Shinnston, WV --- It was a busy, busy east coast weekend on the World of Outlaws Late Model Series tour as 16-year-old dirt Late Model racer Josh ‘Kid Rocket’ Richards of Shinnston, WV turned in a fairly impressive weekend competing at “The Rock”/Allegany County Speedway in Cumberland, MD, and debuting for the first time ever at Bill Sawyer’s Virginia Motor Speedway in Saluda, VA, for the “Thurston Spring, Inc. 50”. Kid Rocket competed in his Mark Richards Racing-owned #1 Seubert Calf Ranches, Ace Metal Works, MCB Motorsports, Hoosier Racing Tires, Rocket Chassis, Cornett Engines Gran Prix.

On Friday night at The Rock Kid Rocket stunned the crowd by setting fast time among the 42 entrants in qualifying with a time of 19.797. Richards then went and finished third in his heat race event qualifying him for the main event that saw the talented young man caught up in accident that relegated him to a 16th place finish. With considerable damage to his #1 Rocket Chassis the team was forced to go to a back up car for Saturday’s action in Virginia.

When the WoO LMS contingent headed south to Saluda, VA for Saturday night’s action at Bill Sawyer’s Virginia Motor Speedway Kid Rocket qualified 15th with another third place heat race finish. After starting the feature event in 11th place Richards fought hard with the competition eventually crossing the checkers in seventh place and being named WoO LMS Rookie of the Race.

This coming weekend the WoO LMS is off but Kid Rocket will be back in action not only on the dirt but on the pavement as well! On Friday evening April 15 Richards will make his racing debut in an asphalt Late Model car when he takes over the driving chores from driver Neil Brown for that night’s racing program at Motordrome Speedway in Smithton, PA, a NASCAR sanctioned track. Richards participated in a practice session at Motordrome last week driving

“We’re going to run a couple races on pavement and see how it is,” commented Richards. “I kind of like it, but we’ll see how it is. I’m ready. I’m looking forward to it.”

After a night of asphalt Late Model racing Richards will venture west to Eldora Speedway for the Sunoco American Late Model Series (ALMS) event in an effort to turn some laps at the grand old historic dirt track. 2005 will mark the first time Richards will tackle the high-banks as a competitor.

“I think it’s pretty cool,” said Richards. “I’ve been there a lot but never raced there. I’ve watched everyone race there but now I’ll see how it is to run there. We’re going to take our new car out there and see how it does. We’ve only tested it.”