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SHINNSTON, WV – The one and only scheduled Midget start of the season for
Josh Richards was another learning experience.
Battling to get comfortable behind the wheel of a Tony Stewart Racing
machine in a rare open-wheel appearance, the dirt Late Model star known as
‘Kid Rocket’ ran out of time and failed to qualify for the A-Main of last
week’s 22nd annual Chili Bowl Midget Nationals at the Tulsa (Okla.) Expo
Center.
The 19-year-old from Shinnston, W.Va., said he felt he “was really getting a
good feel for the car” by the end of Saturday night’s program on the
quarter-mile indoor dirt track, but his bid to make the Chili Bowl feature
event for the first time in three attempts ended with a 14th-place finish in
the first D-Main.
“On Saturday (the TSR crew) changed some stuff to try to make me more
comfortable,” said Josh, who steered a TSR/Chevrolet/Bass Pro Shops/Armor
All Spike Midget. “The idea was to make the car drive off the front end
more, like a Late Model. It definitely was better, but we were already a
little too far behind.”
Josh led the first half of Saturday’s first E-Main before being passed by
NASCAR Sprint Cup driver J.J. Yeley and ultimately finishing third, which
moved him to the first D-Main. He appeared primed to challenge for one of
the D-Main’s five transfer spots to the first C-Main after sliding into
seventh place from deep in the starting field, but officials put him back
several positions when a caution flag flew seconds later and he never
recovered.
The long odds to qualify that Josh faced on Saturday night resulted from the
rough-and-tumble preliminary night he experienced on Friday. With the track
surface still wide-open, his car dug in and flipped wildly on the opening
lap of his heat, forcing him to play catch-up the remainder of the evening.
Josh, who was sore but otherwise uninjured after the wreck, came back after
suspension repairs were made to the car and finished second in a Last Chance
Qualifier. But he finished 12th in an A-Main Qualifier and then placed ninth
in Friday’s first B-Main, missing an A-Main transfer spot by five positions.
Josh’s three TSR teammates made the cut for Saturday’s A-Main. Team owner
and NASCAR star Tony Stewart led the way with an eighth-place finish in the
50-lapper, followed by Tracy Hines (ninth) and Levi Jones (11th).
“I’m disappointed that I wasn’t able to get in the feature, but it’s a tough
race to make,” said Josh, who entered the Chili Bowl for the third
consecutive year (second straight with TSR). “I had a great time, and I just
appreciate that Tony (Stewart) gave me an opportunity to run it again.
“Hopefully I’ll have a chance to try again next year. We’ve talked, and next
year we might try to practice somewhere (before the Chili Bowl) so I can get
a better feel for the car.”
Josh flew home on Sunday but found no time to rest. While continuing to make
final preparations for 22 nights of racing between Jan. 23 and Feb. 16, he
also had to get ready for his role in this weekend’s 17th annual “Race Wise
Chassis School” at his father Mark’s Rocket Chassis in Shinnston, W.Va. Over
200 attendees are expected for the three-day program, which includes
classroom sessions and an open house at the Rocket shop.
Josh heads south on Mon., Jan. 21, with his Mark Richards Racing-owned
Seubert Calf Ranches/Ace Metal Works/TSR-Tony Stewart Racing/Petroff Towing/MCB
Motorsports/Ernie’s Auto & Hauling Rocket Chassis No. 1 to compete in the 10
nights of action that make up the ‘Super Bowl of Racing’ from Jan. 23-Feb. 2
at Golden Isles Speedway in Brunswick, Ga. He then will move on to drive the
Ernie Davis-owned No. 25 in the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Winternationals from Feb. 4-9 at East Bay Raceway Park in Gibsonton, Fla.,
before returning to his familiar blue No. 1 for the 37th annual Florida
DIRTcar Nationals (which includes the first two events of the 2008 WoO LMS)
from Feb. 11-16 at Volusia Speedway Park in Barberville, Fla. |
