FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 28, 2011
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Richards Comes on Strong Late for Fourth-Place Finish in Firecracker 100 at Lernerville Speedway
Career-High Finish Caps Weekend that Featured a Win in Preliminary A-Main

SHINNSTON, W. Va. - June 28 - Josh Richards wasn't ready for Saturday night's fifth annual Firecracker 100 to end. When the checkered flag fell on the big World of Outlaws Late Model Series event at Lernerville Speedway in Sarver, Pa., Richards was on the charge with a high-side assault that drew the attention of the massive crowd. He finished fourth, but with a few more laps to work with the 23-year-old star from Shinnston, W.Va., just might have picked up at least a couple spots.

"I wish I would've gone up there earlier," Richards said of the outside line around the four-tenths-mile oval that he used to advance from eighth to fourth over the race's final 30 caution-free circuits. "I don't think we would've beat (winner Jimmy Mars), but I I feel like we could have beat (runner-up) Scott (Bloomquist) and (third-place Rick) Eckert. I was up on Eckert's bumper at the end, but it was too late.

"Man, I didn't want the race to end. Early in the race the bottom had just enough brown to hold everybody in the turns, so the outside didn't work," he analyzed. "I actually went up there too early on a restart and was shuffled back to eighth before I got back down to the bottom, eventually the bottom slowed down so much that the top really came around. I just went up there and was able to carry speed. It was just like a video game, it was so awesome running out there. I wish I would've found it a little earlier."

The personal-best finish in the Firecracker 100 capped a strong weekend at Lernerville for Richards who won the event's Thursday-night 30-lap preliminary A-Main for the second consecutive year and finished fifth in Friday night's second prelim. His triumph was his second straight on the WoO LMS, backing up his initial 2011 score on June 18 at Winchester (Va.) Speedway. The win came after he passed Steve Shaver for the lead on lap five and then outran Eckert to the finish line.

"I'm real happy with our weekend," said Richards, who left Lernerville still sitting second in the WoO LMS points standings, 16 points behind Eckert. "We got a win and a fifth in the preliminary features and had our best run ever in the Firecracker.

Richards now turns his attention to the high banks of Tazewell (Tenn.) Speedway, where the WoO LMS will contest the inaugural Outlaw Sizzler 101 on July 2-3. The 101-lap A -Main will be held on Sun., July 3 with time trials and heats on July 2.

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

Josh Richards' No. 1 team carries support from Rocket Chassis, Kentucky Fuel Corporation, 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, 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, LSI, MSD Ignition, Outerwears, Performance Bodies, Performance Friction Brakes, Performance Rod & Custom, Rand, 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, Ultra Lite Brakes, US Brake, Weld Racing Wheels, Will Kinzer Foundation, Wehr's Machine, Wilwood and Wrisco Aluminum.