings last year, winning the Sept. 6 event at Silver Dollar Speedway in Chico, Calif.  The team also bested over 100 competitors to win the pole for the prestigious Knoxville Nationals.

“We are looking forward to an exciting season in 2014 and making a serious run for the championship,” concluded Motter.

Motter Equipment is a global supplier of mining and construction equipment and component parts for surface mining and construction industries with corporate offices near Hibbing, Minn.  For more information, please visit www.motterequipment.com.

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