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Richards wins Thursday prelim to 5th Annual Late Model
Knoxville Nationals
By Stacy Ervin
KNOXVILLE, Iowa (Sept 25) - Josh
Richards of Shinnston, West Virginia, won the opening-night preliminary
feature on Thursday, September 25, at the 5th Annual Lucas Oil Late Model
Knoxville Nationals presented by Super Clean. “Kid Rocket” claimed $7,000
for the victory in the 25-lap main, which actually wrapped up just after 1
a.m. on Friday.
Richards started sixth and took the lead with a late-race slide job. When
the race went green, outside front-row starter Billy Moyer jumped out to the
lead over polesitter Earl Pearson Jr. Moyer set a fast pace, coming to
lapped traffic at the fifth circuit. That allowed Darrell Lanigan, who
started fourth, to close.
Lanigan edged out to the lead at the flagstand on the seventh circuit and
began to run away. Meanwhile, Richards gave chase to Moyer, whose machine
began smoking on the ninth lap. Moyer’s mount went up in a big puff of smoke
on the 10th lap to bring out the race’s first yellow flag.
After that, Lanigan continued to lead with Richards hot on his bumper. Just
when Richards looked to be making his move, the yellow flag returned when
Boone McLaughlin spun in front of the leaders in turn four on the 17th lap.
When the race went green again, Lanigan led another lap before Richards put
on a slide job in turn four and took the point. From there, it was all
Richards.
The night started off with Lanigan suffering mechanical issues in hot laps
and pulling out a second car before qualifying. Time trials saw a new track
record sealed by Pearson at 16.631. In all, 20 of the 62 cars in competition
on this night broke the track record set in 2006 and five cars were in the
16-second bracket.
Jimmy Mars set another track record in the first heat for 12 laps in this
division. Other heat races were won by Justin Fegers, Terry Casey, Jason
Utter and Scott Bloomquist.
There were several incidents in those heat races and a total of three late
models got upside down during the course of those races. In the first heat,
Curt Schroeder and Matt Furman got together at the start and Schroeder went
hard into the first-turn fence. In the second heat, Kerry Hansen flipped on
the frontstretch. In the fifth heat, Jerry Bagby Jr. and Chris Smyser got
together at the start and Donnie Moran found himself collected and upside
down.
Mechanical troubles also plagued several drivers in the heat races. In the
second heat, former event winner Brian Birkhofer led before his machine went
up in smoke and he did not return to compete on this night. In the third
heat, Eric Jacobsen was leading when his machine went up in smoke and a ball
of flame on the white flag lap.
Brian Harris won the C-Main and set a new track record for 10 laps in that
event. Shannon Babb won the B-Main.
Late Models RESULTS
Time Trial, 1. Earl Pearson Jr., Jacksonville FL, 16.631; 2. Billy Moyer,
Batesville AR, 16.852; 3. Matt Miller, Arlington OH, 16.937; 4. Darrell
Lanigan, Union KY, 16.941; 5. Donnie Moran, Dresden OH, 16.972; 6. Tony
Stewart, Columbus IN, 17.005; 7. Josh Richards, Shinnston WV, 17.051; 8.
Darren Miller, Chadwick IL, 17.059; 9. Tim McCreadie, Avon NY, 17.126; 10.
Steve Francis, Ashland KY, 17.129; 11. Jimmy Mars, Menomonie WI, 17.152; 12.
Shannon Babb, Moweaqua IL, 17.188; 13. Jimmy Owens, Newport IN, 17.19; 14.
Chris Spieker, Massena IA, 17.206; 15. Jeep Van Wormer, Pinconning MI,
17.255; 16. Rick Eckert, York PA, 17.266; 17. Brady Smith, Solon Springs WI,
17.279; 18. Denny Eckrich, Oxford IA, 17.305; 19. John Blankenship,
Williamson WV, 17.314; 20. Scott Bloomquist, Mooresburg TN, 17.318; 21. Dan
Schlieper, Sullivan WI, 17.483; 22. Justin Fegers, Mound MN, 17.493; 23.
Terry Casey, New London WI, 17.53; 24. Brian Shirley, Chatham IL, 17.55; 25.
Boone McLaughlin, Mediapolis IA, 17.613; 26. Scott James, Lawrenceburg IN,
17.636; 27. Eddie Kirchoff, Gillette WY, 17.641; 28. Andy Eckrich, Iowa City
IA, 17.654; 29. Chris Simpson, Marion IA, 17.664; 30. Eddie Carrier Jr, Salt
Rock WV, 17.715; 31. Wayne Chinn, Bradford OH, 17.733; 32. Ken Schrader,
Concord NC, 17.771; 33. Jay Johnson, West Burlington IA, 17.775; 34. Chad
Simpson, Mount Vernon IA, 17.782; 35. Chris Smyser, Lancaster MO, 17.799;
36. Dave Eckrich, Oxford IA, 17.836; 37. Kerry Hansen, Spencer WI, 17.91;
38. Eric Jacobsen, Santa Cruz CA, 17.918; 39. Jason Utter, Columbus Junction
IA, 17.937; 40. Nick Marolf, Moscow IA, 18.012; 41. Matt Furman, Iowa City
IA, 18.12; 42. Brian Birkhofer, Muscatine IA, 18.168; 43. Rich Bell,
Sheffield IL, 18.198; 44. Brian Harris, Davenport IA, 18.209; 45. Jeff Aikey,
Cedar Falls IA, 18.242; 46. Matt Lux, Franklin PA, 18.29; 47. Matt Aukland,
Fargo ND, 18.342; 48. Darrel DeFrance, Marshalltown IA, 18.378; 49. John
Duty, Portland OR, 18.389; 50. Jill George, Cedar Falls IA, 18.4; 51. Junior
Coover, Norfolk NE, 18.514; 52. Mitch Johnson, Hickson ND, 18.55; 53. Rickey
Frankel, Quincy IL, 18.574; 54. Paul Glendenning, Mount Ayr IA, 18.657; 55.
Rod Smith, Monmouth IL, 18.867; 56. Curt Schroeder, Des Moines IA, 19.361;
57. Curt Martin, Independence IA, 19.372; 58. Nick Kramer, Pine Island MN,
19.4; 59. Ed Sanger, Postville IA, 20.267; 60. Jerry Bagby Jr., Secor IL,
20.304; 61. Alonzo Grosse, Council Bluffs IA, 20.551; 62. Chris Schroeder,
Ankeny IA, 20.683; 63. Darin Duffy, Hazleton IA, No Time;
Heat 1, 12 laps, No Time: 1. Jimmy Mars, Menomonie WI; 2. Earl Pearson Jr.,
Jacksonville FL; 3. Matt Lux, Franklin PA; 4. Tony Stewart, Columbus IN; 5.
Rick Eckert, York PA; 6. Wayne Chinn, Bradford OH; 7. Scott James,
Lawrenceburg IN; 8. Dave Eckrich, Oxford IA; 9. Junior Coover, Norfolk NE;
10. Alonzo Grosse, Council Bluffs IA; 11. Dan Schlieper, Sullivan WI; 12.
Curt Schroeder, Des Moines IA; 13. Matt Furman, Iowa City IA;
Heat 2, 12 laps, No Time: 1. Justin Fegers, Mound MN; 2. Billy Moyer,
Batesville AR; 3. Brady Smith, Solon Springs WI; 4. Josh Richards, Shinnston
WV; 5. Shannon Babb, Moweaqua IL; 6. Eddie Kirchoff, Gillette WY; 7. Ken
Schrader, Concord NC; 8. Matt Aukland, Fargo ND; 9. Kerry Hansen, Spencer
WI; 10. Brian Birkhofer, Muscatine IA; 11. Curt Martin, Independence IA; 12.
Chris Schroeder, Ankeny IA; 13. Mitch Johnson, Hickson ND;
Heat 3, 12 laps, No Time: 1. Terry Casey, New London WI; 2. Darren Miller,
Chadwick IL; 3. Matt Miller, Arlington OH; 4. Denny Eckrich, Oxford IA; 5.
Andy Eckrich, Iowa City IA; 6. Rickey Frankel, Quincy IL; 7. Eric Jacobsen,
Santa Cruz CA; 8. Jimmy Owens, Newport IN; 9. Rich Bell, Sheffield IL; 10.
Nick Kramer, Pine Island MN; 11. Jay Johnson, West Burlington IA; 12. Darrel
DeFrance, Marshalltown IA;
Heat 4, 12 laps, No Time: 1. Jason Utter, Columbus Junction IA; 2. Darrell
Lanigan, Union KY; 3. Tim McCreadie, Avon NY; 4. John Blankenship,
Williamson WV; 5. Chad Simpson, Mount Vernon IA; 6. Chris Simpson, Marion
IA; 7. John Duty, Portland OR; 8. Brian Shirley, Chatham IL; 9. Chris
Spieker, Massena IA; 10. Paul Glendenning, Mount Ayr IA; 11. Brian Harris,
Davenport IA; 12. Ed Sanger, Postville IA;
Heat 5, 12 laps, No Time: 1. Scott Bloomquist, Mooresburg TN; 2. Steve
Francis, Ashland KY; 3. Jeff Aikey, Cedar Falls IA; 4. Eddie Carrier Jr,
Salt Rock WV; 5. Jeep Van Wormer, Pinconning MI; 6. Boone McLaughlin,
Mediapolis IA; 7. Nick Marolf, Moscow IA; 8. Rod Smith, Monmouth IL; 9. Jill
George, Cedar Falls IA; 10. Jerry Bagby Jr., Secor IL; 11. Chris Smyser,
Lancaster MO; 12. Donnie Moran, Dresden OH;
C Feature, 10 laps, No Time: 1. Brian Harris, Davenport IA; 2. Chris Spieker,
Massena IA; 3. Rich Bell, Sheffield IL; 4. Paul Glendenning, Mount Ayr IA;
5. Junior Coover, Norfolk NE; 6. Ed Sanger, Postville IA; 7. Alonzo Grosse,
Council Bluffs IA; 8. Mitch Johnson, Hickson ND; 9. Chris Schroeder, Ankeny
IA; 10. Matt Furman, Iowa City IA; 11. Jill George, Cedar Falls IA; 12. Curt
Martin, Independence IA; 13. Donnie Moran, Dresden OH; 14. Dan Schlieper,
Sullivan WI; 15. Jay Johnson, West Burlington IA; 16. Chris Smyser,
Lancaster MO; 17. Kerry Hansen, Spencer WI; 18. Brian Birkhofer, Muscatine
IA; 19. Curt Schroeder, Des Moines IA; 20. Nick Kramer, Pine Island MN; 21.
Jerry Bagby Jr., Secor IL;
B Feature, 20 laps, No Time: 1. Shannon Babb, Moweaqua IL; 2. Scott James,
Lawrenceburg IN; 3. Rick Eckert, York PA; 4. Boone McLaughlin, Mediapolis
IA; 5. Jeep Van Wormer, Pinconning MI; 6. Ken Schrader, Concord NC; 7. Eddie
Kirchoff, Gillette WY; 8. Brian Shirley, Chatham IL; 9. Chris Simpson,
Marion IA; 10. Andy Eckrich, Iowa City IA; 11. Brian Harris, Davenport IA;
12. John Duty, Portland OR; 13. Dave Eckrich, Oxford IA; 14. Rich Bell,
Sheffield IL; 15. Paul Glendenning, Mount Ayr IA; 16. Chad Simpson, Mount
Vernon IA; 17. Nick Marolf, Moscow IA; 18. Matt Aukland, Fargo ND; 19.
Rickey Frankel, Quincy IL; 20. Wayne Chinn, Bradford OH; 21. Rod Smith,
Monmouth IL; 22. Chris Spieker, Massena IA; 23. Jimmy Owens, Newport IN; 24.
Eric Jacobsen, Santa Cruz CA;
A Feature, 25 laps, No Time: 1. Josh Richards, Shinnston WV; 2. Darrell
Lanigan, Union KY; 3. Tim McCreadie, Watertown NY; 4. Darren Miller,
Chadwick IL; 5. Tony Stewart, Columbus IN; 6. Jimmy Mars, Menomonie WI; 7.
Matt Miller, Arlington OH; 8. Steve Francis, Ashland KY; 9. Denny Eckrich,
Oxford IA; 10. Scott Bloomquist, Mooresburg TN; 11. Brady Smith, Solon
Springs WI; 12. Justin Fegers, Mound MN; 13. Earl Pearson Jr., Jacksonville
FL; 14. Rick Eckert, York PA; 15. Shannon Babb, Moweaqua IL; 16. John
Blankenship, Williamson WV; 17. Eddie Carrier Jr, Salt Rock WV; 18. Jason
Utter, Columbus Junction IA; 19. Scott James, Lawrenceburg IN; 20. Boone
McLaughlin, Mediapolis IA; 21. Matt Lux, Franklin PA; 22. Terry Casey, New
London WI; 23. Billy Moyer, Batesville AR; 24. Jeff Aikey, Cedar Falls IA;
Lap Leaders: Billy Moyer 1-10, Lanigan 11-18; Richards 19-25
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