{"id":13086,"date":"2012-08-19T16:09:34","date_gmt":"2012-08-19T16:09:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/karnac.com\/flanews\/?p=13086"},"modified":"2012-08-19T16:09:34","modified_gmt":"2012-08-19T16:09:34","slug":"richards-returns-to-world-of-outlaws-late-model-series-glory-with-victory-in-rough-and-tumble-napa-auto-parts-merritt-50","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/karnac.com\/flanews\/front-page-news\/richards-returns-to-world-of-outlaws-late-model-series-glory-with-victory-in-rough-and-tumble-napa-auto-parts-merritt-50\/","title":{"rendered":"Richards Returns To World of Outlaws Late Model Series Glory With Victory In Rough-And-Tumble NAPA Auto Parts Merritt 50"},"content":{"rendered":"

Former Tour Champ Leads Rocket Chassis House Car Teammate Brandon Sheppard To Finish Line At Michigan\u2019s Merritt Raceway<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"LAKE CITY, MI \u2013 Aug. 18, 2012 \u2013 Welcome back, Josh Richards.<\/p>\n

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\u2019s NAPA Auto Parts Merritt 50 at Merritt Raceway.<\/p>\n

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\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n

WoO LMS rookie Kent Robinson of Bloomington, Ind., advanced from the 20th<\/sup> starting spot to place third and rising DIRTcar Late Model standout Mike Spatola of Manhattan, Ill., finished fourth \u2013 career-best World of Outlaws outings for both drivers. Defending series champion Rick Eckert of York, Pa., completed the top five.<\/p>\n

Richards\u2019s checkered flag was his second of 2012 and the 39th<\/sup> of his career on the WoO LMS, moving him back into a tie with Darrell Lanigan of Union, Ky., atop the national tour\u2019s alltime win list. Lanigan, who has dominated the series this season to the tune of a record 13 victories, was never a factor in Saturday\u2019s A-Main, finishing one lap down in eighth.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s cool to come back here and have a weekend like we did,\u201d said Richards, who finished second on Friday night at Winston Speedway in Montague, Mich., in what was his first WoO LMS appearance since March 31 at Farmer City (Ill.) Raceway. \u201cTo lead laps and run second last night and then win tonight, it\u2019s definitely a confidence booster to know we can come back and compete with the best.\u201d<\/p>\n

Considering the manner in which he manhandled his familiar blue No. 1 machine around the choppy and fast quarter-mile oval, Richards looked like he had never left as a WoO LMS regular. He survived seven caution flags and Sheppard\u2019s strong bid to leave the Wolverine State with $11,150 in earnings, including a $1,000 bonus for winning the 10-lap Race of Champions dash that was contested at the start of the program by nine drivers who were past titlists of either the WoO LMS or dirt Late Model tracks in Michigan.<\/p>\n

Sheppard, 19, actually nipped Richards at the start\/finish line to lead lap 45, but Richards regained command moments later rounding turns one and two and controlled the remainder of the distance. A final caution flag, on lap 48 when Clint Smith of Senoia, Ga., relinquished fifth place due to a broken shock mount, proved to be no problem for Richards, who pulled away on the restart to defeat Sheppard by 1.077 seconds.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know we started on the pole, but that was definitely the hardest I\u2019ve worked to win a race,\u201d said Richards, who decided to enter the WoO LMS\u2019s doubleheader in Michigan because he did not have a ride for Saturday\u2019s NASCAR Nationwide Series stop at Montreal\u2019s Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. \u201cThe track was heavy and rough \u2013 and that condition is usually what I\u2019m good in \u2013 but it was changing every lap so you didn\u2019t know if you were gonna push or hit a hole.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sure it was exciting for the fans because it was crazy from the driver\u2019s seat.\u201d<\/p>\n

Richards enjoyed battling for the win with Sheppard, a budding star whom Richards recommended as his replacement in the Rocket Chassis house car.<\/p>\n

\u201cI saw a blue car underneath me, and I was like, \u2018Man, I gotta get up on the wheel,\u2019\u201d said Richards, whose previous WoO LMS win this season came on Feb. 17 at Bubba Raceway Park in Ocala, Fla. \u201cBrandon does one heck of a job. If I didn\u2019t have any confidence in him, then he wouldn\u2019t be in our car. He\u2019s gonna be really good and he\u2019s gonna pass me up one of these days.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sheppard, who started third, was thrilled to go toe-to-toe with Richards for the win. He passed Shane Clanton of Fayetteville, Ga., for second on lap 15 and was able to pressure Richards several times before settling for a runner-up finish that tied his career high on the WoO LMS.<\/p>\n

\u201cBoth of our cars were pretty similarly set up, so I don\u2019t think either one of us really had an advantage,\u201d said Sheppard. \u201cIt was just who hit the holes and who didn\u2019t.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe guys were showing him that he had a decent lead, so he was kind of slowing down to run the bottom. When he went to the bottom it wasn\u2019t that rough so there wasn\u2019t that much moisture, and I could catch him because of that. But once I got up to him and showed him a nose, he got back up top and then we were pretty even.\u201d<\/p>\n

Robinson, 24, fell out of touch with Richards and Sheppard shortly after reaching third place on a lap-21 restart, but he kept a firm grasp on the show position to the finish.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m really happy and happy for my team,\u201d said Robinson, who has experienced his share of hard knocks running his family-owned operation on the WoO LMS for the first time. \u201cThat nothing fell off and nothing broke on a rough track, that\u2019s a testament to the maintenance of the race car and the quality of the parts that we use on this MasterSbilt.<\/p>\n

\u201cTonight we got better as we went,\u201d he continued. \u201cI about flipped over in the heat race and broke something in the rearend, but we made it in the B (Main). We threw a few things at it and I said, \u2018I\u2019m just gonna run the bottom to stay out of the rough and see if we can pass people.\u2019 I did that for a few laps and about got lapped, but luckily the yellow came out and saved us and then I said, \u2018I can\u2019t stay back here any longer,\u2019 so I started trying to run the top and abuse it, trying to break it. It held up, and we made it.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe had a softer left-rear tire on than (Richards and Sheppard) did. I think that helped me get up there (to third), but then once I got there I had abused it so much \u2013 and once I got near (Richards and Sheppard) I started running even harder and then my left-rear tire just started laying down on me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Just nine cars were running at the finish of the event, with sixth-place Jason Feger of Bloomington, Ill., and seventh-place Dennis Erb Jr. of Carpentersville, Ill., the last drivers on the lead lap. Lanigan finished one lap down in eighth and Merritt regular Eric Spangler of Lake City, Mich., was two laps down in ninth. Clint Smith rounded out the top 10 despite completing only 46 laps.<\/p>\n

Thirty-eight cars were entered in the event, which was contested on a cool summer evening in northern Michigan.<\/p>\n

Vic Coffey of Caledonia, N.Y., set the pace in Ohlins Shocks Time Trials, earning his first fast-time honor of 2012 with a lap of 13.591 seconds. He nipped Clanton by the narrowest of margins \u2013 a mere .001 of a second.<\/p>\n

The fast time was the third of Coffey\u2019s career on the WoO LMS. His previous came on July 13, 2008, at Williston (N.D.) Basin Speedway and June 23, 2009, at Canandaigua (N.Y.) Motorsports Park.<\/p>\n

Heat winners were Coffey, Clanton, Spatola and Eckert. Pat Doar of New Richmond, Wis., and Tim Fuller of Watertown, N.Y., captured the B-Mains.<\/p>\n

The next action for the WoO LMS comes next weekend with a doubleheader on Sat., Aug. 25, at Winchester (Va.) Speedway and Sun., Aug. 26, at Selinsgrove (Pa.) Speedway.<\/p>\n

For more information on the WoO LMS, visit www.worldofoutlaws.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Fans can also follow the WoO LMS on Twitter at Twitter.com\/WoOLateModels <\/a>and Facebook at Facebook.com\/WorldofOutlaws <\/a>.<\/p>\n

Results of WoO Late Model Series \u2018NAPA Auto Parts Merritt 50\u2019 at Merritt Raceway (Finishing Position\/Start\/Driver\/Laps Completed\/Money Won): <\/strong><\/p>\n

1. (1) Josh Richards\/50 $11,150<\/p>\n

2. (3) Brandon Sheppard\/50 $5,550<\/p>\n

3. (20) Kent Robinson\/50 $3,800<\/p>\n

4. (8) Mike Spatola\/50 $2,550<\/p>\n

5. (4) Rick Eckert\/50 $2,650<\/p>\n

6. (11) Jason Feger\/50 $1,750<\/p>\n

7. (9) Dennis Erb Jr.\/50 $1,400<\/p>\n

8. (7) Darrell Lanigan\/49 $1,950<\/p>\n

9. (13) Eric Spangler\/48 $1,300<\/p>\n

10. (12) Clint Smith\/46 $1,700<\/p>\n

11. (11) Shane Clanton\/29 $1,600<\/p>\n

12. (18) Tim Fuller\/26 $1,550<\/p>\n

13. (6) Vic Coffey\/26 $1,500<\/p>\n

14. (22) Adam Thrush\/24 $900<\/p>\n

15. (19) Duane Treadwell\/21 $850<\/p>\n

16. (15) Bub McCool\/21 $1,550<\/p>\n

17. (5) Chub Frank\/16 $1,320<\/p>\n

18. (21) John Mason\/12 $750<\/p>\n

19. (16) Jeep VanWormer\/11 $780<\/p>\n

20. (25) Jeremy Tulick\/11 $700<\/p>\n

21. (10) Rich Neiser\/7 $700<\/p>\n

22. (17) Pat Doar\/5 $1,250<\/p>\n

23. (23) Tim McCreadie\/2 $1,350<\/p>\n

24. (24) Brady Smith\/0 $700<\/p>\n

25. (14) Terry Casey\/0 $750<\/p>\n

* Earnings include Winners Circle program and cash contingency award bonuses <\/em><\/p>\n

Time of Race: 31 Mins., 40.501 Secs.<\/p>\n

Margin of Victory: 1.077 Secs.<\/p>\n

Yellow Flags: 7 (Laps 13, 14, 17, 18, 21, 22, 48)<\/p>\n

Lap Leaders: Richards (1-44); Sheppard (45); Richards (46-50)<\/p>\n

Provisional Starters: McCreadie, B. Smith (WoO); Tulick (track)<\/p>\n

Rookie of the Race: Robinson ($250)<\/p>\n

WoO LMS \u2018Bonus Bucks\u2019 Winner: Sheppard ($500)<\/p>\n

Ohlins Shocks Time Trial Results (Position\/No.\/Driver\/Hometown\/Best Lap):<\/strong><\/p>\n

1. 32c-Vic Coffey\/Caledonia, NY 13.591<\/p>\n

2. 25-Shane Clanton\/Fayetteville, GA 13.592<\/p>\n

3. 57J-Bub McCool\/Vicksburg, MS 13.697<\/p>\n

4. 24-Rick Eckert\/York, PA 13.821<\/p>\n

5. 39-Tim McCreadie\/Watertown, NY 13.830<\/p>\n

6. 55-Duane Treadwell\/LaGrange, GA 13.883<\/p>\n

7. 89-Mike Spatola\/Manhattan, IL 13.885<\/p>\n

8. 7R-Kent Robinson\/Bloomington, IN 13.926<\/p>\n

9. 29-Darrell Lanigan\/Union, KY 13.952<\/p>\n

10. 2-Brady Smith\/Solon Springs, WI 13.992<\/p>\n

11. 1-Josh Richards\/Shinnston, WV 14.003<\/p>\n

12. 55-Jeep VanWormer\/Pinconning, MI 14.025<\/p>\n

13. 28e-Dennis Erb Jr.\/Carpentersville, IL 14.046<\/p>\n

14. 42-Terry Casey\/New London, WI 14.053<\/p>\n

15. 19-Tim Fuller\/Watertown, NY 14.054<\/p>\n

16. 1*-Chub Frank\/Bear Lake, PA 14.058<\/p>\n

17. 72-John Mason\/Millersburg, OH 14.089<\/p>\n

18. 1b-Brandon Sheppard\/New Berlin, IL 14.132<\/p>\n

19. 25F-Jason Feger\/Bloomington, IL 14.138<\/p>\n

20. 44-Clint Smith\/Senoia, GA 14.184<\/p>\n

21. 11-Pat Doar\/New Richmond, WI 14.195<\/p>\n

22. 87-Rich Neiser\/Fruit Port, MI 14.428<\/p>\n

23. 87K-Josh Knoll\/Lake, MI 14.518<\/p>\n

24. 91-Adam Thrush\/Farwell, MI 14.557<\/p>\n

25. 21s-Tom Sprague Jr.\/Muskegon, MI 14.614<\/p>\n

26. 23v-Ryan VanderVeen\/Six Lakes, MI 14.632<\/p>\n

27. 3-Jeremy Tulick\/Cadillac, MI 14.686<\/p>\n

28. 8-Keith Gentz\/Grant, MI 14.706<\/p>\n

29. 12-Dave Hartman\/Howard City, MI 14.735<\/p>\n

30. 25b-Chris Brindley\/W. Branch, MI 14.825<\/p>\n

31. 5-Brook Brasington\/Evant, MI 14.977<\/p>\n

32. 13-Andy Galgoci\/Mt. Pleasant, MI 15.053<\/p>\n

33. 27-Eric Spangler\/Lake City, MI 15.147<\/p>\n

34. 18-Merv Hudson\/Alger, MI 15.233<\/p>\n

35. 58-Renton Hurley\/Cairo, MI 16.075<\/p>\n

36. 73-Steve Nieuwenhuis\/Copemish, MI 16.080<\/p>\n

37. 85-Mark Anderson\/Blanchard, MI 34.619<\/p>\n

38. 21-Bob Hammar\/Boone, MI N\/T<\/p>\n

Heat No. 1 (10 laps \u2013 Top 4 Transfer): <\/strong>Coffey, Lanigan, Erb, Spangler, Doar, Mason, Anderson, Hartman, McCreadie (DNS) Sprague<\/p>\n

Heat No. 2 (10 laps \u2013 Top 4 Transfer): <\/strong>Clanton, Sheppard, Neiser, Casey, Treadwell, VanderVeen, Brindley, Hudson, B. Smith (DNS) Hammar<\/p>\n

Heat No. 3 (10 laps \u2013 Top 4 Transfer): <\/strong>Spatola, Richards, Feger, McCool, Fuller, Hurley, Knoll, Tulick, Brasington<\/p>\n

Heat No. 4 (10 laps \u2013 Top 4 Transfer): <\/strong>Eckert, Frank, C. Smith, VanWormer, Robinson, Thrush, Galgoci, Gentz, Nieuwenhuis<\/p>\n

B-Main No. 1 (12 laps \u2013 Top 3 Transfer): <\/strong>Doar, Treadwell, Mason, VanderVeen, Anderson, Hartman, Brindley, Hudson, Sprague (DNS) McCreadie, B. Smith, Hammar<\/p>\n

B-Main No. 2 (12 laps \u2013 Top 3 Transfer): <\/strong>Fuller, Robinson, Thrush, Galgoci, Hurley, Brasington, Tulick, Gentz, Knoll, Nieuwenhuis<\/p>\n

World of Outlaws Late Model Series Contingency Award Winners:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Arizona Sport Shirts ($100 product certificate to 23rd<\/sup>-place finisher in A-Main or next highest w\/decal): Josh Knoll<\/p>\n

Armor All (one case of product to highest-finishing non-WoO team in A-Main or next highest w\/decal): Brandon Sheppard<\/p>\n

Cometic Gasket ($50 cash to 12th<\/sup>-place finisher in A-Main or next highest w\/decal): Bub McCool<\/p>\n

Comp Cams ($50 cash to 10th<\/sup>-place finisher in A-Main or next highest w\/decal): Clint Smith<\/p>\n

Comp Cams ($50 product certificate to A-Main winner or next highest w\/decal): Josh Richards<\/p>\n

Dominator ($50 cash to 6th<\/sup>-place finisher in A-Main or next highest w\/decal): Jason Feger<\/p>\n

Eibach Springs (one free spring to each B-Main winner or next highest w\/decal): Pat Doar\/Jeremy Tulick<\/p>\n

Gravely ($50 cash to 7th<\/sup>-place finisher in A-Main or next highest w\/decal): Eric Spangler<\/p>\n

JE Pistons ($50 cash to 16th<\/sup>-place finisher in A-Main or next highest w\/decal): Bub McCool<\/p>\n

JE Pistons (one compete set of JE Pro Seal rings to 11th<\/sup>-place finisher or next highest w\/decal – $285 value): Tim Fuller<\/p>\n

JE Pistons (one complete set of JE Pro Seal rings to 21st<\/sup>-place finisher or next highest w\/decal – $285 value): Rich Neiser<\/p>\n

Klotz Synthetic Lubricants ($50 cash to 17th<\/sup>-place finisher or next highest finisher): Jeep VanWormer<\/p>\n

MSD Ignition ($50 cash to A-Main winner or next highest w\/decal): Josh Richards<\/p>\n

MSD Ignition ($25 cash to 24th<\/sup>-place finisher in A-Main or next highest w\/decal): Terry Casey<\/p>\n

Ohlins Pole Award ($50 cash to fast qualifier or next highest w\/decal): Bub McCool<\/p>\n

Quartermaster ($100 product certificate to A-Main winner or next highest w\/decal): Mike Spatola<\/p>\n

Quartermaster ($50 product certificate to 5th<\/sup>-place finisher in A-Main or next highest w\/decal): Rick Eckert<\/p>\n

Quartermaster ($25 product certificate to 15th<\/sup>-place finisher in A-Main or next highest w\/decal): Duane Treadwell<\/p>\n

Roush-Yates Performance Products ($50 cash to 4th<\/sup>-place finisher in A-Main or next highest w\/decal): Eric Spangler<\/p>\n

Roush-Yates Performance Products (carburetor repair kit to 18th<\/sup>-place finish in A-Main or next highest w\/decal – $100 value): Jeep VanWormer<\/p>\n

Roush-Yates Lap Leader Award (one pair of Wiley X Sunglasses to driver who leads most laps in A-Main):<\/p>\n

STP ($50 cash to 2nd<\/sup>-place finisher in A-Main or next highest w\/decal): Brandon Sheppard<\/p>\n

SuperFlow ($50 cash to 14th<\/sup>-place finisher in A-Main or next highest w\/decal): Bub McCool<\/p>\n

VP Racing Fuels ($50 cash to 9th<\/sup>-place finisher in A-Main or next highest w\/decal): Clint Smith<\/p>\n

VP Racing Fuels \u2018Nice Jugs Award\u2019 (one VP 5-gallon container to fastest qualifier who misses A-Main or next highest with decal – $30 value): Josh Knoll<\/p>\n

WIX Filters ($50 cash to 13th<\/sup>-place finisher in A-Main or next highest w\/decal): Bub McCool<\/p>\n

Wrisco Aluminum (three sheets of aluminum to A-Main winner if decal displayed – $200 value): Josh Richards<\/p>\n

XS Power ($50 cash to 3rd<\/sup>-place finisher in A-Main or next highest w\/decal): Mike Spatola<\/p>\n

XS Power ($60 product certificate to 8th<\/sup>-place finisher in A-Main or next highest w\/decal): Eric Spangler<\/p>\n

XS \u2018Power Move of the Race\u2019 ($60 product certificate): Kent Robinson<\/p>\n

2012 World of Outlaws Late Model Series Point Standings as of Aug. 18 \u2013 32 A-Mains completed (rank\/driver\/points\/deficit to leader):<\/strong><\/p>\n

1. Darrell Lanigan 4472<\/p>\n

2. Rick Eckert 4318 (-154)<\/p>\n

3. Tim McCreadie 4142 (-330)<\/p>\n

4. Shane Clanton 4114 (-358)<\/p>\n

5. Chub Frank 4090 (-382)<\/p>\n

6. Bub McCool 3974 (-498)<\/p>\n

7. Clint Smith 3948 (-524)<\/p>\n

8. Vic Coffey 3858 (-614)<\/p>\n

9. Tim Fuller 3744 (-728)<\/p>\n

10. Pat Doar 3730 (-742)<\/p>\n

11. Kent Robinson 3642 (-830)<\/p>\n

12. Jack Sullivan 3268 (-1204)<\/p>\n

13. John Lobb 2300 (-2172)<\/p>\n

14. Jill George 2190 (-2282)<\/p>\n

15. Mike Marlar 1966 (-2506)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Former Tour Champ Leads Rocket Chassis House Car Teammate Brandon Sheppard To Finish Line At Michigan\u2019s Merritt Raceway LAKE CITY, MI \u2013 Aug. 18, 2012 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"publish_to_discourse":"","publish_post_category":"","wpdc_auto_publish_overridden":"","wpdc_topic_tags":"","wpdc_pin_topic":"","wpdc_pin_until":"","discourse_post_id":"","discourse_permalink":"","wpdc_publishing_response":"","wpdc_publishing_error":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[22,3,71,4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-13086","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-featured","category-front-page-news","category-late-models","category-race-results"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/karnac.com\/flanews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13086","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/karnac.com\/flanews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/karnac.com\/flanews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/karnac.com\/flanews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/karnac.com\/flanews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13086"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/karnac.com\/flanews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13086\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13090,"href":"https:\/\/karnac.com\/flanews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13086\/revisions\/13090"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/karnac.com\/flanews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13086"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/karnac.com\/flanews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13086"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/karnac.com\/flanews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13086"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}