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Hagerstown Speedway
HAGERSTOWN, Md. (March 7) - No snow, no rain, no cold. After losing the first two weeks to weather, Hagerstown Speedway's Saturday afternoon opener was comparable to a July evening as Richie Pratt Jr. and Josh "Kid Rocket" Richards scored the $2,000 triumphs and also earned guaranteed starting positions in the Octoberfest 350. Richards also was all luck for the day and after winning the fourth heat, he pulled a number four to put himself on the pole. He stretched his lead to more than four seconds several times over Frankie Plessinger and ran away following a 24th lap restart to win by 5.94 seconds. Event Images
"It was pretty special to win here in the daytime, I think this was only the second time I've raced here in daytime," Richards, of Shinnston, WV said. "We lucked out today with the pill draw and started up front in the heat race and in the feature. You can pretty much ride in the feature. Whoever started up front was most likely going to win."
On the initial late model start, the third turn ended as a parking lot as several went for the same track space. This ended with Tim Fedder, Ronnie DeHaven Jr, Dale Hollidge and Jamie Lathroum in the pits while the rest were able to restart.
Richards took off on the restart leaving Frankie Plessinger and Jim Yoder behind as Gary Stuhler took the third spot on the fifth lap. Following an eighth lap restart, Richards again stretched his distance to nearly a straightaway over Plessinger and Stuhler by a 15th lap yellow and behind them, D. J. Myers had advanced past Alan Sagi and Yoder to take over the fourth position.
Richards was again nearly four seconds ahead for a 23rd circuit yellow followed by another on the restart.
In the final six laps, Richards was flawless and opened track over Plessinger and the others with each lap, to win by 5.94 seconds. Stuhler, Myers and Yoder completed the top five. Sagi was sixth over Jared Miley who was late for lineups and started from the rear, Andy Anderson from 15th, Donnie Lingo, 18th, and Dylan Yoder. Stuhler, J.Yoder, Plessinger and Richards won the heats for the 33 entries.
Winning the third heat, Pratt, of Sewell, NJ, pulled a three car invert to place him on the pole for the 30-lap big block modified feature. Pratt's obstacles were rear traffic, but he patiently waited out the final laps to score by two lengths over Bret Hearn.
"I knew I had a decent lead because the crew was showing me so I decided in the last three-four laps not to pass any more lapped cars," Pratt said. "I can't believe it. I got second in last year's Octoberfest to Bret, and I thought about a hundred times what I could do better. I tried to apply what I learned on the car and we beat him."
Hagerstown Speedway Results
Late Models, 30 laps , 33 Entries, (Lap Leaders - Josh Richards 1-30 ) 1. Josh Richards; 2. Frankie Plessinger; 3.Gary Stuhler; 4. D. J. Myers;; 5.Jim Yoder; 6.Alan Sagi; 7. Jared Miley; 8. Andy Anderson; 9. Donald Lingo; 10.Dylan Yoder; 11.Mike Lupfer; 12. Paul Crowl; 13. Marvin Winters; 14.Scott LeBarron; 15.Roland Mann; 16.Matt Parks; 17.Greg Satterlee; 18.Mike Walls; 19. Harold Dorsey; 20.Dan Stone; 21. Tim Fetter; 22. Jamie Lathroum; 23.Dale Hollidge; 24. Ronnie DeHaven Jr.; DNQ - Denton Boyer, Steve Gibney, Kerry King, Eric Hons, Kris Eaton, Bud Phillips, Lindsay Barton, Gary Hendershot, DNS -Tyler Hershey
Big Block Modifieds, 30 laps - 28 Entries (Lap Leaders - Richie Pratt 1-30) 1.Richie Pratt Jr.; 2. Brett Hearn; 3.Ryan Godown; 4. Jimmy Phelps; 5.Mike Colsten; 6.Dan Vauter; 7.Jimmy Horton; 8.Matt Jester; 9.Mike Nichol; 10.Sean Merkel; 11.Del Rougevx; 12.Jeff Strunk; 13. Jamie Mills; 14.Joe Grammes; 15.Rich Scagliotta; 16.Ray Swinehart; 17.Bobby Dayton; 18.Jeremiah Shingledecker; 19. J.J. Courcy; 20. Bryant Brown; 21. Kevin Hirthler; 22.Mike Storms; 23. Rich Lauback; 24. Terry Knoblock; DNQ Darwin Greene, Troy Wink, Ray Bliss, Randy Chronister
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