Former Tour Champ Leads Rocket Chassis House Car Teammate Brandon Sheppard To Finish Line At Michigan’s Merritt Raceway

LAKE CITY, MI – Aug. 18, 2012 – Welcome back, Josh Richards.

In just his second World of Outlaws Late Model Series start following a four-month absence to pursue his NASCAR Nationwide Series aspirations, Richards flashed his vintage hard-charging form with a triumphant run to victory in Saturday night’s NAPA Auto Parts Merritt 50 at Merritt Raceway.

Richards, 24, of Shinnston, W.Va., started from the pole position and led all but one circuit of a rough-and-tumble 50-lap A-Main. He repelled a late-race challenge from his Rocket Chassis house car teammate Brandon Sheppard of New Berlin, Ill., who finished second to give Richards’s father, Mark, a memorable sweep of the top-two spots in a dirt Late Model feature for the first time in his career as a car owner. (more…)

Lanigan’s Six-Race World of Outlaws Late Model Series Win Streak Ends At Michigan’s Winston Speedway

MONTAGUE, MI – Aug. 17, 2012 – Rick Eckert dashed the hopes of two fellow World of Outlaws Late Model Series stars with a triumphant run in Friday night’s NAPA Auto Parts Winston 50 Presented by Keyser Manufacturing at Winston Speedway.

The national tour’s defending champion outdueled returning two-time titlist Josh Richards to gain control of the A-Main on lap 27. He then dominated the race’s second half to snap the six-race win streak of 2012 circuit dominator Darrell Lanigan, who settled for a fifth-place finish after starting 12 ^th.

Eckert, 46, of York, Pa., earned $10,650 for his third WoO LMS victory of the season, tying him with Tim McCreadie of Watertown, N.Y., for second on the ’12 win list behind Lanigan’s single-season record of 13. He was also proud to be the driver to finally shut Union, Ky.’s Lanigan out of Victory Lane.

“I’m glad I stopped him,” Eckert said of Lanigan. “He’s been on a roll. He’s been for sure the guy to beat all year long, so this is big for our team.” (more…)

Record-Setter Captures Sixth Straight Win, Becomes Alltime Winningest Driver On World of Outlaws Late Model Series

SHAWANO, WI – Aug. 7, 2012 – Darrell Lanigan made more World of Outlaws Late Model Series history on Tuesday night at Shawano Speedway.

Completing a spectacular road trip to the Upper Midwest, Lanigan registered a convincing victory in the ‘Mid-States Equipment 50’ to extend his record-setting win streak to six and become the national tour’s alltime winningest driver.

Lanigan, 42, of Union, Ky., roared off the outside pole to grab the lead on the opening lap and never looked back, pacing the entire distance to register his 13^th win of 2012 and the 39^th of his career on the WoO LMS. He overtook Josh Richards and Billy Moyer to move atop the national tour’s career win list for both the modern era (2004-present) and overall (including the original 1988-89 seasons). (more…)

Sizzling Star Sets World of Outlaws Late Model Series Consecutive-Win Record, Ties Richards For Most Triumphs Since ‘04

INDEPENDENCE, IA – Aug. 6, 2012 – Darrell Lanigan’s assault on the World of Outlaws Late Model Series rolled on Monday night at Independence Motor Speedway.

Continuing the most amazing season in the history of the national tour, the 42-year-old star from Union, Ky., set or matched three different series records with a hard-fought victory over Clint Smith of Senoia, Ga., in the three-eighths-mile oval’s Dirt Late Model Magazine 50.

Lanigan drew the pole position in the pre-race redraw and led all but one circuit of the A-Main, but his drive to the checkered flag behind the wheel of his Cornett-powered Rocket was anything but easy. He had to survive a relentless late-race challenge from Smith, who nosed ahead to lead lap 42 but lost ground and fell behind for the remainder of the distance when the leaders rubbed together in turn two moments after Lanigan was scored the leader of lap 43. (more…)