SHORT-FORM RESULTS: Josh Richards Rockets To Overwhelming Victory In World of Outlaws Late Model Series ‘Pittsburgher 50’

IMPERIAL, PA – Sept. 22, 2007 – Complete, utter dominance.

That’s the only way to describe Josh Richards’s performance on Saturday night at Pittsburgh’s Pennsylvania Motor Speedway.

The 19-year-old sensation was simply in a league of his own, running away with a flag-to-flag victory in the half-mile oval’s 19th annual ‘Pittsburgher 50.’

“That car was awesome,” Richards said of his father Mark’s Rocket Chassis House Car. “It was like a video game out there. If I wanted to I could run harder, or I could just cruise for awhile. Whatever I wanted the car to do, it did without a problem.

“It’s hard to get a car that good very often.”

Richards, who started from the pole position, was never seriously challenged. He pulled away from the pack with ease after each of the race’s four caution flags, extending his lead by at least two-tenths of a second per lap.

In action at the track where he ran the third feature event of his career in 2004, Richards became the youngest winner in the history of PPMS’s ‘Pittsburgher’ spectacular. He earned $10,225 for his fourth WoO LMS triumph of the season.

WoO LMS Rookie of the Year contender Brian Shirley of Chatham, Ill., finished a distance second, 3.4 seconds behind Richards. He used the inside groove to steer his brand-new Ed Petroff-owned Rocket car through the top five during the race’s second half.

WoO LMS points leader Steve Francis of Ashland, Ky., finished third, followed by Darrell Lanigan of Union, Ky., and Bart Hartman of Zanesville, Ohio.

Chub Frank of Bear Lake, Pa., who is second in the WoO LMS points standings, finished a quiet sixth but didn’t lose any ground to Francis. The event offered only show-up points (75 points to each driver entered) because an open practice session was held at PPMS on Thursday night, violating the tour’s rule that prohibits open or private practices at a track within one week of a one-day show.

Forty-six dirt Late Models were entered in the event.

Clint Smith of Senoia, Ga., earned his first $100 National Interstate Insurance Fast Time Award of the season with his lap of 20.320 seconds in qualifying.

Heat winners were Frank, Brian Birkhofer of Muscatine, Iowa, Richards and Lanigan, and the B-Mains were captured by Rick Eckert of York, Pa., and Donnie Moran of Dresden, Ohio.

For more info on the WoO LMS, visit www.worldofoutlaws.com.

Results of WoO Late Model Series ‘Pittsburgher 50‘ (Finishing Position/Start/Driver/Laps Completed/Money Won):

1. (1) Josh Richards/50 $10,225
2. (8) Brian Shirley/50 $5,375
3. (2) Steve Francis/50 $3,000
4. (3) Darrell Lanigan/50 $2,500
5. (5) Bart Hartman/50 $2,000
6. (7) Chub Frank/50 $1,700
7. (4) Brian Birkhofer/50 $1,400
8. (12) Tim Hitt/50 $1,800
9. (15) Keith Barbara/50 $1,200
10. (13) Jared Miley/50 $1,100
11. (9) Clint Smith/50 $1,150
12. (17) Rick Eckert/50 $1,000
13. (20) Gregg Satterlee/50 $950
14. (11) Jackie Boggs/48 $900
15. (19) Dutch Davies/48 $850
16. (21) Al Atallah/48 $800
17. (26) Brandon Burgoon/48 $770
18. (6) Steve Casebolt/34 $750
19. (22) Jeremy Miller/34 $730
20. (16) Lynn Geisler/27 $700
21. (24) Dan Stone/24 $700
22. (14) Shane Clanton/24 $700
23. (10) Davey Johnson/14 $700
24. (23) Roy Mitchell/9 $700
25. (25) Dave Wade/4 $700
26. (18) Donnie Moran/4 $700

Yellow Flags: 4 (Laps 4, 5, 14, 35)
Lap Leaders: Richards (1-50)
Provisional Starters: Mitchell, Stone (WoO); Wade, Burgoon (track)
Rookie of the Race: Shirley ($250)
WoO LMS ‘Bonus Bucks’ Winner: Hitt ($500)
National Interstate Insurance Fast Time Award: Clint Smith ($100)
National Interstate Insurance Hard Luck Award: Ronnie DeHaven Jr. ($50)
Integra Shocks Crew Chief of the Race ($100): Zach Pointer (Brian Shirley)

Time Trial Results (Position/No./Driver/Hometown/Best Lap):

1. 44-Clint Smith/Senoia, GA 20.320
2. 75-Bart Hartman/Zanesville, OH 20.381
3. 1-Josh Richards/Shinnston, WV 20.432
4. 29-Darrell Lanigan/Union, KY 20.449
5. 1*-Chub Frank/Bear Lake, PA 20.563
6. 15b-Brian Birkhofer/Muscatine, IA 20.717
7. 15-Steve Francis/Ashland, KY 20.750
8. 19-Steve Casebolt/Richmond, IN 20.795
9. 3s-Brian Shirley/Chatham, IL 20.874
10. 79-Davey Johnson/Latrobe, PA 20.884
11. 24-Jeremy Miller/Gettysburg, PA 20.913
12. 11-Tim Hitt/Weston, WV 20.948
13. H1-Jared Miley/South Park, PA 20.995
14. 24-Rick Eckert/York, PA 21.029
15. 4b-Jackie Boggs/Grayson, KY 21.029
16. 1c-Lynn Geisler/Cranberry Twp., PA 21.032
17. 1d-Ronnie DeHaven Jr./Winchester, VA 21.124
18. 25-Shane Clanton/Locust Grove, GA 21.128
19. 99B-Rick Briggs/Bear Lake, PA 21.150
20. 22-Gregg Satterlee/Rochester Mills, PA 21.183
21. 02-Al Atallah/Bridgeville, PA 21.192
22. 84-Rod Sweitzer/Stoystown, PA 21.233
23. 17-Keith Barbara/South Park, PA 21.244
24. 99-Donnie Moran/Dresden, OH 21.282
25. 40-Dutch Davies/Warren, PA 21.320
26. 0-Steve Baker/Fairmont, WV 21.351
27. 2J-Jeff Rine/Danville, PA 21.362
28. 1U-Matt Urban/North East, PA 21.400
29. 20-Chad Ruhlman/Bemis Point, NY 21.432
30. 68-Dennis Niederritter/McDonald, PA 21.480
31. 21d-Dan Stone/Thompson, PA 21.535
32. 76-Dave Wade/Clinton, PA 21.628
33. 21-Leo Stadelman/Jefferson Hills, PA 21.628
34. 17d-Nick Dickson/Lewistown, PA 21.878
35. 2J-Mike Johnson/Imperial, PA 21.894
36. 17-Larry Marks/Pittsburgh, PA 21.948
37. 33-Chris Hackett/Erie, PA 22.057
38. 17-Brandon Burgoon/McDonald, PA 22.070
39. 6-Jim Lepro/Midway, PA 22.150
40. 7M-Michael Davis/Rayland, OH 22.401
41. 13-Steve Wilmoth/Clarksburg, WV 22.593
42. 81-D.J. Miller/Hookstown, PA 22.750
43. 1-Kyle Lukon/Burgettstown, PA 23.032
44. 93-Roy Mitchell/Hobart, IN 23.932
45. 29-Rick Heim/Pittsburgh, PA N/T
46. 14G-Scott Gunn/W. Mifflin, PA DQ (light)

Heat No. 1 (10 laps – Top 4 Transfer): Frank, Shirley, C. Smith, Miley, Davies, DeHaven, Atallah, Hackett, Heim, Ruhlman, Wilmoth, Stadelman

Heat No. 2 (10 laps – Top 4 Transfer): Birkhofer, Hartman, D. Johnson, Clanton, Eckert, Sweitzer, Niederritter, Baker, Gunn, Burgoon, D.J. Miller, Dickson

Heat No. 3 (10 laps – Top 4 Transfer): Richards, Francis, Boggs, Barbara, Briggs, J. Miller, Rine, Lepro, Stone, Lukon, M. Johnson

Heat No. 4 (10 laps – Top 4 Transfer): Lanigan, Casebolt, Hitt, Geisler, Moran, Satterlee, Urban, Marks, Davis, Wade, Mitchell

B-Main No. 1 (12 laps – Top 3 Transfer): Eckert, Davies, Atallah, Bakere, Hackett, Gunn, Ruhlman, Burgoon, Heim, Wilmoth, Sweitzer, DeHaven, Niederritter (DNS) Stadelman, Dickson, D.J. Miller

B-Main No. 2 (12 laps – Top 3 Transfer): Moran, Satterlee, J. Miller, Rine, M. Johnson, Lepro, Stone, Wade, Marks, Urban, Davis, Lukon, Mitchell

LISTEN ONLINE: If fans can’t get to a track to see the series, they can experience the excitement of the World of Outlaws Late Model Series live on DIRTvision.com through the DIRT Radio Network.

To listen to the free audio broadcasts, log on to www.dirtvision.com and click on the DIRT Radio Network logo.

Listeners will need Windows Media Player 9 or higher to listen to the DIRT Radio Network. For technical support or questions, e-mail [email protected].

The World of Outlaws Late Model Series is brought to fans across the country by several sponsors and partners, including National Interstate Insurance Company and contingency sponsors Wrisco Industries, Crane Cams, Ohlins Shocks, Quarter-Master, Hawk Brake, MSD Ignitions, Eibach Springs and Integra Shocks.