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LATEMODELRACER >> DRIVER PRESS RELEASES >> Josh Richards takes Red Miley Rumble Victory at PPMS
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Message started by LMR on 08/31/10 at 12:04pm

Title: Josh Richards takes Red Miley Rumble Victory at PPMS
Post by LMR on 08/31/10 at 12:04pm

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 31, 2010

Red Miley Rumble Victory Takes Away Sting of Up and Down Week with World of Outlaws for Josh Richards

SHINNSTON, W. Va. - Aug. 30, 2010 - Josh Richards put an up and down Northeast swing with the World of Outlaws Late Model Series behind him in fine fashion - with a convincing victory on Saturday night (Aug. 28) at Pittsburgh Pennsylvania Motor Speedway in Imperial, Pa.

Driving the Ernie D's Enterprises Rocket No. 25 at the Monster Half Mile where in 2004 he made the first official feature-event start of his dirt Late Model career, Richards stormed to the checkered flag in the fourth annual Red Miley Rumble that was co-sanctioned by the UFO Race Championship Series and the Northern Tier United Late Model Series. He earned $4,371 for his triumph in the 44-lap A-Main.

"It was awesome to get a win at Pittsburgh after we had didn't have the greatest (World of Outlaws) trip," said Richards, who pushed his overall 2010 win total to 10, including three behind the wheel of Ernie Davis's machine. "I've always been comfortable at Pittsburgh so I enjoy racing there, and winning the Red Miley race definitely raised my spirits."

Richards won the event run named in memory of PPMS's late promoter for the second time in as many tries. He also captured the inaugural race in 2007.

This time Richards was dominant, moving forward from the sixth starting spot to take the lead from Davey Johnson on lap 10 and then running away from the pack. He was never seriously challenged en route to registering his and Roush Yates first win with the new 410 Ford engine.

"The car was just phenomenal," said Richards, "and the Roush Yates Ford really worked great. The Roush Yates guys worked their butts off to give us a brand-new combination (for PPMS) and it really fit my driving style."

Richards entered Saturday's action coming off a rough WoO LMS excursion to Pennsylvania, upstate New York and Canada with his father Mark's Seubert Calf Ranches team. After the swing's opener on Aug. 18 at Grandview Speedway in Bechtelsville, Pa., was rained out and not rescheduled, the 22-year-old from Shinnston, W.Va., registered finishes of eighth on Aug. 19 at Rolling Wheels Raceway in Elbridge, N.Y.; fourth on Aug. 23 at Autodrome Drummond in Drummondville, Que.; and 11th on Aug. 24 at Brewerton (N.Y.) Speedway. He also finished fourth in a heat race on Aug. 20 at Mohawk International Raceway in Akwesasne, N.Y., to qualify for the $20,000 to win Battle at Eastern Door, but the 100-lap A-Main set for Aug. 21 was postponed by rain to Wed., Sept. 1.

The subpar stretch of action cost Richards the WoO LMS points lead, which he had held for 25 straight events, to Darrell Lanigan. Two wins and a fourth place finish during the swing pushed Lanigan a scant two points ahead of Richards in the points battle.

"The trip was very bumpy," said Richards, who is now tied with Lanigan as the winningest driver on the 2010 WoO LMS with six victories. "We had to take two cars out at Rolling Wheels and start at the back of the feature (after rolling the right-front nosepiece under in time hot laps and a heat race). At Drummond we had a good enough car to finish second, but I thought I had a tire going down at the end. And at Brewerton, well, we just gambled and picked the wrong tire (compound) and I was just holding on (until pitting late in the race for a tire change).

"We're aggravated that we lost the (points) lead, but at least we still have a shot," he added, steeling himself for the dramatic championship fight to come over the final seven races of the season. "There's time left. We just have to work harder and get our car better."

Richards will attempt to regain the WoO LMS points lead in search of his second consecutive tour title this week, competing in the rescheduled event at Mohawk International Raceway on Wednesday (he's slated to start 10th) and the Oil Region Labor Day Classic - a doubleheader comprised of separate 50-lap, $10,000 to win events - on Sept. 4-5 at Tri-City Speedway in Franklin, Pa. He also plans to run a pair of O'Reilly All-Star Late Model Series shows in the Ernie Davis No. 25 - the held-over Mark Balzano Memorial on Thursday night (Sept. 2) at West Virginia Motor Speedway in Mineral Wells, W.Va. (he starts fourth in the A-Main) and Friday night (Sept. 3) at Lernerville Speedway in Sarver, Pa.

For more information on Josh Richards, visit www.joshrichards.com and follow him on Twitter at @Josh_Richards1.

Josh Richards' No. 1 team carries support from Rocket Chassis, Cornett Racing Engines, Seubert Calf Ranches, Ernie D's Enterprises, ACE Metal Works, Petroff Towing, Tony Stewart Racing, Sunoco Race Fuels, Hoosier Racing Tires, Integra Shocks, Slavic Custom Decals, Valvoline, AEM, AFCO, ATL Fuel Cells, Aurora Bearing Company, Autolite, Banshee Graphics, Barnes Systems, Beyea Performance, Brinn Transmissions, Brodix Cylinder Heads, Braswell Carburetion, Butlerbuilt Seat Systems, CV Products, Dohm Cycles, Dyer's Top Rods, Fram Filters, Frankland Rearends, Howe Racing, Kwik Change Product, LSI, Mason Racin', MSD Ignition, Outerwears, Performance Bodies, Performance Friction Brakes, Performance Rod & Custom, Ringers Gloves, Scott Performance Wire, Simpson Race Products, Sweet Manufacturing, Tel Tech, TWM Racing Products, Trick Carbon Fiber Driveshafts, Jones Racing Products, TurboStart Racing Batteries, US Brake, Weld Racing Wheels, Wehr's Machine, Wilwood and Wrisco Aluminum.

Honey Elizabeth Rentz
Rising Star Management Group
hrentz@risingstarmg.com