Contact: Kevin Kovac
World of Outlaws Late Model Series PR Director
kkovac@dirtcar.com | 704-254-7929

Richards Outduels Shaver For Victory On Opening Night Of Firecracker 100 by GottaRace.com Weekend At Lernerville Speedway

World of Outlaws Late Model Series Star Captures First Preliminary A-Main For Third Time In Last Four Years

SARVER, PA – June 27, 2011 – Josh Richards was a man on a mission Thursday night at Lernerville Speedway.

Rebounding from a frustrating subpar performance two nights earlier, the 25-year-old superstar from Shinnston, W.Va., grabbed the lead from Steve Shaver of Vienna, W.Va., on lap 18 and marched on to win the first 30-lap World of Outlaws Late Model Series preliminary A-Main of the Firecracker 100 Presented by GottaRace.com weekend.

The $6,150 victory was Richards’s fourth of the 2013 WoO LMS season and marked the third time in the last four years that he has captured the opening-night feature of the Firecracker 100 extravaganza. It also got him back on track after a winless four-race swing through New York and Canada that he ended with an uncharacteristic 13th-place finish on June 25 at Canandaigua (N.Y.) Motorsports Park.

“We struggled a lot this past week,” said Richards, who scored just one top-five finish during the northern trip with his father Mark’s Valvoline-sponsored Rocket Chassis house car operation. “It was actually kind of embarrassing. It wasn’t common for this team to be running the way we were, so we made some changes, swapped cars today and tried to get our heads together to make the right decisions.

“We were good tonight, but we still have a long weekend ahead of us and I’m sure everybody is gonna work on their stuff.”

Shaver settled for a runner-up finish after leading laps 1-17, flashing under the checkered flag 1.113 seconds behind Richards. WoO LMS rookie Eric Wells of Hazard, Ky., finished third after starting from the pole position – earning him a career-best finish at Lernerville in just his second visit to the track – while eighth-starter Davey Johnson of Latrobe, Pa., challenged Wells late in the distance but placed fourth.
Defending WoO LMS champion Darrell Lanigan of Union, Ky., took fifth after coming out on top of a last-lap battle with Dale McDowell of Chickamauga, Ga., and Dan Stone of Thompson, Pa., who finished sixth and seventh, respectively.

Richards, who has recorded four of his 43 career WoO LMS victories at Lernerville, mastered the four-tenths-mile oval that was tacky and fast after being doused by heavy rain earlier in the day.
After bursting forward from the fifth starting spot to second by lap four, Richards immediately began to challenge Shaver, who started second in the Rumley Enterprises/Bobby Labonte Racing Longhorn chassis. They swapped the top spot off turn four on lap nine – without an official lead change at the line – and did the same off turn on lap 17, but Richards slid in front for good as lap 18 was scored.
“I tried to move around to see where I could make the move and where it would be the best place,” said Richards, whose triumph assured him of a pole position starting spot in a Firecracker 100 heat race on Saturday night (June 29). “I just tried to get where I got a run and could hug the bottom off of (turn) two or slide (Shaver) through three and four. We raced really hard.”

Shaver, 49, hailed Richards’s effort while expressing satisfaction with a second-place finish in his first WoO LMS start of the season.

“Seconds sucks, but helluva job by Josh,” said Shaver. “We just weren’t near as good as him. We had a heck of a race for the lead though, and I don’t believe we ever touched.
“We’re happy with our run. To be able to come out here and run with these guys like that is a tribute to Kevin Rumley, who’s designed this chassis. He’s done a real good job with it. I’m proud of him.”
Finishing in positions 8-10 were 14th-starter Shane Clanton of Zebulon, Ga., whose deficit to Richards in the WoO LMS standings expanded from eight to 24 points; 16th-starter Tim McCreadie of Watertown, N.Y.; and 13th-starter Rick Eckert of York, Pa.
Two caution flags slowed the event. The first came on lap 10 after Steve Francis of Ashland, Ky., Mike Marlar of Winfield, Tenn., Ron Davies of Warren, Pa., and Tim Fuller of Watertown, N.Y., tangled underneath the flagstand, and Bub McCool of Vicksburg, Miss., triggered the second when he stopped in turn two on lap 28.

A 57-car field was entered in the event, which started precisely on schedule despite the significant showers that saturated the area through the early afternoon. With rain threatening throughout the evening, officials spun off the program quickly, completing all racing just before 10 p.m.

Ohlins Shocks Time Trials were split into ‘A’ and ‘B’ groups, with the first half competing for starting positions in heats one and two and the second half racing against the clock to align heats three and four. Fuller’s lap of 15.368 seconds in Group B was the quickest overall time of the night, giving him his first WoO LMS fast-time honor of 2013.

Fuller’s promising evening took a turn for the worse during the fourth heat when he relinquished the lead due to terminal motor trouble, forcing him to pull out a backup car and use a points provisional to start the A-Main.

Heat winners were Stone, Jared Landers of Batesville, Ark., Richards, Shaver, Dave Hess Jr. of Waterford, Pa., and Wells. The three 12-lap B-Mains were won by Brady Smith of Solon Springs, Wis., John Blankenship of Williamson, W.Va., and Davies.

The Firecracker 100 presented by GottaRace.com continues on Fri., June 28, with another WoO LMS program topped by a 30-lap A-Main paying $6,000 to win. Drivers will use their best finish from the Thursday and Friday competition to align themselves in the heat races for Saturday night’s headlining Firecracker 100, which pays $30,000 to win.

Details and ticket information on the Firecracker 100 can be obtained by logging on to www.lernerville.com.

For more information on the WoO LMS, visit www.worldofoutlaws.com.

Results of WoO Late Model Series Firecracker 100 Presented by GottaRace.com Preliminary A-Main No. 1 at Lernerville Speedway (Finishing Position/Start/Driver/Laps Completed/Money Won):
1. (5) Josh Richards/30 $6,150
2. (2) Steve Shaver/30 $3,000
3. (1) Eric Wells/30 $2,350
4. (8) Davey Johnson/30 $1,800
5. (12) Darrell Lanigan/30 $1,650
6. (9) Dale McDowell/30 $1,250
7. (6) Dan Stone/30 $1,150
8. (14) Shane Clanton/30 $1,200
9. (16) Tim McCreadie/30 $1,200
10. (13) Rick Eckert/30 $1,200
11. (15) Austin Hubbard/30 $900
12. (23) John Garvin Jr./30 $1,325
13. (10) Jonathan Davenport/30 $750
14. (18) Brian Birkhofer/30 $725
15. (25) Tim Fuller/30 $950
16. (27) Morgan Bagley/30 $160
17. (17) Bub McCool/30 $720
18. (28) Clint Smith/30 $160
19. (22) Steve Francis/30 $740
20. (7) Russ King/29 $620
21. (20) John Blankenship/27 $600
22. (3) Jared Landers/15 $600
23. (26) Chub Frank/12 $650
24. (19) Brady Smith/10 $600
25. (11) Mike Marlar/10 $625
26. (21) Ron Davies/10 $600
27. (4) Dave Hess Jr./9 $600
28. (24) Jared Miley/1 $600

* Earnings include cash contingency award bonuses
Time of Race: 18 Mins., 53.208 Secs.
Margin of Victory: 1.113 Secs.
Yellow Flags: 2 (laps 10, 28)
Lap Leaders: Shaver (1-17); Richards (18-30)
Provisional Starters: Fuller, Frank (WoO points); Bagley, C. Smith (WoO emergency)
Rookie of the Race: Wells ($250)
WoO LMS ‘Bonus Bucks’ Winner: Garvin ($500)

Ohlins Shocks Time Trial Results (Position/No./Driver/Hometown/Best Lap):
Group ‘A’
1. 24-Rick Eckert/York, PA 15.376
2. 1J-Davey Johnson/Latrobe, PA 15.385
3. 23-John Blankenship/Williamson, WV 15.403
4. 2s-Dan Stone/Thompson, PA 15.512
5. 5-Jared Landers/Batesville, AR 15.605
6. 17M-Dale McDowell/Chickamauga, GA 15.626
7. 18c-Ross Camponovo/Clarksdale, MS 15.629
8. 25-Shane Clanton/Zebulon, GA 15.636
9. 1-Josh Richards/Shinnston, WV 15.672
10. 2-Brady Smith/Solon Springs, WI 15.676
11. 15-Steve Francis/Ashland, KY 15.686
12. J4-John Garvin Jr./Sarver, PA 15.690
13. 56-Russ King/Bristolville, OH 15.711
14. 44-Clint Smith/Senoia, GA 15.718
15. 11-Austin Hubbard/Seaford, DE 15.765
16. 72-Michael Norris/Sarver, PA 16.047
17. 1c-Mike Pegher Jr./Cranberry Twp., PA 16.055
18. 04-David Watts/Buchanan, VA 16.143
19. 66-Todd Bachman/Natrona Heights, PA 16.202
20. 88-Andrew Reaume/Blenheim, ONT 16.280
21. 66K-Justin Kann/Hesston, PA 16.328
22. C33-Chris Casner/Mifflintown, PA 16.425
23. 41-Derrick Casner/Mifflintown, PA 16.432
24. B1-Brandon Wearing/Callery, PA 16.449
25. CR9-Chris Rhodes/Windber, PA 16.554
26. 37-Brian Tavenner/Winchester, VA 16.792
27. 32-Jim Rasey/Southington, OH 16.810
28. 44G-Derek Stefanick/Oakdale, PA 17.817
29. J19-Jason Fosnaught/Creighton, PA 17.955
30. 7x-Herman Bertolini/Creighton, PA 18.027

Group ‘B’
1. 19-Tim Fuller/Watertown, NY 15.368
2. 5b-Mike Marlar/Winfield, TN 15.393
3. 15B-Brian Birkhofer/Muscatine, IA 15.396
4. 6-Steve Shaver/Vienna, WV 15.396
5. 44H-Dave Hess Jr./Waterford, PA 15.420
6. 18-Eric Wells/Hazard, KY 15.424
7. 10-Alex Ferree/Saxonburg, PA 15.425
8. 57J-Bub McCool/Vicksburg, MS 15.450
9. 22-Gregg Satterlee/Rochester Mills, PA 15.482
10. 49-Jonathan Davenport/Blairsville, GA 15.491
11. 71d-Ron Davies/Warren, PA 15.506
12. 29-Darrell Lanigan/Union, KY 15.512
13. 39-Tim McCreadie/Watertown, NY 15.545
14. 99B-Rick ‘Boom’ Briggs/Bear Lake, PA 15.549
15. 14M-Morgan Bagley/Longview, TX 15.563
16. 25z-Mason Zeigler/Chalk Hill, PA 15.564
17. 28-Jimmy Mars/Menomonie, WI 15.594
18. 1*-Chub Frank/Bear Lake, PA 15.763
19. 29K-Garrett Krummert/New Castle, PA 15.806
20. 14-Dan Angelicchio/Greensburg, PA 15.813
21. 76-Jason Rider/Clinton, PA 15.848
22. 8-Craig Vosbergen/Perth, W. Australia 15.878
23. H1-Jared Miley/South Park, PA 15.880
24. 29s-Ken Schaltenbrand/Sarver, PA 15.996
25. 23T-Tony Burke/Sarver, PA 16.019
26. 91-Michael Holmes/Perth, W. Australia 16.153
27. 1-Tommy Beck/Murraysville, PA N/T

Heat No. 1 (10 laps – Top 3 Transfer): Stone, King, Eckert, B. Smith, Bachman, Camponovo, Norris, C. Casner, Stefanick, Rhodes
Heat No. 2 (10 laps – Top 3 Transfer): Landers, Johnson, Clanton, C. Smith, Pegher, Francis, Reaume, Tavenner, D. Casner, Fosnaught
Heat No. 3 (10 laps – Top 3 Transfer): Richards, McDowell, Hubbard, Garvin, Blankenship, Watts, Wearing, Kann, Bertolini, Rasey
Heat No. 4 (10 laps – Top 3 Transfer): Shaver, Davenport, McCreadie, Ferree, Burke, Fuller, Zeigler, Krummert, Vosbergen, Hendrix
Heat No. 5 (10 laps – Top 3 Transfer): Hess, Marlar, McCool, Davies, Briggs, Miley, Angelicchio, Mars, Holmes
Heat No. 6 (10 laps – Top 3 Transfer): Wells, Lanigan, Birkhofer, Bagley, Rider, Frank, Satterlee, Schaltenbrand, Beck

B-Main No. 1 (12 laps – Top 2 Transfer): B. Smith, Francis, C. Smith, Norris, Reaume, Pegher, D. Casner, Bachman, C. Casner, Tavenner, Fosnaught, Stefanick, Camponovo (DNS) Rhodes
B-Main No. 2 (12 laps – Top 2 Transfer): Blankenship, Garvin, Watts, Wearing, Kann, Burke, Bertolini, Rasey (DNS) Ferree, Fuller, Zeigler, Krummert, Vosbergen, Hendrix
B-Main No. 3 (12 laps – Top 2 Transfer): Davies, Miley, Bagley, Briggs, Rider, Angelicchio, Frank, Holmes, Schaltenbrand (DNS) Mars, Beck, Satterlee

World of Outlaws Late Model Series Contingency Award Winners (awards presented to noted finisher/qualifier or next highest displaying decal:
Ohlins Shocks ($50 cash to fast qualifier): Rick Eckert
Eibach Springs (one free spring to each B-Main winner): Michael Norris/David Watts/Ron Davies
VP Race Fuels ‘Nice Jugs’ Award: (One VP 5-gallon container to fastest qualifier who misses A-Main): Alex Ferree
Wrisco Aluminum (3 sheets of aluminum to A-Main winner only): Josh Richards
Armor All (One case of product to highest-finishing non-WoO team in A-Main): Davey Johnson
Comp Cams ($50 certificate to A-Main winner): Josh Richards
QuarterMaster ($100 certificate to A-Main winner, $50 certificate to 5th-place finish): Eric Wells/Tim Fuller
MSD Ignition ($50 cash to A-Main winner): Josh Richards
STP ($50 cash to 2nd-place finisher in A-Main): Eric Wells
XS Power ($50 cash to 3rd-place finisher in A-Main): Eric Wells
Roush Yates ($50 cash to 4th-place finisher in A-Main): Davey Johnson
JE Pistons ($50 cash to 5th-place finisher in A-Main): Shane Clanton
Dominator ($50 cash to 6th-place finisher in A-Main): Tim Fuller
American Race Wheels ($50 cash to 7th-place finisher in A-Main): Tim Fuller
VP Race Fuels ($50 cash to 8th-place finisher in A-Main): Shane Clanton
Edelbrock Manifolds ($50 cash to 9th-finisher in A-Main): Tim McCreadie
Comp Cams ($50 cash to 10th-place finisher in A-Main): Rick Eckert
XS Power ($60 product certificate to 11th-place finisher in A-Main): Tim Fuller
Cometic Gasket ($50 cash to 12th-place finisher in A-Main): Tim Fuller
JRI Shocks ($50 cash to 13th-place finisher in A-Main): Tim Fuller
Super Flow Dynos ($50 cash to 14th-place finisher in A-Main): Tim Fuller
JE Pistons (one complete set of JE Pro Seal rings to 16th-place finisher in A-Main, redeemable w/next purchase of set): Morgan Bagley
Klotz Lubricants ($50 cash to 17th-place finisher in A-Main): Bub McCool
Roush Yates ($50 gift card to 18th-place finisher in A-Main): Chub Frank
QuarterMaster ($50 certificate to 19th-place finisher in A-Main): Steve Francis
Arizona Sport Shirts ($100 certificate to 20th-place finisher in A-Main): Russ King
JE Pistons (one complete set of JE Pro Seal rings to 21st-place finisher in A-Main, redeemable w/next purchase of set): Jared Landers
Roush Yates ($50 gift card to 22nd-place finisher in A-Main): Chub Frank
MSD Ignition ($25 cash to 24th-place finisher in A-Main): Mike Marlar
XS Power ‘Power Move of the Race’ ($60 product certificate): Josh Richards
Roush Yates ($25 gift card to driver who leads most laps in the A-Main): Steve Shaver
Reliable Painting Award (one free tire): Darrell Lanigan

2013 World of Outlaws Late Model Series Point Standings as of June 27 – 23 A-Mains completed (rank/driver/points/deficit to leader):
1. Josh Richards 3240
2. Shane Clanton 3216 (-24)
3. Darrell Lanigan 3184 (-56)
4. Rick Eckert 3142 (-98)
5. Tim Fuller 2980 (-260)
6. Tim McCreadie 2970 (-270)
7. Eric Wells 2966 (-274)
8. Bub McCool 2938 (-302)
9. Morgan Bagley 2914 (-326)
10. Chub Frank 2912 (-328)
11. Clint Smith 2786 (-454)
12. Scott James 1958 (-1282)
13. Dillon Wood 1426 (-1814)
14. Dan Stone 1406 (-1834)
15. Gregg Satterlee 1308 (-1932)