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Josh Richards Returns To Dodge Chili Bowl Midget Nationals With Tony
Stewart Racing For Third Straight Year
SHINNSTON, WV – Josh Richards is hoping that his third attempt at the famed
Dodge Chili Bowl Midget Nationals will be the charm.
The 19-year-old sensation from Shinnston, W.Va., is primed to compete in
this week’s indoor dirt-track extravaganza at the Tulsa (Okla.) Expo Center
for the third consecutive year as a member of the formidable Tony Stewart
Racing effort. His all-star cast of teammates will include NASCAR star and
team owner Tony Stewart – the defending Chili Bowl champion – and USAC stars
Levi Jones and Tracy Hines.
The 22nd annual Dodge Chili Bowl Midget Nationals begins Tuesday (Jan. 8)
and runs through Saturday (Jan. 12).
“I’m pumped. I’m ready,” said Josh, who enjoyed a personal-high four-win
season on the World of Outlaws Late Model Series in 2007. “I haven’t had too
much time to think about (the Chili Bowl) this winter because we’ve been so
busy working on our (dirt Late Model) stuff (for the 2008 campaign), but now
that it’s here I can’t wait to get out there and race.”
Josh made his first Chili Bowl appearance in 2006, falling one spot short of
transferring to the 50-lap A-Main through a B-Main. He returned full of
confidence for the 2007 edition, but he struggled to get comfortable on the
quarter-mile clay oval and saw his bid come to an end with a 10th-place
finish in Saturday night’s first G-Main.
A practice session on Tuesday night will give Josh an opportunity to feel
out his TSR/Chevrolet/Bass Pro Shops/Armor All Midget on the
specially-constructed layout on the floor of the Tulsa Expo Center. With an
event record 285 entries divided into four three qualifying nights, Josh is
set to compete in the Friday-night preliminary program in hopes of setting
himself up to run in Saturday night’s A-Main.
Josh will be busy off the track as well this week. On Monday (Jan. 7) he is
scheduled to be on hand with Jones and Hines at the Bass Pro Shops Official
Chili Bowl Kick-Off Party, a meet-and-greet with fans set for 6 p.m. CST at
the Bass Pro Shops store in Broken Arrow, Okla. In addition, Josh will also
be available for autographs at the Tony Stewart merchandise trailer located
within the Chili Bowl Midget Nationals trade show on Wednesday (Jan. 9) from
4-5 p.m. CST.
The Tony Stewart merchandise trailer will again feature an exclusive TSR
Chili Bowl T-shirt featuring two-time event winner and NASCAR champion
Stewart along with Jones, Hines and Josh.
Tickets for the Chili Bowl have been sold-out for months, but fans can watch
the event live on HBO Pay-Per-View for the first time. The broadcast of
Saturday night’s finale, which can be purchased directly via digital cable
or satellite television outlets, will begin at 8 p.m. EST. Those interested
in purchasing the broadcast can also contact their cable provider’s customer
service department for more details.
After returning from the Chili Bowl, Josh will continue his preparations for
a busy schedule of dirt Late Model racing in January and February. He is
planning to compete in the ‘Super Bowl of Racing’ from Jan. 23-Feb. 2 at
Golden Isles Speedway in Brunswick, Ga.; the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt
Series Winternationals from Feb. 4-9 at East Bay Raceway Park in Gibsonton,
Fla.; and the 37th annual DIRTcar Nationals (which includes the first two
events of the 2008 WoO LMS) from Feb. 11-16 at Volusia Speedway Park in
Barberville, Fla.
Josh will drive 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 at Golden Isles and Volusia, and he’ll
steer the Rocket No. 25 owned by Ernie Davis at East Bay. |
