By Kevin Kovac,
World of Outlaws Late Model Series P.R. Director

CONCORD, NC - September 26, 2008 - Josh Richards now has a victory at the historic Knoxville Raceway on his ever-growing resume.

The 20-year-old World of Outlaws Late Model Series star added the checkered flag on Thursday night, outdueling fellow Outlaw Darrell Lanigan to win the 25-lap semi-feature that opened the fifth annual Lucas Oil Late Model Knoxville Nationals presented by SuperClean.

Shinnston, W.Va.'s Richards used a classic slide-job maneuver through turns three and four to overtake Lanigan for the lead on lap 19 and never looked back in the unsanctioned event. He crossed the finish line comfortably ahead of Union, Ky.'s Lanigan, who holds a commanding lead in the WoO LMS points standings with just four tour events remaining on the 2008 schedule, and 2006 WoO LMS champion Tim McCreadie of Watertown, N.Y.

Darren Miller of Milledgeville, Ill., placed fourth and NASCAR Sprint Cup star Tony Stewart of Columbus, Ind., finished fifth driving the Old Spice/Bass Pro Shops Rocket No. 20 that was built and prepared by Richards and his crew.

"It's awesome to get a win at Knoxville," said Richards, who appeared headed to victory in a June 2007 WoO LMS event at the half-mile oval until mechanical trouble ended his bid. "We got a (Sunoco American Late Model Series) win earlier this year at Eldora (Speedway in Rossburg, Pa.), and now we got one at Knoxville. It's pretty cool to win at two of the most famous tracks in the country in the same year."

Richards also felt good about ending a long absence from Victory Lane. He had been winless driving his father Mark's Seubert Calf Ranches Rocket No. 1 since June 24, when he scored his fourth WoO LMS triumph of the season in his first-ever visit to Canandaigua (N.Y.) Speedway.

"We've had a little bit of a dry spell," said Richards, whose last win of 2008 actually came behind the wheel of the Ernie Davis-owned No. 25 on July 6 in a MACS event at Portsmouth (Ohio) Raceway Park. "It's nice to finally win again. Hopefully it'll give us some momentum to end the season strong."

Richards hopes his $7,000 win was a harbinger of success to come on Saturday night (Sept. 27) at Knoxville. The victory placed him second in the Late Model Knoxville Nationals points standings behind Lanigan, putting him in position for a good starting spot in Saturday's 100-lap headliner that pays $40,000 to win.

Despite having an opportunity to improve his Nationals points total with a better qualifying performance in Friday night's second preliminary program, Richards was planning to sit out the Friday action and stick with the points he accumulated on Thursday. He said Thursday's heavy, fast track conditions exacted a heavy toll on everyone's equipment, prompting his team to keep their machine parked to save it for Saturday's big-money grand finale.

"We're taking the night off," said Richards, who sits fourth in the WoO LMS points standings. "We only have one spare motor with us and we have to put that in Tony's car for Saturday night (problems were found in Stewart's powerplant after the semi-feature), so we don't want to take a chance with our motor after running it so hard (on Thursday)."

Richards, who has another powerplant coming from the team's shop to put in his car for Saturday's program, said he'll spend Friday's preliminary program in the pit area helping NASCAR veteran Ken Schrader and 2006 Knoxville Nationals winner Brian Shirley of Chatham, Ill. Stewart isn't scheduled to compete on Friday night.

Richards was one of five 2008 WoO LMS regulars competing in the Late Model Knoxville Nationals. He was joined in the field by Lanigan, who ran his backup car after suffering engine woes during hot laps but led laps 7-18 of the semi-feature en route to a runner-up finish and the points lead after Thursday night; defending WoO LMS champion Steve Francis of Ashland, Ky., who finished eighth in the semi-feature; Rick Eckert of York, Pa., who placed 14th; and Shannon Babb of Moweaqua, Ill., who won the B-Main and finished 15th in the semi-feature.

The next WoO LMS action is set for Tues., Oct. 7, at Fayetteville (N.C.) Motor Speedway (the completion of an event postponed by rain on Aug. 15) and Wed., Oct. 8, at The Dirt Track @ Lowe's Motor Speedway in Concord, N.C. (the Armour Vienna Sausage Southern Showdown that will be contested 'topless,' ie., with roofs removed from the cars for the first time in WoO LMS history).



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