Richards Returns To Lucas Oil Victory Lane With Win At Portsmouth

Story By: JAMES ESSEX / LUCAS OIL LATE MODEL DIRT SERIES – PORTSMOUTH, OH – Josh Richards returned to Lucas Oil Victory Lane on Saturday night by winning the Independence 60 at Portsmouth Raceway Park. It was Richards’ fourth series win of the season and his first at Portsmouth Raceway Park since July of 2008 when he drove a car owned by Ernie Davis.

Richards helmed the Eric and Kelly Brock, Best Performance Motorsports, Rocket at the event – leading all 60 laps for the win. Tim McCreadie; in the Sweeteners Plus, Pro Power Racing Engines, Longhorn; made a late-race charge on Richards and closed to within two car lengths, but fell just short in the end.

Gregg Satterlee finished third in the Satterlee Petroleum, Durham Racing Engines, Rocket Chassis. Clint Bowyer Racing teammates, Darrell Lanigan and Don O’Neal completed the top five finishers.

Richards made a clean sweep of the racing activities as he set the overall Miller Welders fast time, and won his heat to earn the PFC Brakes Pole Award for the feature race.

“We haven’t done a whole lot of racing lately. We only had one Lucas Oil race in June, but we have a busy schedule for July so it’s a good way to kick off the month. We have been working extremely hard on this car over the last month. I can’t thank everyone enough at Best Performance Motorsports for this opportunity. It’s been awesome and a lot of fun,” said the 29-year-old Richards.

“I want to thank Randall and Tyler and everyone back at the shop. I want to thank my wife for her support and I think we have hit on somethings that is going to help us moving forward.” said the driver of the Sunoco, Integra, Hoosier Tires, Riggs Motorsports, Valvoline, Corey Frazier-State Farm, and Alexander Lawn and Landscaping sponsored car.

“I thought the track would become bottom dominant, but hats off to the track crew for making it racy, it was a really good night. Now we’re off to Mansfield tomorrow night.”

McCreadie withstood a battle with Satterlee over the last 15 laps of the race to garner a second-place finish and close the gap on Scott Bloomquist in the Championship standings. Bloomquist failed to finish the event and was credited with an 18th place finish.

“I didn’t need to those three guys running in front of Josh near the end,” said McCreadie. “We were gaining on him, but we just couldn’t get close enough to make a strong run for the lead. Josh deserved the win and we’re happy with second. We gained a bunch of points tonight, and we had a good car tonight. The top was good early on, then some crumbs started to develop up there and the traction started going away. Gregg [Satterlee] and I had a good battle for second for a long time as well.”

Satterlee continued his season-long improvement by coming home in third. “We got off to a good start in the feature. We went up in that loose dirt and the car felt good and we gained some spots quickly. Timmy [McCreadie] and I went at for second. We raced each other clean and that’s the way it should be. Congrats to Josh on the win.”

Completing the top ten were Jimmy Owens, R.J. Conley, Steve Francis, Eddie Carrier Jr., and Brandon Fouts.

Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Race Summary
Saturday, July 1st, 2017
Independence 60
Portsmouth Raceway Park – Portsmouth, OHMiller Welders Fast Time Group A: Brandon Fouts / 14.377 seconds
Miller Welders Fast Time Group B: Josh Richards / 14.259 seconds

Eibach Springs Heat Race #1 Finish (10 Laps, All Transfer): Josh Richards, Steve Francis, Gregg Satterlee, Ben Adkins, Earl Pearson, Jr., Rod Conley, Craig Wolford, Boom Briggs

FK Rod Ends Heat Race #2 Finish (10 Laps, All Transfer): Brandon Fouts, Jimmy Owens, Darrell Lanigan, Eddie Carrier, Jr., Jackie Boggs, Chris Shannon, Shannon Thornsberry, Scott Bloomquist

Simpson Performance Products Heat Race #3 Finish (10 Laps, All Transfer): Don O’Neal, Tim McCreadie, Dennis Erb, Jr., Hudson O’Neal, RJ Conley, Jason Montgomery, Audie Swartz, Charlie Jude

Feature Finish (60 Laps):

Entrants: 24
Lap Leaders: Josh Richards (Laps 1 – 60)
Cautions: Craig Wolford (Lap 2); Charlie Jude (Lap 9); Scott Bloomquist (Lap30); Scott Bloomquist (Lap 32); Eddie Carrier Jr. (Lap 39)
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Provisionals: n/a
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Emergency Provisionals: n/a
Wrisco Feature Winner: Josh Richards
Optima Batteries Hard Charger of the Race: Boom Briggs (Started: 22nd; Finished: 13th; Advanced 9 Positions)
Midwest Sheet Metal Spoiler Challenge Point Leader: Scott Bloomquist
Allstar Performance Power Move of the Race: RJ Conley
Sunoco Race for Gas Highest Finisher: Josh Richards
Hot Rod Processing Rookie of the Race: Gregg Satterlee
COMP Cams Engine Builder of the Race: Durham Racing Engines
Ohlins Shocks Chassis Builder of the Race: Rocket Chassis
Outerwears Crew Chief of the Race: Randall Edwards (Josh Richards)
Fastest Lap of the Race: Josh Richards (Lap # 4 – 15.394 seconds)
Safecraft Most Laps Led: Josh Richards (60 Laps)
PFC Brakes Pole Award: Josh Richards
Time of Race: 33 minutes 04 seconds