Richards Masters Slick Lernerville Speedway Surface To Capture Thursday Night’s Firecracker 100 Preliminary A-Main 6.24

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Richards Masters Slick Lernerville Speedway Surface To Capture Thursday Night’s Firecracker 100 Preliminary A-Main 6.24

Richards Masters Slick Lernerville Speedway Surface To Capture Thursday Night’s Firecracker 100 Preliminary A-Main

SARVER, PA - June 24, 2010 - Josh Richards tip-toed his way to victory in Thursday night’s 30-lap World of Outlaws Late Model Series A-Main at Lernerville Speedway. Kicking off the fourth annual Firecracker 100 presented by GottaRace.com weekend with a flourish, the national tour’s defending champion led from start-to-finish for his series-leading fifth triumph of the 2010 season.

Richards, 22, of Shinnston, W.Va., raced off the outside pole starting spot to outgun fellow former WoO LMS titlist Billy Moyer of Batesville, Ark., at the initial green flag. He went on to turn back a late challenge from Shane Clanton of Locust Grove, Ga., in a caution-free event that was completed in less than 10 minutes.

“That’s definitely the slickest track I’ve ever won on,” said Richards, who earned $6,000 for his 25th career WoO LMS victory. “It was definitely the slowest I’ve ever gone to win, but (the track is) really fun when it’s like that. I really had no idea where to go or where to be, but it worked out.”

The triumph guaranteed Richards a pole position starting slot in one of the qualifying heat races for the Firecracker 100 on Saturday night (June 26), regardless of his finish in Friday night’s second 30-lap preliminary feature. He will bid for his first-ever 100-lap dirt Late Model victory in Saturday’s $30,000-to-win blockbuster.

Clanton, 34, settled for second place in his RSD Enterprises Rocket car, 0.428 of a second behind Richards’s Seubert Calf Ranches Rocket at the checkered flag. The WoO LMS regular started fourth but didn’t reach the runner-up spot until slipping underneath Moyer on lap 24.

Inaugural Firecracker 100 winner Scott Bloomquist of Mooresburg, Tenn., who started seventh, came on strong during the race’s final circuits to place third in his Team Zero by Bloomquist mount. Moyer faded to fourth at the finish in his Victory Circle Chassis and third-starter Steve Shaver of Vienna, W.Va., placed fifth in the K&L Rumley Rocket.

Richards, who opened last year’s Firecracker 100 weekend by winning a postponed 50-lap WoO LMS A-Main, felt the late-race pressure that Clanton applied. But the young sensation didn’t falter, allowing him to extend his tour points lead to 30 markers over Darrell Lanigan of Union, Ky. (finished eighth) and 34 over Tim McCreadie of Watertown, N.Y. (seventh).

“I saw Clanton down off the bottom of (turn) four,” said Richards, who made his first career WoO LMS start at Lernerville in 2004. “I’d push all the way to the cushion and look left, and he’d be there. I just kinda had the momentum off the top (to stay ahead).”

Thursday night’s preliminary action left Richards with a good feeling about his chances in the Firecracker 100, which he believes has the makings of a thrilling extra-distance affair.

“I think the UMP (Hoosier LM) tire rule is gonna make it a really good race,” said Richards. “The tires aren’t really the right tires for the track, which made everybody just kind of slip and skate around (tonight). This was a preview of what you’re gonna see the rest of the weekend.”

Clanton, who has been a contender for victory in two of the three previous Firecracker 100s, stamped himself as a driver to watch once again with his Thursday-night performance. He just wished that he hadn’t missed the white flag being thrown.

“I thought I saw the white flag, but I guess they were just still waving it to everybody else when we came by (for the checkered flag),” said Clanton. “When I realized the checkered was out I was like, ‘Oh, no.’ I thought I had more time, but I guess I didn’t.

“I had a pretty good car,” he added. “Our cars were about equal, but I must have been pretty good if I was a little bit harder on tire (than Richards).”

Bloomquist, meanwhile, was on the charge at the finish in his first WoO LMS start of 2010. He broke into fourth place on lap 17 by splitting Shaver and Mars off turn two, then ran down Moyer to grab third on lap 25.

“I needed 10 more laps, maybe five,” said Bloomquist, who raced with a red, swollen left eye after apparently getting something in it earlier in the day. “My car was good. I could run anywhere – and I was running those guys (the leaders) down at the end.”

Mars, the defending Firecracker 100 champ, started and finished sixth. The 10th-starting McCreadie placed seventh after falling as far back as 15th and Lanigan advanced from the 16th starting spot to secure an eighth-place finish. Doug Drown of Wooster, Ohio, was ninth to earn the $500 WoO LMS ‘Bonus Bucks’ cash for being the highest-finishing driver who hasn’t won a tour A-Main and isn’t ranked among the top 12 in the points standings, and Clint Smith of Senoia, Ga., rounded out the top 10.

Thursday night’s A-Main was the second leg of the LaCrosse Extreme Tough Challenge, a unique mini-series that awards points to the top-five fulltime WoO LMS and Sprint Car Series drivers in 16 selected events – eight Late Model and eight Sprint Car – and will earn the champion of the combined standings a $5,000 bonus from a $15,000 points fund. Richards earned five points for being the highest-finishing WoO LMS regular, followed by Clanton (four), McCreadie (three), Lanigan (two) and Clint Smith (one).

A 57-car field was signed in for the event, which was run on a clear evening after heavy rain hit the facility less than 24 hours earlier.

Clanton was quickest in Ohlins Shocks Time Trials with a lap of 15.849 seconds. He earned his first fast-time honor of the 2010 WoO LMS.

Heat winners were Clanton, Richards, Mars, Rick ‘Boom’ Briggs of Bear Lake, Pa., Moyer and Shaver. The B-Mains were captured by Tim Fuller of Watertown, N.Y., Chub Frank of Bear Lake, Pa., and Matt Miller of Waterville, Ohio.

The Firecracker 100 presented by GottaRace.com continues on Fri., June 25, 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 Saturday night’s Firecracker 100 heat races.

6.24.2010 (Night One)

World of Outlaw Late Models Feature: (30 Laps)

(1) Josh Richards, Shinnston, WV
(25) Shane Clanton, Locust Grove, GA
(O) Scott Bloomquist, Mooresburg, TN
(21) Billy Moyer, Batesville, AK
(6S) Steve Shaver, Vienna, WV
(28) Jimmy Mars, Menominee, WI
(39) Tim McCreadie, Watertown, NY
(29) Darrell Lanigan, Union, KY
(12) Doug Drown, Wooster, OH
(44) Clint Smith, Senoia, GA
(15) Steve Francis, Ashland, KY
(1*) Chub Frank, Bear Lake
(99B) Rick “Boom” Briggs, Bear Lake
(24) Rick Eckert, York
(1V) Will Vaught, Crane, MO
(19) Tim Fuller, Watertown, NY
(32C) Vic Coffey, Leceister, NY
(2) Brady Smith, Solon Springs, WI
(19H) Austin Hubbard, Seaford, DE
(6L) Jamie Lathroum, Mechanicsville, MD
(4J) John Mollick, Toronto, OH
(22S) Greg Satterlee, Rochester Mills
(7) Matt Miller, Waterville, OH
(1J) Davey Johnson, Greensburg
(56) Russ King, Bristolville, OH
(4) Alex Ferree, Saxonburg

World of Outlaw Late Models Qualifying

(25) Shane Clanton, 15.849
(21D) Dan Stone, 15.980
(28) Jimmy Mars, 16.065
(39) Tim McCreadie, 16.136
(2J) Mike Johnson, 16.163
(4J) John Mollick, 16.184
(46) Doug Horton, 16.190
(1) Josh Richards, 16.195
(24) Rick Eckert, 16.264
(99B) Rick “Boom” Briggs, 16.276
(19H) Austin Hubbard, 16.293
(88) Chuck Sarver, 16.315
(O) Scott Bloomquist, 16.338
(32C) Vic Coffey, 16.346
(11) Tyler Reddick, 16.363
(29) Darrell Lanigan, 16.377
(1V) Will Vaught, 16.405
(6S) Steve Shaver, 16.411
(1J) Davey Johnson, 16.452
(19) Tim Fuller, 16.458
(44) Clint Smith, 16.460
(1*) Chub Frank, 16.461
(21) Billy Moyer, 16.483
(H1) Jared Miley, 16.510
(15) Steve Francis, 16.624
(25Z) Mason Zeigler, 16.690
(2) Brady Smith, 16.718
(56) Russ King, 16.723
(22S) Greg Satterlee, 16.723
(4) Alex Ferree, 16.783
(J4) John Garvin Jr., 16.857
(12) Doug Drown, 16.871
(15B) Brian Birkhofer, 16.877
(14C) Corey Conley, 16.946
(7) Matt Miller, 16.972
(6L) Jamie Lathroum, 16.999
(45) Mark Byram, 17.054
(72M) Jason Mason, 17.062
(44H) Dave Hess Jr., 17.092
(W11) Robbie Blair, 17.101
(57J) Bub McCool, 17.120
(23T) Tony Burke, 17.123
(3) Brent Johnson, 17.201
(1C) Lynn Geisler, 17.202
(9K) Mike Knight, 17.215
(66) Todd Bachman, 17.272
(17M) Dale McDowell, 17.281
(21L) Matt Lux, 17.392
(1JX) Dave Murdick, 17.394
(22) Greg Oakes, 17.486
(14) April Farmer, 17.890
(1*CFR) Peter Mantha, 17.891
(38R) Nick Reges, 17.986
(72N) Michael Norris, 18.108
( C33) Chris Casner, 18.184

DNQ: (J19) Jason Fosnaught

DQ: (29) Ken Schaltenbrand

WoO LMS Last Chance Showdown #1

(19) Tim Fuller, Watertown, NY
(1J) Davey Johnson, Greensburg
(1C) Lynn Geisler, Cranberry Twp.
(46) Doug Horton, Bruceton Mills, WV
(3) Brent Johnson, Smithfield, VA
(72M) John Mason, Millersbury, OH
(J4) John Garvin Jr., Sarver
(45) Mark Byram, Georgetown, DE
(1JX) Dave Murdick, Slippery Rock
(C33) Chris Casner, Mifflintown
(25Z) Mason Zeigler, Chalk Hill

DNS: (22) Greg Oakes, Franklinville, NY

DNS: (21D) Dan Stone, Thompson

DNS: (J19) Jason Fosnaught, Creighton

WoO LMS Last Chance Showdown #2

(1*) Chub Frank, Bear Lake
(2) Brady Smith, Salon Springs, WI
(15B) Brian Birkhofer, Muscatine, IA
(56) Russ King, Bristolville OH.
(44H) Dave Hess Jr., Waterford
(9K) Mike Knight, Ripley. NY
(11) Tyler Reddick, Corning, CA
(W11) Robbie Blair, Centerville
(14C) Corey Conley, Wellsburg, WV
(29S) Ken Schaltenbrand, Sarver
(66) Todd Bachman, Natrona Heights
(14) April Farmer, Livingston, TN
(1*CFR) Peter Mantha, Gatineau QUE

WoO LMS Last Chance Showdown #3

(7) Matt Miller, Waterville, OH
(4) Alex Ferree, Saxonburg
(H1) Jared Miley, South Park
(17M) Dale McDowell, Chicamauga, GA
(57J) Bub McCool,
(2J) Mike Johnson, Franklin
(72N) Michael Norris, Sarver
(23T) Tony Burke, Sarver
(88) Chuck Sarver, West Sunburry
(19H) Austin Hubbard, Seaford, DE
(38R) Nick Reges, Butler

World of Outlaw Late Models Heat #1

(25) Shane Clanton, Locust Grove, GA
(O) Scott Bloomquist, Mooresburg, TN
(15) Steve Francis, Ashland, KY
(46) Doug Horton, Bruceton Mills, WV
(1J) Davey Johnson, Greensburg
(3) Brent Robinson, Smithfield VA.
(45) Mark Byram, Georgetown, DE
(J4) John Garvin Jr., Sarver
(1JX) Dave Murdick, Slippery Rock
(C33) Chris Casner, Mifflintown

World of Outlaw Late Models Heat #2

(1) Josh Richards, Shinnston, WV
(32C) Vic Coffey, Leceister, NY
(12) Doug Drown, Wooster, OH
(19) Tim Fuller, Watertown, NY
(1C) Lynn Geisler, Cranberry Twp.
(72M) John Mason, Millersbury, OH
(22) Greg Oakes, Franklinville, NY
(25Z) Mason Zeigler, Chalk Hill
(21D) Dan Stone, Thompson

World of Outlaw Late Models Heat #3

(28) Jimmy Mars, Menominee, WI
(44) Clint Smith, Senoia, GA
(24) Rick Eckert, York
(15B) Brian Birkhofer, Muscatine, IA
(2) Brady Smith, Solon Springs, WI
(11) Tyler Reddick, Corning, CA
(9K) Mike Knight, Ripley, NY
(44H) Dave Hess Jr., Waterford
(14) April Farmer, Livingston, TN

World of Outlaw Late Models Heat #4

(99B) Rick “Boom” Briggs, Bear Lake
(39) Tim McCreadie, Watertown, NY
(29) Darrell Lanigan, Union, KY
(1*) Chub Frank, Bear Lake
(W11) Robbie Blair, Centerville
(56) Russ King, Bristolville, OH
(14C) Corey Conley, Wellsburg, WV
(66) Todd Bachman, Natrona Heights
(1*CFR) Peter Mantha, Gatineau, QUE

World of Outlaw Late Models Heat #5

(21) Billy Moyer, Batesville, AK
(1V) Will Vaught, Crane, MO
(22S) Greg Satterlee, Rochester Mills
(7) Matt Miller, Waterville, OH
(2J) Mike Johnson, Imperial
(17M) Dale McDowell, Chicamauga, GA
(57J) Bub McCool, Vicksburg, MS
(19H) Austin Hubbard, Seaford, DE
(38R) Nick Reges, Butler

World of Outlaw Late Models Heat #6

(6S) Steve Shaver, Vienna, WV
(4J) John Mollick, Toronto, OH
(6L) Jamie Lathroum, Mechanicsville, MD
( 4) Alex Ferree, Saxonburg
(H1) Jared Miley, South Park
(21L) Matt Lux, Franklin
(72N) Michael Norris, Sarver
(88) Chuck Sarver, West Sunburry
(23T) Tony Burke, Sarver

Car Count Total: 57

World of Outlaw Late Models: 57

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