Richards Works Through Disappointing Performance in Dirt Late Model Dream XIII at Eldora Speedway

SHINNSTON, W.Va. — Josh Richards took the green flag in Saturday night’s $100,000-to-win Dirt Late Model Dream XIII event at Eldora Speedway with plenty of confidence after contending for victory in the track’s World 100 last September.

But the 19-year-old sensation’s good vibes quickly went south thanks to an incorrect setup choice that sent him spiraling to a disappointing 16th-place finish in the 100-lapper.

After setting second-fastest time in qualifying on Friday night and finishing second in his Saturday-night heat race, the driver known as ‘Kid Rocket’ went to the post eighth in the Dream A-Main. He just treaded water during the race’s first quarter, however, prompting his crew to bring him pitside during a lap-28 caution period.

A quick restart caught Josh and Co. off guard, putting Josh one lap down before he could return. He did continue running in an effort to learn more about the racetrack, which sported a surface that was slicker and slower than in recent years.

“We weren’t any good, so we came in and made some changes,” said Josh, whose Mark Richards Racing-owned Seubert Calf Ranches/Ace Metal Works/TSR-Tony Stewart Racing/Petroff Towing/MCB Motorsports Rocket Chassis No. 1 wasn’t tightened enough for the feature. “We ended up losing a lap, but we went back out so we could at least get some laps to figure out what we need to do when we come back later this year.”

Josh said he liked last year’s Eldora surface more than the current one, but that’s largely because he – like many others in the Dream’s 146-car field – hadn’t figured it out by the weekend. He was gaining on it, though, during the laps he took after losing a circuit, and he hopes he can apply what he learned when he returns for the track’s inaugural World of Outlaws Late Model Series event on Fri., July 27, and the World 100 on Sept. 7-8.

Josh and Co. now head west to compete in a five-race World of Outlaws Late Model Series swing, which begins a busy month-long stretch that will see the tour criss-cross the country.

Josh, who is currently ranked fifth in the WoO LMS point standings after 16 events, will compete in WoO LMS events on June 12 at River Cities Speedway in Grand Forks, N.Dak.; June 14 at Deer Creek Speedway in Spring Valley, Minn.; June 15 at Knoxville (Iowa) Raceway; June 16 at Lakeside Speedway in Kansas City, Kan.; and June 17 at the Belleville (Kan.) High Banks.

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