Greater Cumberland Raceway
After scrape on first-lap, Richards rules The Rock
By Matt Felten
Allegany County Speedway
Richards enjoys victory lane at The Rock. (pbase.com/cyberslash)
CUMBERLAND, Md. (Oct. 4) — Josh Richards of Shinnston, W.Va., set the pace throughout the 50-lap Big Kahuna VIII, handily charging to a $12,000 victory in the second-richest event in Allegany County Speedway history. The first two turns presented the only drama for Richards at the front of the field. When the dust settled, the polesitter and defending race co-champion Ricky Elliott of Seaford, Del., was angrily left to wonder what might have been. | Slideshow | Prelims
Richards and Elliott touched in turn two on the opening lap, sending Elliott into a spin in which he careened off of Tim McCreadie of Watertown, N.Y., knocking both of them out of contention.
After the race at the 5/8-mile oval known as The Rock, Richards, of Shinnston, W.Va., rose atop his car in triumph, then was apologetic for the incident with Elliott. But he showed little mercy on the rest of the field while behind the wheel. He led by as much as seven seconds over Jason Covert of York Haven, Pa.
Covert clinched his unprecedented third Mid-Atlantic Championship Series title in a row with a second-place finish. Richards left no openings for any late-race drama when a pair of cautions in the last 10 laps put the field back together.
Steve Francis of Ashland, Ky., finished third and Rick Eckert of York, Pa. was fourth. Francis chased Covert for much of the race while Eckert was locked in a battle with Jeremy Miller of Gettysburg, Pa., for fifth. Eckert later left Boom Briggs of Bear Lake, Pa., holding fifth while Miller was sixth.
Notes: Richards typically pilots his father's Rocket Chassis house car, but he won at Allegany County in the Ernie Davis-owned No. 25 he runs occasionally. The Rocket has a Cornett Thunder powerplant and sponsorship from Ernie’s Salvage and Tony Stewart Racing. ... Doug Horton finished second to Jason Covert in the series points chase. ... Coleby Frye of Dover, Pa., wrapped up the MACS Rookie of the Year crown.
MACS @ Allegany County: (1) Josh Richards, (2) Jason Covert, (3) Steve Francis, (4) Rick Eckert, (5) Boom Briggs, (6) Jeremy Miller, (7) Gary Stuhler, (8) Doug Horton, (9) Davey Johnson, (10) Jared Miley, (11) Matt Lux, (12) Mike Balzano, (13) Jim Yoder, (14) Jack Pencil, (15) Coleby Frye, (16) Devin Friese, (17) Chuck Clise, (18) Keith Barbara, (19) Brian Booze, (20) Randy Burkholder, (21) Tyler Armstrong, (22) Ricky Elliott, (23) D.J. Troutman, (24) Tim McCreadie. Scratched: Jeff Rine. Fast qualifier (among 44 cars): Richards, 19.663 seconds. Heat race winners: Briggs, D. Johnson, Lux, Eckert.
