FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 24, 2016
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Richards records No. 8 this season in a wild one at Lernerville Speedway
Overton records first podium finish of season



SARVER, Pa. – (June 24) -– Josh Richards was the first one to the checkers Friday, winning the World of Outlaws Craftsman® Late Model Series second preliminary feature night of the Firecracker 100 weekend presented by GottaRace.com at Lernerville Speedway. Though he was the last man standing on the second night, it did not come without a trio of drivers nipping at his rear tires.

Two cautions within the first three laps did not slow down the 28-car field – mainly Billy Moyer Jr. and Brandon Overton, who traded paint for the second spot. Though Moyer prevailed, Overton grew persistent; he passed Moyer shortly after on the second restart.

One lap later, Richards’ No. 1 Valvoline/ Seubert Calf Ranches Rocket car made a push from 10th place – .200 seconds from a seat on the podium. By lap 10, a three-way battle to be top dog had Richards, Overton and local stud Russ King showing their teeth. Grouped together on lap 13 – away from the rest of the field – Richards attempted an under-over pass on Overton’s No. 76 Budweiser/ C-H Paving Moyer/ Victory machine in turn two. Overton slammed the door on the backstretch, but Richards claimed the spot in turn four.

“Coming down, we have a good car,” Overton said. “We just need to build on it, and maybe we’ll get it tomorrow.”

On lap 14 and in the same spot of the backstretch from their previous battle, Richards and Overton found themselves in a shake-up. Overton got squirrelly enough from the fender-to-fender battle for him to pump the breaks, causing a domino effect behind him. King nearly slid off the track in turn two; Richards began to pull away after this exchange and Brian Shirley swept into third.

Richards pulled away then, but on lap 18 Richards avoided near catastrophe in turn three. A car exiting the track obstructed Richards’ clear path; this near night-ending sequence lend Shirley enough room to squeak by and take the lead. Two more cautions in the next five laps gave Richards enough time to pick-up speed ad a 2.138-second lead. Overton stayed steady in the runner-up spot – until three laps remaining.

Jonathan Davenport blazed his own trail in the No. 116 Outlaw Racing Southeast/ Dream Racing Technologies Longhorn car, skimming the top of the cushion and teetering over the edge. The momentum he built-up carried him through the track – and around three cars within a half of a turn. Davenport, who started the night in 16th position, found himself breaking into the podium spots. Davenport took advantage of his swiftness about the track, weaving around Shirley for the third spot.

“I’ll tell you what, I love racing with those guys,” Richards said. “[Overton] wanted to win. The race was a handful. At this place, you just never feel safe any place. I didn't know Davenport was right behind be until the very end."

The final exchange of the night was Davenport and Overton for the second spot while Richards enjoyed a comfortable cushion.

“Our car was really good up there,” said Davenport, who did not race his own car tonight. “It’s really hard to climb into someone else’s car and telling the guys what you feel, and what you need to do. We’ll get better throughout the weekend I guess you could say. But we got going there at the end. I just needed two more laps.”

This win is Richards’ eighth of the season and No. 66 of his career; he pulls within six wins of Darrell Lanigan for the all-time series wins record, a title Richards has held in the past. For Firecracker 100 specifically: Richards won his seventh feature in the Firecracker Era at Lernerville Speedway (2007-present), which is the most in event history. With the victory, Richards has won during the weekend four out of seven years, also sweeping the weekend in 2013.

After leading the field into the checkers after 30 action-packed laps, Richards earns a $6,000 purse.

The Firecracker 100 weekend presented by GottaRace.com continues tomorrow with a double-feature – Thursday’s postponed event filling the afternoon and the coveted 100-lap, $30,000-to-win show later in the evening. Hot laps for the first show start at 1 p.m. ET with racing at 1 p.m. Hot laps for the second show are scheduled to start at 6:50 p.m., with opening ceremonies at 7:30 p.m.

6.24.2016 (Night Two) (“Night One” to be contested tomorrow morning.

World of Outlaw Late Models Feature (30 Laps, $6,000-to-win):
1. 1-Josh Richards, Shinnston, WV
2. 116- Jonathan Davenport, Blairsville, GA
3. 76- Brandon Overton, Appleton, GA
4. 3S- Brian Shirley, Chatham, IL
5. 56-Russ King, Bristolville, OH
6. H1-Jared Miley, South Park, PA
7. 39-Tim McCreadie, Watertown, NY
8. 21JR- Billy Moyer Jr., Batesville, AR
9. 99Jr-Frank Heckenast Jr., Frankfurt, IL
10. 25z-Mason Zeigler, Chalk Hill, PA
11. 1*-Chub Frank, Bear Lake, PA
12. 15L- Darrell Lanigan, Union, KY
13. 17M-Dale McDowell, Chickamauga, GA
14. 7- Rick Eckert, York, PA
15. 1c-Mike Pegher Jr., Wexford, PA
16. 25-Shane Clanton, Zebulon, GA
17. 18-Eric Wells, Hazard, KY
18. 22-Gregg Satterlee, Indiana, PA
19. 72C- Jason Covert, York Haven, PA
20. C9- Steve Casebolt, Richmond, IN
21. 38- Kenny Pettyjohn, Millsboro, DE
22. 18c-Chase Junghans, Manhattan, KS
23. O- Scott Bloomquist, Mooresburg, TN
24. 44S-Dave Hess Jr., Waterford, PA
25. 1B- Mike Benedum, Salem, WV
26. 14M-Morgan Bagley, Longview, TX
27. 11S- Austin Smith, Cedartown, GA
28. 91- Tyler Erb, New Waverly, TX

World of Outlaw Late Models Fast Qualifiers
Run 1: Dale McDowell 15.251
Run 2: Scott Bloomquist 15.335
Heat Race Winners: Moyer Jr., Heckenast Jr., Overton, Bloomquist, King, Shirley
Last Chance Showdown Winners: Miley, Erb, Lanigan
Car Count Total
World of Outlaw Late Models: 50


Contact: Lernerville Speedway
Eric J. Westendorf, Public Relations Director