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Last weekend’s World of Outlaws Late Model Series
doubleheader was good to Josh Richards, but it was nearly great.
After the 19-year-old sensation known as ‘Kid Rocket’ spent a week
recovering from a slight concussion he suffered in a crash on May 24 while
practicing for the Show-Me 100 at West Plains (Mo.) Motor Speedway, he
finished ninth in the ‘First State 50’ on May 31 at Delaware International
Speedway and fifth in Saturday night’s 26th annual ‘Conococheague 50’ at
Hagerstown (Md.) Speedway.
Josh was especially strong at the half-mile Delaware International oval with
his Mark Richards Racing-owned Seubert Calf Ranches/Ace Metal Works/TSR-Tony
Stewart Racing/Petroff Towing/MCB Motorsports Rocket Chassis No. 1. He
grabbed the lead from the pole position at the initial green flag and held
firm control for the feature’s first 20 laps.
But disaster struck on the 20th circuit when Josh tangled with the lapped
car driven by 15-year-old Austin Hubbard between turns three and four. He
spun to a stop with a cut right-rear tire, handing the lead to eventual
winner Chub Frank and ending his own chance at victory. A quick pit stop got
him back on the track without losing a lap, but he only managed to climb
back to ninth at the finish.
Brake problems plagued Josh’s effort, preventing him from mounting a serious
comeback.
“From the start, I was starting to lose rear brakes,” he said. “Right before
I got up to that lapped car, they were just about gone. The car was still
very good, but even if we didn’t get taken out, I don’t know how we would’ve
been later.”
Josh came back strong on Saturday night at Hagerstown Speedway, a half-mile
oval where he made one of his first starts behind the wheel of a dirt Late
Model in 2004. He made a steady advance forward from the 10th starting spot
to finish fifth.
“A top-five at Hagerstown is a big deal for me,” said Josh, satisfied with
what he considered his best performance ever at the track. “I’ve always had
a tough time trying to get used to this place, so it feels good that we went
forward.”
Josh left Hagerstown ranked fifth in the WoO LMS point standings, 42 points
behind leader Clint Smith.
A big week is on tap for Josh, beginning this Wednesday night (June 6) at
Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio. Josh will spend the evening serving as
the crew chief for NASCAR Nextel Cup star Tony Stewart, who will drive a
Rocket No. 20 dirt Late Model in the huge Nextel Prelude to the Dream event
that includes two-dozen big-name drivers from NASCAR and other racing
disciplines.
Josh will climb behind the wheel of his familiar blue dirt Late Model on
Friday (June 8) and Saturday (June 9) to chase a $100,000 top prize in
Eldora’s annual 100-lap Dirt Late Model Dream.
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