Shinnston, WV --- Josh ‘Kid Rocket’ Richards made his debut in competition last week at Volusia Speedway Park late last week during the final four nights of the Unuted Midwestern promoters (UMP) and the World of Outlaws Late Model Series (WoO LMS) events and came away with momentum for the remainder of the season aboard his Mark Richards Racing-owned Rocket Chassis/Cornett Engines #1 sponsored by Seubert Calf Ranches, Ace Metal Works, MCB Motorsports and Hoosier Racing Tires.

On Wednesday night in UMP action Kid Rocket returned to Florida and won the first heat and scored an impressive sixth place finish in the main event. During Thursday’s WoO LMS season opener he placed second in his heat and copped an 11th place feature finish.

When the UMP Volusia grand finale was staged on Friday night Richards again won his heat race, started the main event in ninth spot and wowed the crowd as he moved up into second place right behind leader and eventual winner Billy Moyer. But fate struck a harsh blow as the Richards developed mechanical problems on the very last lap that regulated him back to a 13th place finish on the final run down.

When the Saturday portion of the WoO LMS event was held, which closed out the dirt Late Model Speedweeks, Richards stunned the crowd by setting fast time for the might at 16.321 seconds. During preliminary action Richards placed fourth in his heat and 17th in the main event after experiencing further mechanical misfortune.

Next up for Kid Rocket on the WoO LMS tour will be on April 8 at The Rock/Allegany County Speedway in Cumberland, MD followed by the WoO LMS debut at Bill Sawyer’s Virginia Motor Speedway in Saluda, VA on April 9. Tentative plans are to make an appearance at Hagerstown Speedway in Maryland for a race or two prior to the kickoff of the WoO LMS ‘northern tour’.