Richards snags WoO LM prelim to Firecracker 100

[NickHolt]

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

 

Sarver, Pennsylvania (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.

 

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 Preliminary Night No. 1’ (Finishing Position/Start/Driver/Laps Completed/Money Won):

 

1. (2) Josh Richards/30 $6,075

2. (4) Shane Clanton/30 $3,050

3. (7) Scott Bloomquist/30 $2,000

4. (1) Billy Moyer/30 $1,750

5. (3) Steve Shaver/30 $1,500

6. (6) Jimmy Mars/30 $1,250

7. (10) Tim McCreadie/30 $1,150

8. (16) Darrell Lanigan/30 $1,100

9. (14) Doug Drown/30 $1,550

10. (9) Clint Smith/30 $1,000

11. (13) Steve Francis/30 $900

12. (20) Chub Frank/30 $825

13. (5) Rick ‘Boom’ Briggs/30 $750

14. (15) Rick Eckert/30 $725

15. (11) Will Vaught/30 $700

16. (19) Tim Fuller/30 $680

17. (8) Vic Coffey/30 $670

18. (23) Brady Smith/30 $660

19. (25) Austin Hubbard/30 $640

20. (18) Jamie Lathroum/30 $620

21. (12) John Mollick/30 $625

22. (17) Gregg Satterlee/29 $600

23. (21) Matt Miller/29 $600

24. (22) Davey Johnson/29 $600

25. (26) Russell King/29 $600

26. (24) Alex Ferree/17 $600

 

* Earnings include cash contingency award bonuses

 

Time of Race: 9 Mins., 32.401 Secs.

Margin of Victory: 0.428 Secs.

Yellow Flags: None

Lap Leaders: Richards (1-30)

Provisional Starters: Hubbard, King

Rookie of the Race: Hubbard ($250)

WoO LMS ‘Bonus Bucks’ Winner: Doug Drown ($500)

 

Ohlins Shocks Time Trial Results (Position/No./Driver/Hometown/Best Lap):

 

1. 25-Shane Clanton/Locust Grove, GA 15.849

2. 21d-Dan Stone/Thompson, PA 15.980

3. 28-Jimmy Mars/Menomonie, WI 16.065

4. 39-Tim McCreadie/Watertown, NY 16.136

5. 2J-Mike Johnson/Imperial, PA 16.163

6. 4J-John Mollick/Toronto, OH 16.184

7. 46-Doug Horton/Bruceton Mills, WV 16.190

8. 1-Josh Richards/Shinnston, WV 16.195

9. 24-Rick Eckert/York, PA 16.264

10. 99b-Rick ‘Boom’ Briggs/Bear Lake, PA 16.276

11. 19H-Austin Hubbard/Seaford, DE 16.293

12. 88-Chuck Sarver/W. Sunbury, PA 16.315

13. 0-Scott Bloomquist/Mooresburg, TN 16.338

14. 32c-Vic Coffey/Caledonia, NY 16.346

15. 11-Tyler Reddick/Corning, CA 16.363

16. 29-Darrell Lanigan/Union, KY 16.377

17. 1V-Will Vaught/Crane, MO 16.405

18. 6s-Steve Shaver/Vienna, WV 16.411

19. 1J-Davey Johnson/Latrobe, PA 16.452

20. 19-Tim Fuller/Watertown, NY 16.458

21. 44-Clint Smith/Senoia, GA 16.460

22. 1*-Chub Frank/Bear Lake, PA 16.461

23. 21-Billy Moyer/Batesville, AR 16.483

24. H1-Jared Miley/South Park, PA 16.510

25. 15-Steve Francis/Ashland, KY 16.624

26. 25z-Mason Ziegler/Chalk Hill, PA 16.690

27. 2-Brady Smith/Solon Springs, WI 16.718

28. 56-Russell King/Bristolville, OH 16.723

29. 22s-Gregg Satterlee/Rochester Mills, PA 16.723

30. 4-Alex Ferree/Saxonburg, PA 16.783

31. J4-John Garvin/Sarver, PA 16.857

32. 12-Doug Drown/Wooster, OH 16.871

33. 15b-Brian Birkhofer/Muscatine, IA 16.877

34. 14c-Corey Conley/Wellsburg, WV 16.946

35. 7-Matt Miller/Waterville, OH 16.872

36. 6L-Jamie Lathroum/Mechanicsville, MD 16.999

37. 45-Mark Byram/Georgetown, DE 17.054

38. 72M-John Mason/Millersburg, OH 17.062

39. 44H-Dave Hess Jr./Waterford, PA 17.092

40. won11-Robbie Blair/Titusville, PA 17.101

41. 57J-Bub McCool/Vicksburg, MS 17.120

42. 23T-Tony Burke/Sarver, PA 17.123

43. 3-Brent Robinson/Smithfield, VA 17.201

44. 1c-Lynn Geisler/Cranberry Twp., PA 17.202

45. 9K-Mike Knight/Ripley, NY 17.215

46. 66-Todd Bachman/Natrona Heights, PA 17.272

47. 17M-Dale McDowell/Chickamauga, GA 17.281

48. 21L-Matt Lux/Franklin, PA 17.392

49. 1Jx-Dave Murdick/Slippery Rock, PA 17.394

50. 22-Greg Oakes/Franklinville, NY 17.486

51. 14-April Farmer/Livingston, TN 17.890

52. 1cfr-Peter Mantha Jr./Gatineau, QUE 17.891

53. 38R-Nick Reges/Butler, PA 17.986

54. 72N-Michael Norris/Sarver, PA 18.108

55. c33-Chris Casner/Mifflintown, PA 18.184

56. J19-Jason Fosnaught/Creighton, PA N/T

57. 29s-Ken Schaltenbrand/Sarver, PA 16.852 (DQ – light)

 

Heat No. 1 (10 laps – Top 3 Transfer): Clanton, Bloomquist, Francis, Horton, Davey Johnson, Robinson, Byram, Garvin, Murdick, Casner

 

Heat No. 2 (10 laps – Top 3 Transfer): Richards, Coffey, Drown, Fuller, Geisler, Mason, Oakes, Ziegler, Stone (DNS) Fosnaught

 

Heat No. 3 (10 laps – Top 3 Transfer): Mars, C. Smith, Eckert, Birkhofer, B. Smith, Reddick, Knight, Hess, Farmer (DQ) Schaltenbrand

 

Heat No. 4 (10 laps – Top 3 Transfer): Briggs, McCreadie, Lanigan, Frank, Blair, King, Conley, Bachman, Mantha

 

Heat No. 5 (10 laps – Top 3 Transfer): Moyer, Vaught, Satterlee, Miller, M. Johnson, McDowell, McCool, Hubbard, Reges

 

Heat No. 6 (10 laps – Top 3 Transfer): Shaver, Mollick, Lathroum, Ferree, Miley, Lux, Norris, Sarver, Burke

 

B-Main No. 1 (12 laps – Top 2 Transfer): Fuller, D. Johnson, Geisler, Horton, Robinson, Mason, Garvin, Byram, Murdick, Casner, Ziegler (DNS) Oakes, Stone, Fosnaught

 

B-Main No. 2 (12 laps – Top 2 Transfer): Frank, B. Smith, Birkhofer, King, Hess, Knight, Reddick, Blair, Conley, Schaltenbrand, Bachman, Farmer, Mantha

 

B-Main No. 3 (12 laps – Top 2 Transfer): Miller, Ferree, Miley, McDowell, McCool, M. Johnson, Lux, Norris, Burke, Sarver, Hubbard, Reges

 

World of Outlaws Late Model Series Contingency Award Winners:

 

Arizona Sports Shirts ($50 product certificate): Brent Robinson/Dave Hess Jr./Bub McCool

Armor All (one case of product to highest-finishing non-WoO team in A-Main w/decal): Scott Bloomquist

Eibach Springs (one free spring): Brent Robinson/Bub McCool

MSD Ignition ($75 cash award): Josh Richards

MSD Ignition ($25 cash award): John Mollick

Ohlins Pole Award ($50 cash award to fastest qualifier w/decal): Shane Clanton

Pink Carburetors ($100 product certificate): Davey Johnson

Quartermaster ($100 product certificate): Shane Clanton

Quartermaster ($50 product certificate): Jimmy Mars

Quartermaster ($25 product certificate): Tim Fuller

RTC Performance ($100 certificate): Shane Clanton

STP ($50 cash award): Doug Horton

U Coat It ($100 certificate): Josh Richards, Clint Smith, Brent Robinson

VP Racing Fuels ‘Nice Jugs Award’ (two five-gallon plastic fuel jugs to fastest qualifier who does not make the A-Main if decal is displayed): Dan Stone

 

2010 World of Outlaws Late Model Series Point Standings as of June 24 – 20 A-Mains completed (rank/driver/points/deficit to leader):

 

1. Josh Richards 2778 (-0)

2. Darrell Lanigan 2748 (-30)

3. Tim McCreadie 2744 (-34)

4. Steve Francis 2674 (-104)

5. Tim Fuller 2662 (-116)

6. Austin Hubbard 2608 (-170)

7. Shane Clanton 2568 (-210)

8. Rick Eckert 2562 (-216)

9. Chub Frank 2504 (-274)

10. Clint Smith 2448 (-330)

11. Russell King 2286 (-492)

12. Brady Smith 2134 (-644)

13. Brent Robinson 2064 (-714)

14. Jill George 1542 (-1236)

15. Vic Coffey 1040 (-1738)

16. Brian Birkhofer 920 (-1858)

17. Dan Stone 840 (-1938)

18. Billy Moyer 838 (-1940)

19. Dale McDowell 836 (-1942)

20. April Farmer 820 (-1958)

 

FOLLOW THE ACTION ON TWITTER: Fans can now keep up-to-date with the World of Outlaws Late Model Series online and through text messages on cell phones via Twitter, the internet’s fast-growing social-networking and micro-blogging website. Updates are provided to Twitter ‘followers’ of the WoO LMS throughout each race night, and fans also receive breaking news and interesting notes from the tour.

 

To sign-up as a WoO LMS ‘follower’ on Twitter to receive updates anywhere at anytime, visit http://twitter.com/WoOLateModels.

 

LISTEN ONLINE: If fans can’t get to a track to see the World of Outlaws Late Model Series, they can experience the excitement of the nation’s premier tour live on DIRTvision.com through the DIRT Radio Network.

 

To listen to the free audio broadcasts, log on to www.dirtvision.com and click on the DIRT Radio Network logo.

 

Listeners will need Windows Media Player 9 or higher to listen to the DIRT Radio Network. For technical support or questions, e-mail customerservice@dirtvision.com.