Richards Wins Dirt Track World Championship; Clinches First Lucas Oil Title

Richards Wins Dirt Track World Championship; Clinches First Lucas Oil Title

Story By: Jeremy Shields/LOLMDS

Photos By: Heath Lawson/LOLMDS

PORTSMOUTH, OH (October 21, 2017) – Josh Richards completed a dream night at Portsmouth Raceway Park on Saturday night. The West Virginia native won his first-career Rhino Ag Dirt Track World Championship – Presented by Optima Batteries, worth $100,000, and the 2017 Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series National Championship, worth $75,000.

Richards became the fourth different leader of the race when he passed race leader and defending DTWC winner, Brandon Sheppard for the lead after a lap 46 restart. Richards led the rest of the way to take his tenth series win of the season over Sheppard, Jonathan Davenport, Mike Marlar, and Jared Hawkins.

Jonathan Davenport started on the pole and led early on. Sheppard took over the point on lap 36, and then began pulling away from the field until a caution on lap 46 slowed his pace. On the restart, Richards; who was running third; went around Sheppard to take over the lead and stayed in front until the checker flag waved.

Tim McCreadie entered the race as the series point leader by 40 points over Richards and 75 ahead of Bloomquist. During the race McCreadie suffered two flat tires and Bloomquist had a tire go down while running second to Richards. Bloomquist finished the race in 12th and McCreadie was credited with a 17th place finish.

In Lucas Oil Victory Lane after the biggest win of his career, the 29-year-old was emotional when being interviewed. “I have to collect my thoughts right now. I can’t thank everyone enough for this opportunity. I made a tough decision last year to switch teams. We didn’t know what was going to happen. We started the year off well, and then we went to a bunch of new tracks and kind of fell off a little. We struggled a little bit, but so did those other guys. We got on a hot streak in July though.”

“Coming into this weekend we felt pretty good and I know Scott [Bloomquist] and Timmy [McCreadie] did too. Thanks to Best Performance Motorsports, Eric and Kelly Brock for giving me this opportunity.
It’s been a crazy year. Randall Edwards has done such a great job as crew chief. There are so many people behind this team and that supported me. I felt everything in the last four or five laps. I have been through this scenario enough to know. I knew the tires were slipping away, but fortunately they held up to the end.”

The Best Performance Motorsports, Rocket Chassis entry is powered by an Andy Durham Racing Engine and sponsored by: Bulk Material Lift.com, Corey Frazier-State Farm Insurance, Alexander Lawn and Landscaping, Ultimate Firepit, Sunoco, Integra, Keyser, Riggs Motorsports, and Valvoline.

Sheppard, the runner-up and defending DTWC winner, joined Richards in Victory Lane with another podium finish in the crown jewel event. “We had a pretty good car. Josh got around me on that restart and he did a good job out in front. I look up to him a lot. I drive for his dad. It’s been a dream come true driving for Mark [Richards], we have had a great year. Being able to learn from Josh has been great. We would have liked to get the win tonight, but there’s nobody else I’d like to finish second to than Josh.”

Davenport, who was sporting the Flintstone Flyer scheme commemorating the late Mike Duvall, came home in third in the G.R. Smith-owned, Rocket Chassis entry. “Congrats to Josh and Brandon on their run tonight. We were good early on. I just don’t have this place down pat yet for some reason. We keep getting closer.”

Completing the top ten were Zack Dohm, Chub Frank, Brandon Overton, Darrell Lanigan, and Dennis Erb Jr.

Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Race Summary
Saturday, October 21st, 2017
RhinoAg Dirt Track World Championship – presented by Optima Batteries
Portsmouth Raceway Park – Portsmouth, OH

Eibach Springs Heat Race #1 – ROUND ONE Finish: Hudson O’Neal, Jonathan Davenport, Kyle Bronson, Josh Bocook, Lee Logan, Mark Frazier, Jared Miley, Byron Meeks, Ronnie Whitt

FK Rod Ends Heat Race #2 – ROUND ONE Finish: Scott Bloomquist, Dennis Erb, Jr., Gregg Satterlee, Eric Wells, Tyler Erb, Colton Flinner, Jason Montgomery , RJ Conley, Corey Conley

Simpson Performance Products Heat Race #3 – ROUND ONE Finish: Jackie Boggs, Devin Gilpin, Ben Adkins, Doug Drown, Zack Dohm, Kyle Hardy, Kirk Phillips, Jeff Arnold, Clint Keenan

QA1 Heat Race #4 – ROUND ONE Finish: Don O’Neal, Earl Pearson, Jr., Brandon Overton, Rod Conley, Jason Feger, Jason Jameson, Chris Hackett, Stephen Breeding, Brandon Fouts

ASi Racewear Heat #5 – ROUND ONE Finish: Jared Hawkins, Jimmy Owens, Chub Frank, Steve Francis, Audie Swartz, Billy Staker, Shane Hitt, Billy Gullion, Frank Heckenast, Jr.

DirtOnDirt.com Heat #6 – ROUND ONE Finish: Tim McCreadie, Michael Brown, Mike Marlar, Tyler Carpenter, Darrell Lanigan, Robbie Scott, Dale McDowell, Larry Holbrook, Steve Stollings

Rhino Ag Heat #7 – ROUND ONE Finish: Brandon Sheppard, Josh Richards, Mason Zeigler, Chris Ferguson, Devin Moran, Eddie Carrier, Jr., Mike Benedum, Dave Hornikel, Jason Perry

Optima Batteries Heat #8 – ROUND ONE Finish: Delmas Conley, Jason Covert, Steve Casebolt , Boom Briggs, Tim Dohm , Shannon Thornsberry, Kevin Wagner, Charlie Jude, Craig Wolford

Eibach Springs Heat Race #1 – ROUND TWO Finish: Eddie Carrier, Jr., Earl Pearson, Jr., Brandon Sheppard, Scott Bloomquist, Jared Hawkins, Ben Adkins, Craig Wolford, Steve Stollings, Ronnie Whitt

FK Rod Ends Heat Race #2 – ROUND TWO Finish: Dale McDowell, Jason Perry, Shannon Thornsberry, Jason Montgomery , Jason Feger, Michael Brown, Kirk Phillips, Byron Meeks, Frank Heckenast, Jr.

Simpson Performance Products Heat Race #3 – ROUND TWO Finish: Jimmy Owens, Steve Casebolt , Tyler Carpenter, Jared Miley, Jason Jameson, Colton Flinner, Jeff Arnold, Dave Hornikel, Billy Gullion

QA1 Heat Race #4 – ROUND TWO Finish: Rod Conley, Josh Richards, Boom Briggs, Don O’Neal, Kyle Bronson, Jackie Boggs, RJ Conley, Audie Swartz, Darrell Lanigan

ASi Racewear Heat #5 – ROUND TWO Finish: Doug Drown, Mike Marlar, Chris Ferguson, Gregg Satterlee, Devin Gilpin, Chris Hackett, Billy Staker, Kevin Wagner, Lee Logan

DirtOnDirt.com Heat #6 – ROUND TWO Finish: Zack Dohm, Brandon Overton, Steve Francis, Devin Moran, Tyler Erb, Hudson O’Neal, Dennis Erb, Jr., Jason Covert, Robbie Scott

Rhino Ag Heat #7 – ROUND TWO Finish: Jonathan Davenport, Brandon Fouts, Chub Frank, Tim McCreadie, Josh Bocook, Delmas Conley, Eric Wells, Mike Benedum, Kyle Hardy, Optima Batteries

Heat #8 – ROUND TWO Finish: Tim Dohm , Mark Frazier, Shane Hitt, Clint Keenan, Stephen Breeding, Larry Holbrook, Charlie Jude, Mason Zeigler, Corey Conley

Penske Racing Shocks B-Main #1 Finish (Top 2 Transfer): Tim Dohm, Tyler Carpenter, Kyle Bronson, Devin Moran, Delmas Conley, Kyle Hardy, Steve Stollings, Chris Hackett, Craig Wolford, Clint Keenan, Kirk Phillips, Jared Miley, Jason Jameson, Eddie Carrier, Jr., Josh Bocook, Robbie Scott, Shane Hitt, Jason Perry, Frank Heckenast, Jr.

Fast Shafts B-Main #2 Finish (Top 2 Transfer): Chris Ferguson, Dennis Erb, Jr., Jason Covert, Dale McDowell, Boom Briggs, Tyler Erb, Jason Feger, Dave Hornikel, Audie Swartz, Hudson O’Neal, Gregg Satterlee, Billy Staker, Darrell Lanigan, Jason Montgomery , Larry Holbrook, Jeff Arnold, Mike Benedum-DNS, Billy Gullion-DNS, Corey Conley-DNS

Sunoco B-Main #3 Finish (Top 2 Transfer): Devin Gilpin, Eric Wells, Jackie Boggs, Steve Francis, RJ Conley, Mark Frazier, Michael Brown, Lee Logan, Colton Flinner, Kevin Wagner, Byron Meeks, Brandon Fouts, Charlie Jude, Mason Zeigler, Shannon Thornsberry, Ronnie Whitt, Ben Adkins-DNS, Stephen Breeding-DNS

Non-Qualifiers Race Finish: Jackie Boggs, Jason Covert, Mason Zeigler, Boom Briggs, RJ Conley, Kyle Bronson, Kyle Hardy, Jason Feger, Michael Brown, Kirk Phillips, Mark Frazier, Tyler Erb, Chris Hackett, Craig Wolford, Colton Flinner, Jason Jameson, Dale McDowell, Byron Meeks, Dave Hornikel, Audie Swartz, Steve Stollings, Clint Keenan, Larry Holbrook, Lee Logan

Feature Finish (100 Laps):

Race Statistics
Entrants: 67
Lap Leaders: Jonathan Davenport (Laps 1 – 34); Brandon Sheppard (Laps 35 – 46); Josh Richards (Laps 47 – 100)
Cautions: Gregg Satterlee (Lap 12); Hudson O’Neal, Brandon Fouts (Lap 16); Devin Gilpin, Jackie Boggs, Hudson O’Neal, Tim McCreadie, Brandon Overton (Lap 16); Gregg Satterlee (Lap 18); Jimmy Owens, Gregg Satterlee (Lap 40); Jimmy Owens (Lap 42); Tim Dohm (Lap 45); Earl Pearson Jr. (Lap 46); Jimmy Owens (Lap 53); Tyler Carpenter (Lap 67); Chris Ferguson (Lap 83); Scott Bloomquist (Lap 92); Tim McCreadie (Lap 92)
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Provisionals: Darrell Lanigan, Hudson O’Neal
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Emergency Provisionals: Gregg Satterlee, Steve Francis
Wrisco Feature Winner: Josh Richards
Optima Batteries Hard Charger of the Race: Darrell Lanigan (Started: 23rd; Finished: 9th; Advanced 14 Positions)
Midwest Sheet Metal Spoiler Challenge Point Leader: Tim McCreadie
Allstar Performance Power Move of the Race: Mike Marlar
Sunoco Race for Gas Highest Finisher: Josh Richards
Hot Rod Processing Rookie of the Race: Hudson O’Neal
COMP Cams Engine Builder of the Race: Durham Racing Engines
Ohlins Shocks Chassis Builder of the Race: Rocket Chassis
Outerwears Crew Chief of the Race: Randall Edwards (Josh Richards)
Fastest Lap of the Race: Jonathan Davenport (Lap #31 – 15.3499 seconds)
Safecraft Most Laps Led: Josh Richards (54 Laps)
PFC Brakes Pole Award: Jonathan Davenport
Time of Race: 79 minutes 28 seconds