Josh Competes In His Inaugural Chili Bowl

By Doc Lehman

Shinnston, WV --- Even though the dirt Late Model driver who won the 20th Annual Chili Bowl Midget Nationals wasn’t Josh Richards the 17-year-old high school senior and World of Outlaws Late Model Series Rookie of the Year had a Chili Bowl experience to remember. Attending and competing in not only his first Chili Bowl race but his first race ever in a Midget, the young man from Shinnston, WV, known as ‘Kid Rocket’, made the racing world stand up and take notice with strong performances all week as a member of the John Godfrey led Venture Racing Team. Kid Rocket competed in the week-long activities as a teammate to Tony Stewart, Jason Leffler, Sammy Swindell and Kevin Swindell. Kid Rocket competed in his first Chili Bowl driving a Spike Chassis equipped with a Gary Stanton Mopar Racing Engines sponsored by Seubert Calf Ranches of Dorchester, WI, Ace Metal Works of Enterprise, WV, Complete Flooring of Laplata, MD, Well Picked Berries of Watsonville, CA and Stanton Racing Engines/ Mopar.

“It was like any other race we go to, there is so much competition,” commented Kid Rocket. “It’s almost like a World 100 with so much competition but there are so many different drivers. It was a lot of fun. The racing went well. From the first heat race until the last race I think we improved. Those things are a lot of fun. But they’re easy to overdrive. But they’re fun.”

Kid Rocket was accompanied during the week by his father, Mark Richards, and Mike Farr.

During the week Kid Rocket scored a second place finish in his heat race and a third in the A Main Qualifier and a 11th place finish in the A Main. On Saturday he finished seventh in the second B Main, one spot out of transferring into the 20th Annual Chili Bowl Midget Nationals.

Kid Rocket was quick to acknowledge Venture Racing and Spike Chassis’ John Godfrey for the opportunity to compete in his first Midget race and Chili Bowl. “Mr. Godfrey was just great to us and it was a great experience,” stated Kid Rocket. “The crew knew what they were doing and anytime there was something wrong they got the car fixed. The equipment was all good and they really helped me for my first time out there. Our crew chief, Rusty Kuntz, he was just a real professional and real helpful.”

Kid Rocket did so well he was extended an invitation. “Mr. Godfrey asked if we wanted to come back next year and we said we’d like to do it. I’m ready for it now (laughs)!”

Kid Rocket also was adamant about pointing out the tremendous support he received from his sponsors for the Chili Bowl that included Seubert Calf Ranches, Ace Metal Works, Complete Flooring, Well Picked Berries of California and Stanton Racing Engines/ Mopar. “They made this possible,” said Kid Rocket. “They are why I got to race in my first Chili Bowl and I can’t thank them enough. I’ve been lucky to have good sponsors in my Late Model too. Like with Mike Seubert, without him I don’t know what I’d be doing. If we ever need anything we just tell him and he helps us out. He’s been a great help.”

While Kid Rocket got to meet such famous icons like Johnny Rutherford and be interviewed by Robin Miller, he also learned a great deal from a number of drivers like Tony Stewart, Jason Lefler and Danny Lasoski in addition to fellow Late Model drivers Rick Eckert, Bart Hartman and Chili Bowl winner Tim McCreadie. “McCreadie, Eckert, Hartman, they all gave me advice and Danny Lasoski helped me out a lot.”

As for Kid Rocket’s highlight of the week, he was somewhat perplexed in trying to determine the week’s topper. “I guess all of it, everything happened so fast. And hey, congratulations to Tim (McCreadie). He did a great job out there and I’m really grateful for all the help he gave me out there.”

Up next for Kid Rocket will be the Rocket Chassis Chassis School on January 27-29 followed by his season kick off in dirt Late Models on February 3-4 at Golden Isles Speedway in Waynesville, GA for two shows sanctioned by the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series and the World of Outlaws Late Model Series, respectively.

“I’ve been ready to get back into those since I got out of it (laughs)!” chuckled Kid Rocket. “The off-season has gone fast but we’ve got our equipment ready to go.”
 

January 13, 2006

Heat Race 9

54 Ralph Cortez 19 Chris Wagner
7b Joe Boyles 27 Josh Richards
27b Todd Kimmel 93s Evan Sewell
6j Jesse Hockett 27x Bobby Boone
13 Chris Shoulders

47 Corey Kruseman 17j PJ Jones
67k Paul McMahan 11w Dave Darland
11m Mike Goodman 87c Rick Camfield
8s Jimmy Sills 20w Josh Wise
125 Teddy Beach 85 Shane Hollingsworth
11z Travis Berryhill 27 Josh Richards
71h Keith Rauch 9 Kasey Kane
1 Sammy Swindell 7b Joe Boyles

From B-Mains transfer to A-Main

Brad Loyet - Shane Cottle
Bryan Clauson - Casey Shuman
Dan Boorse - Allan Ballard
Matt Neely - Wally Pankratz

Josh finished 7th missed Saturdays Big Show by 1 spot,

A Feature (50 Laps)
71k Jay Drake (Val Verde, CA) – 47 Cory Kruseman (Ventura, CA)
33d Danny Lasoski (Higginsville, MO) – 2x Jon Stanbrough (Jamestown, IN)
17J P.J. Jones (Torrance, CA) – 67s Steve Kinser (Bloomington, IN)
70 Garrett Hansen (, CA) – 23 Jerry Coons, Jr. (Tucson, AZ)
9 Kasey Kahne (Enumclaw, WA) – 1a Tim McCreadie (Watertown, NY)
5m Steve Buckwalter (R, PA) – 1 Sammy Swindell (Germantown, TN)
86-- Justin Allgaier - 11M--Mike Goodman
74k--Brad Kuhn - 44D--Don Droud
44c--Shane Cottle - 32L--Jason Leffler
7r Johnny Rodriguez - 8k-- Bud Kaeding
20 Josh Wise - F5 Wayne Johnson
11W--Dave Darland - 11 Tracy Hines

Copyright © 2006

Josh Richards Racing

PO Box 69

Shinnston, WV 26431

Web Site By Farr MotorSports