Overton Records First Podium Finish of Season
SARVER, Pa. – June 24, 2016 – 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.
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World of Outlaws Craftsman® Late Model Series Statistical Report; June 24, 2016; Lernerville Speedway; Sarver, Pa.
A-Main (30-laps): 1. 1- Josh Richards [10] [$6,850]; 2. 116- Jonathan Davenport [16] [$3,100]; 3. 76- Brandon Overton [5] [$2,700]; 4. 3s- Brian Shirley [4] [$2,450]; 5. 56- Russ King [2] [$2,000]; 6. H1- Jared Miley [19] [$1,400]; 7. 39- Tim McCreadie [9] [$1,450]; 8. 21JR- Billy Moyer Jr. [3] [$2,200]; 9. 99JR- Frank Heckenast Jr. [1] [$1,800]; 10. 25z- Mason Zeigler [11] [$1,000]; 11. 1*- Chub Frank [7] [$1,550]; 12. 15- Darrell Lanigan [21] [$1,000]; 13. 17m- Dale McDowell [13] [$800]; 14. 7- Rick Eckert [26] [$1,425]; 15. 1c- Mike Pegher [12] [$750]; 16. 25- Shane Clanton [25] [$1,350]; 17. 18- Eric Wells [17] [$1,160]; 18. 22- Gregg Satterlee [15] [$640]; 19. 72c- Jason Covert [14] [$620]; 20. c9- Steve Casebolt [22] [$1,150]; 21. 38s- Kyle PettyJohn [23] [$600]; 22. 18c- Chase Junghans [28] [$610]; 23. 0- Scott Bloomquist [6] [$700]; 24. 44s- Dave Hess [24] [$625]; 25. 1B- Mike Benedum [8] [$600]; 26. 14m- Morgan Bagley [27] [$660]; 27. 11s- Austin Smith [18] [$600]; 28. 91- Tyler Erb [20] [$600]
Last-Chance Showdown No. 1 (10 laps – Top 2 Transfer): 1. 1H- Jared Miley; 2. c9- Steve Casebolt; 3. 72- Mike Norris; 4. 14m- Morgan Bagley; 5. 2c- Joey Coulter; 6. 2M- Allen Murray; 7. 94- Charles Powell Jr.; 8. 14- Dan Angellichio; 9. 3- Dan Swartzlander; 10. 7r- Ross Robinson; 11. 99B- Boom Briggs
Last-Chance Showdown No. 2 (10 laps – Top 2 Transfer): 1. 91- Tyler Erb; 2. 38s- Kyle Pettyjohn; 3. 1p- Earl Pearson Jr.; 4. 111- Matt Lux; 5. 25- Shane Clanton; 6. 18c- Chase Junghans; 7. 10- Alex Ferree 8. 10L- Gary Lyle; 9. 32- Jim Rasey; 10. 66 Todd Bachman; 11. 11- Austin Hubbard
Last-Chance Showdown No. 3 (10 laps – Top 2 Transfer): 1. 15- Darrell Lanigan; 2. 44s- Dave Hess; 3. B22- Bump Hedman; 4. 2- Dan Stone; 5. 73- Devin Lewis; 6. 29s- Ken Schaltenbrand Jr.; 7. 7- Rick Eckert; 8. 27- Michael Lake (DNS); 9. 61- Joe Martin (DNS) 10KB- Kerry King (DNS)
Qualifying Group A: 1. 17m- Dale McDowell, 15.251; 2. 1B- Mike Benedum, 15.292; 3. 11- Austin Hubbard, 15.355; 4. 21JR- Billy Moyer Jr., 15.358; 5. 99JR- Frank Heckenast Jr., 15.403; 6. 25- Shane Clanton, 15.428; 7. H1- Jared Miley, 15.443; 8. 14m- Morgan Bagley, 15.451; 9. 22- Gregg Satterlee, 15.455; 10. 1*- Chub Frank, 15.478; 11. 72c- Jason Covert, 15.487;12. 39- Tim McCreadie, 15.523; 13. 72- Mike Norris, 15.578; 14. 94- Charles Powell Jr., 15.584; 15. 76- Brandon Overton, 15.602; 16. c9- Steve Casebolt, 15.606; 17. 99B- Boom Briggs, 15.681; 18. 111- Matt Lux15.752; 19. 2m- Aleen Murray, 15.753; 20. 7r- Ross Robinson, 15.802; 21. 10- Alex Ferree; 22. 3- Dan Swartzlander, 16.272; 23. 14- Dan Angellicchio; 24. 10L- Gary Lyle, 16.477
Qualifying Group B: 1. 0- Scott Bloomquist, 15.335; 2. 56- Russ King, 15.393; 3. 3s- Brian Shirley, 15.413; 4. 116- Jonathan Davenport, 15.430; 5. 18- Eric Wells, 15.440; 6. 1c- Mike Pegher, 15.486; 7. 1- Josh Richards, 15.555; 8. 25z- Mason Zeigler, 15.561; 9. 61- Joe Martin, 15.562; 10. 1P- Earl Pearson Jr., 15.611; 11. 15- Darrell Lanigan, 15.618; 12. 11s- Austin Smith 15.632; 13. 91- Tyler Erb, 15.672; 14. 27- Michael Lake, 15.680; 15. B22- Bump Hedman, 15.716; 16. 18c- Chase Junghans, 15.752; 17. 44s- Dave Hess, 15.769; 18. 2- Dan Stone, 15.797; 19. 38s- Kenny Pettyjohn; 20. KB- Kerry King, 15.894; 21. 7- Rick Eckert, 15.971; 22. 32- Jim Rasey, 16.139; 23. 29s- Ken Schaltenbrand Jr., 16.223; 24. 73- Devin Lewis, 16.249; 25. 66- Todd Bachman, 16.341
Heat No. 1 (10 laps- Top 3 Transfer): 1. 21JR- Billy Moyer Jr.; 2. 1*- Chub Frank; 3. 17m- Dale McDowell; 4. H1- Jared Miley; 5. c9- Steve Casebolt; 6. 72- Mike Norris; 7. 2m- Allen Murray; 8. 2c- Joey Coulter; 9. 3- Dan Swartzlander
Heat No. 2 (10 laps- Top 3 Transfer): 1. 99JR- Frank Heckenast Jr.; 2. 1B- Mike Benedum; 3. 72c- Jason Covert; 4. 14m- Morgan Bagley; 5. 99B- Boom Briggs; 14- Dan Angellicchio; 7. 94- Charles Powell Jr.; 8. 7r- Ross Robinson
Heat No. 3 (10 laps- Top 3 Transfer): 1. 76- Brandon Overton; 2. 39- Tim McCreadie; 3. 22- Gregg Satterlee; 4. 10- Alex Ferree; 5. 10L- Gary Lyle; 6. 11- Austin Hubbard; 7. 111- Matt Lux; 8. 25- Shane Clanton
Heat No. 4 (10 laps- Top 3 Transfer): 1. 0- Scott Bloomquist; 2. 1- Josh Richards; 3. 116- Jonathan Davenport; 4. 91- Tyler Erb; 5. 1P- Earl Pearson Jr.; 6. 38s- Kenny Pettyjohn; 7. 18c- Chase Junghans; 8. 66- Todd Bachman; 9. 32- Jim Rasey
Heat No. 5 (10 laps- Top 3 Transfer): 1. 56- Russ King; 2. 25z- Mason Zeigler; 3. 18- Eric Wells; 4. 15- Darrell Lanigan; 5. 27- Michael Lake; 6. 44s- Dave Hess; 7. 29s- Ken Schaltenbrand Jr.; 8. KB- Kerry King
Heat No. 6 (10 laps- Top 3 Transfer): 1. 3s- Brian Shirley; 2. 1C- Mike Pegher; 3. 11s- Austin Smith; 4. B22- Bump Hedman; 5. 2- Dan Stone; 6. 73- Devin Lewis; 7. 61- Joe Martin; 8. 7- Rick Eckert
World of Outlaws Craftsman Late Model Series Contingency Award Winners (awards presented to noted finisher/qualifier or next highest displaying decal):
Comp Cams – $50 Product certificate : Josh Richards
MSD – $50 Cash: Josh Richards
QuarterMaster – $100 Product certificate: Brandon Overton
Wrisco Aluminum – 3 Sheets of aluminum: Josh Richards
Penske Shocks – TBD Product certificate: Brandon Overton
JE Pistons – $50 Cash: Tim McCreadie
VP Racing Fuels – $50 Cash: Billy Moyer Jr.
Edelbrock – $50 Cash: Chub Frank
Comp Cams – $50 Cash: Chub Frank
Morton Buildings – $50 Cash: Chub Frank
Cometic Gasket – $50 Cash: Darrell Lanigan
JRI Shocks – $50 Cash: Rick Eckert
SuperFlow – $50 Cash: Shane Clanton
QuarterMaster – $25 Product certificate: Shane Clanton
JE Pistons – Set of rings: Eric Wells
QuarterMaster – $50 Product certificate: Jason Covert
Arizona Sport Shirts – $100 Product certificate: Steve Casebolt
JE Pistons – Set of rings: Chase Junghans
MSD – $25 Cash: Dave Hess
QA1 – $50 Cash: Mike Benedum
Bonus Bucks – $500 Cash: Russ King
Rookie Bonus – $250 Cash: Billy Moyer Jr.
Craftsman Bonus – $200 Cash: Josh Richards
Craftsman Bonus – $100 Cash: Jonathan Davenport
Craftsman Bonus – $200 Cash: Brandon Overton
Craftsman Bonus – $200 Cash: Brian Shirley
Craftsman Bonus – $200 Cash: Billy Moyer Jr.
Craftsman Bonus – $200 Cash: Frank Heckenast Jr.
2016 World of Outlaws Craftsman Late Model Series Point Standings as of June 24 – 17 A-Mains completed (rank/driver/residence/points/deficit to leader):
| Pos. | Car # | Driver | Residence | Earnings | Points | Trail By |
| 1 | 1 | Josh Richards | Clarksburg, WV | $110,250 | 2476 | 0 |
| 2 | 25 | Shane Clanton | Zebulon, GA | $73,375 | 2306 | 170 |
| 3 | 7 | Rick Eckert | York, PA | $42,275 | 2218 | 258 |
| 4 | 3S | Brian Shirley | Chatham, IL | $38,110 | 2198 | 278 |
| 5 | 76 | Brandon Overton | Evans, GA | $28,445 | 2150 | 326 |
| 6 | 21JR | Billy Moyer Jr. | Batesville, AR | $29,060 | 2112 | 364 |
| 7 | C9 | Steve Casebolt | Richmond, IN | $26,320 | 2108 | 368 |
| 8 | 1* | Chub Frank | Bear Lake, PA | $27,860 | 2080 | 396 |
| 9 | 99JR | Frank Heckenast Jr. | Frankfort, IL | $26,150 | 2076 | 400 |
| 10 | 14M | Morgan Bagley | Gladewater, TX | $23,620 | 2050 | 426 |
| 11 | 18C | Chase Junghans | Manhattan, KS | $18,975 | 2024 | 452 |
| 12 | 18 | Eric Wells | Hazard, KY | $21,200 | 2014 | 462 |
| 13 | 91 | Tyler Erb | New Waverly, TX | $8,670 | 1750 | 726 |
| 14 | 2C | Joey Coulter | Union Grove, NC | $7,830 | 1722 | 754 |
| 15 | 99B | Rick ‘Boom’ Briggs | Bear Lake, PA | $11,070 | 1446 | 1030 |
| 16 | 77 | Jordan Yaggy | Rochester, MN | $2,885 | 896 | 1580 |
| 17 | 2F | Dennis ‘Rambo’ Franklin | Gaffney, SC | $6,980 | 836 | 1640 |
| 18 | 0 | Scott Bloomquist | Mooresburg, TN | $25,300 | 822 | 1654 |
| 19 | 17M | Dale McDowell | Chickamauga, GA | $19,500 | 808 | 1668 |
| 20 | 11 | Austin Smith | Cedartown, GA | $3,290 | 764 | 1712 |
The World of Outlaws Craftsman® Late Model Series is brought to fans across the country by many important sponsors and partners, including: Arizona Sport Shirts (Official Apparel Company), Bad Boy Off Road (Official Side-by-Side Vehicle), Craftsman (Official Tool), Hoosier Racing Tire (Official Tire), Morton Buildings (Official Building), Sears (Official Home Store), The Kenny Wallace Dirt Racing Experience (Official Racing Experience, VP Racing Fuels (Official Racing Fuel) and DirtonDirt.com (Hard Charger Award); in addition to contingency sponsors, including: Cometic Gasket, Comp Cams, Edelbrock, JE Pistons, JRI Shocks, MSD, Penske Shocks, QA1, QuarterMaster, Superflow Dynos and Wrisco Aluminum; along with manufacturer sponsors, including: Capital Race Cars, Integra Shocks, Impact Racing Products, Intercomp, Racing Electronics, Rocket Chassis and TNT Rescue.