FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 14, 2010

Richards Remains Atop World of Outlaws Late Model Series Points Standings Following Wild West Tour

SHINNSTON, W. Va. - July 12, 2010 - Josh Richards wasn't happy about falling short of a victory during the four race World of Outlaws Late Model Series Wild West Tour, but one major statistic remained in his favor after the swing: he still leads the national tour's points standings.

"It had its ups and downs," the 22 year old Richards said of the grueling stretch of racing that ended on Saturday night at Dakota State Fair Speedway in Huron, S.D. "We had a couple of good runs and a couple of frustrating runs - and unfortunately, no wins. Last year we won a couple times on this swing so I would've liked to duplicate that, but this is a tough sport and everything doesn't always go according to plan."

The defending WoO LMS champion from Shinnston, W.Va., had his best outings in the middle two events of the Wild West Tour, finishing third at both Superior (Wis.) Speedway on Thursday night (July 8) and River Cities Speedway in Grand Forks, N.D., on Friday night (July 9). He ran a smooth, steady third for virtually the entire distance at the three eighths mile Superior oval, but he was a charging third place finisher at River Cities; when rain struck the track 21 laps into the 50-lap A-Main. WoO LMS officials ultimately had to declare the race official even though it was short of the halfway mark (the series couldn't return to complete the event due to the track's location), Richards was the driver who had been the biggest mover and had gained the most positions prior to the rain.

"I think if we would've run the whole race (at River Cities) we would've had a chance to win," said Richards, who started 10th in the rain shorted feature. "We were off a little bit in the heat race (finished third after registered the second fastest lap in time trials), but the car was good in the feature and we were coming on. I wish that rain would've stayed away."

Richards' two podium finishes were sandwiched by outings that left him disappointed. He finished 10th in the Gopher 50 that opened the Wild West Tour on Wednesday night (July 8) at Deer Creek Speedway in Spring Valley, Minn., and ninth in the Great Plains 50 that served as the swing's finale on Saturday night at Dakota State Fair Speedway.

The run at Deer Creek certainly frustrated Richards - it came after he set the second-fastest time in qualifying, won a heat and started fifth in the A-Main - but he was more disappointed with his performance at the four tenths mile Dakota State Fair Speedway. Looking back, he felt he should have used a higher line around turns one and two.

"We should have run better than ninth," said Richards, who won last year's WoO LMS A-Mains at River Cities and Dakota State Fair Speedway. "I should have moved all the way up (to the top groove). All my guys deserved a better finish for working so hard at it, but I didn't come through for them."

Nevertheless, Richards headed home leading the WoO LMS points standings by 18 points over Tim McCreadie and 46 markers over Darrell Lanigan.

"There's still a long way to go," said Richards. "Tim and Darrell have been tough, so I guess we just have to get back up on the wheel."

The WoO LMS will be idle until the five race Ohio-Pennsylvania Speedweek starts on July 27 at Central PA Speedway in Clearfield, Pa., but Richards will stay busy over the next two weeks. This weekend he will hit the asphalt, driving the Venturini Motorsports machine in the ARCA Racing Series event at Mansfield (Ohio) Motorsports Park. He'll return to dirt the following weekend with planning starts behind the wheel of the Ernie Davis No. 25 scheduled for July 23 at Potomac Speedway in Budds Creek, Md. (Three-State Flyers Series), July 24 at Winchester (Va.) Speedway (Three-State Flyers) and July 25 at Big Diamond Raceway in Minersville, Pa. (O'Reilly All-Star Late Model Series).

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.