Josh Richards Suffers Slight Concussion In Show-Me 100
West Plains, MO - World of Outlaws Late Model Series star Josh Richards suffered a slight concussion in a hard crash during Thursday night’s practice for the 15th annual Show-Me 100 at West Plains Motor Speedway, forcing him to withdraw from competition for the remainder of the weekend.Josh, 19, of Shinnston, W.Va., was shaking down a new Mark Richards Racing-owned Seubert Calf Ranches Rocket car on the three-eighths-mile oval when the accident occurred. The machine reared up on its right-rear corner as Josh slid hard into turn one, sending him into a wild series of barrel-rolls.
The car bounced off the top of the track’s concrete wall rollcage-first and flipped at least two more times before coming to rest between turns one and two.
Josh was stunned but conscious when safety crews reached him. He climbed out of the cockpit and rode the ambulance back to his team’s hauler, but shortly thereafter was taken by his father Mark to a local hospital for tests.
“We were at the hospital for about three hours and everything checked out O. K., †said Mark Richards, who co-owns the well-known Rocket Chassis business in Shinnston, W.Va. “He has a slight concussion and he’s sore, but he’s going to be alright. â€
Mark Richards said Josh’s car was “completely totaled, †but held up well considering the hit it absorbed on the wall. It was a car that Josh had never before raced and sported some new setup ideas that the Rocket team has developed during recent test sessions.
Prior to his wreck, Josh had been turning laps around West Plains Motor Speedway that were among the fastest of the night, making him confident of his chances in the Show-Me 100. Fellow WoO LMS regular Steve Francis of Ashland, Ky., was also fast in Thursday night’s practice driving a new Rocket car identical to Josh’s.
“The car was really good, †said Josh, who had flipped a dirt Late Model only once previously in his career, last August at Lernerville Speedway in Sarver, Pa. “I really think we had something for the weekend, but things happen sometimes.
“The track (surface) was smooth but it was real fast, and I think my car was a little tight, †he continued, describing the circumstances of his crash. “When I went in the turn it just stuck and flipped completely over. I don’t remember much about what happened after that. â€
Josh’s next start will be the WoO LMS ‘First State 50’ on Thurs., May 31, at Delaware International Speedway in Delmar, Del. He will also see WoO LMS action that weekend on Sat., June 2, in the ‘Conococheague 50’ at Hagerstown (Md. ) Speedway.
Coming off a runner-up finish in the WoO LMS ‘Great Lakes 50’ on May 18 at I-96 Speedway in Lake Odessa, Mich., Josh currently ranks fourth in the current tour point standings.
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