Richards Collects Podium-Finish at Duck River Raceway Park
SHINNSTON, W.Va. (April 5, 2016) Josh Richards continues to impress as he collected another podium-finish at Duck River Raceway Park in Lewisburg, Tenn., on Friday night. Richards’ third-place effort marks his 15th top-three finish in just 18 races this season.
In his first appearance back at the one-fourth-mile Tennessee track since 2013, Richards looked strong from the start. He began the evening by turning the fastest circuit in hot laps. He then went on to qualify fourth quickest in Group A. The Valvoline driver’s time trial effort lined him up on the outside-pole for Heat 2. Starting second, Richards quickly took over the point position entering Turn 3. Once out front, the Rocket Chassis driver never looked back leading all 10 laps en route to his heat race win. The victory made him eligible for the redraw and Richards drew the sixth starting spot for the 50-lap Feature.
At the drop of the green-flag, the field quickly bunched and Richards was caught in the middle going three-wide into Turn 3. In the melee, Richards’ car sustained damage to his left door and he slipped to seventh. Though he was fighting a loose-condition because of the left-side damage, Richards muscled his way to fifth on Lap 3. With his car working well on the low-side, the West Virginia native methodically took over the third spot on Lap 16. Navigating through lap traffic with a battered car, fourth-place driver Shane Clanton was able to close in on Richards’ back bumper and the two battled fiercely for the remaining 25 laps. The three-time World of Outlaws Craftsman Late Model Series Champion ultimately edged out Clanton to finish third as the checkered flag flew. The podium-finish marks Richards’ sixth-consecutive finish of third or better.
The Valvoline machine is scheduled to return to World of Outlaws Craftsman Late Model Series action April 29 at Carolina Speedway in Gastonia, N.C., and April 30 at Fayetteville (N.C.) Motor Speedway.
Friday Results
Qualifying - 4th Heat Race –1st Feature Start –6th Feature Finish – 3rd
JOSH RICHARDS QUOTE: “We got bottled up on that first lap, but once I got clear I had a pretty good Valvoline car. After the contact I was loose, especially as the race went on. Shane (Clanton) was all over my back bumper. Whenever I’d go to pass a lap car, he’d pull alongside, but I was able to get momentum and drive off out of the corners. We battled hard and we ended up with a third-place finish. I’ll take it considering the left door damage.”