Richards Roars To First Lucas Oil Win Of The Season

COLUMBUS, MS – Josh Richards picked up his first Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series win of the season on Thursday night a Magnolia Motor Speedway. The Clint Bowyer Racing pilot scored the win on night one of the GEICO Clash at the Mag – presented by Big River Steel.

Richards made a clean sweep of the night’s racing activities as he set the Miller Welders Overall Fast Time, then won his heat race to earn the PFC Brakes Pole Award. He later led the final 15 laps of the 25-lap main event to cap off a perfect night.

Tim McCreadie grabbed the lead from his fourth-starting spot on the opening lap. McCreadie led until Richards passed him for the top spot on lap 11. Richards then fought off side-by-side attempts from McCreadie to become the eighth different series winner of 2019.

McCreadie finished in second, followed by Richards’ teammate, Don O’Neal. Defending Clash at the Mag winner, Hudson O’Neal was fourth and Mike Marlar took the fifth spot in his first LOLMDS appearance of the season.

“At the start of the race we spun our tires a little bit,” said the 31-year-old racer who scored his 26th career series victory. “I tried to pace myself through the middle of the track. I didn’t want to get too boxed in behind lapped traffic. He [McCreadie] got close a couple of times. We have had a lot of speed lately, but we just haven’t been able to put it all together. This was just a 25-lapper but it feels good to get the victory. Anytime you run laps, you run hard. The way the format is this year it was important to get off to a good start tonight.”

McCreadie was also looking for his first LOLMDS win of the year but continues his string of strong finishes with his runner-up performance. “I got off to a good start, then had a little bit of a driver error. I should have gotten down on the bottom. This is such a nice racetrack. We will take a second and come back tomorrow night and hopefully get one spot better. We are trying our best to help our Longhorn Chassis drivers. We can’t do a lot of testing like some of these other guys, but I think we can hold our own against them.”

Don O’Neal, who is a two-time Clash at the Mag winner, completed the podium with his third-place run. “Congratulations to Josh and his crew. They needed a win just like we did. I thought where we started tonight, we could get it done, but we had a good points night and we’ll come back together and give it another try.”

The winner’s Clint Bowyer Racing, Rocket Chassis is powered by a Cornett Racing Engine and sponsored by IRacing.com, Peak Antifreeze and Coolant, Ford Performance, DeKalb, BlueAg and Integra.

Completing the top ten were Earl Pearson Jr., Tyler Erb, Stormy Scott, Devin Moran, and Jonathan Davenport.

Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Race Summary
Thursday, May 30, 2019
GEICO Clash at the Mag – presented by Big River Steel
Magnolia Motor Speedway – Columbus, Miss.

Miller Welders Time Trials
Fast Time Group A: Josh Richards / 13.999 seconds (overall)
Fast Time Group B: Don O’Neal / 14.579 seconds

Penske Race Shocks Heat Race #1 Finish (10 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): Josh Richards, Devin Moran ®, Earl Pearson, Jr., Jonathan Davenport, Timothy Culp, Shanon Buckingham, Neil Baggett, Jimmy Owens, Clay Fisher, Shay Knight

FK Rod Ends Heat Race #2 Finish (10 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): Kyle Bronson, Stormy Scott, Bobby Pierce, Eric Cooley, Scott Dedwylder, Billy Moyer, Jr., Christian Hanger, Morgan Bagley, Colton Horner, Austin Arnold

Simpson Race Products Heat Race #3 Finish (10 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): Don O’Neal, Hudson O’Neal, Tyler Erb ®, Billy Moyer, Brian Rickman, Dane Dacus, Chad Thrash, Gavin Landers, David Payne, Nick Curole

Lucas Oil Products Penetrating Oil Heat Race #4 Finish (10 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): Tim McCreadie, Mike Marlar, Michael Arnold, Cade Dillard, Rick Rickman, Joey Moriarty, BJ Robinson, Robbie Stuart, Shelby Sheedy

Lucas Oil Products Red “N” Tacky Spray Grease B-Main #1 Finish (12 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): Timothy Culp, Jimmy Owens, Neil Baggett, Scott Dedwylder, Shay Knight, Billy Moyer, Jr., Christian Hanger, Shanon Buckingham, Clay Fisher, Austin Arnold, Colton Horner, Morgan Bagley-DNS

FAST Shafts B-Main #2 Finish (12 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): Rick Rickman, Dane Dacus, Brian Rickman, Chad Thrash, Gavin Landers, Robbie Stuart, Joey Moriarty, BJ Robinson, David Payne, Shelby Sheedy, Nick Curole

Lucas Oil Feature Finish (25 Laps):

Race Statistics
Entrants: 39
Lap Leaders: Tim McCreadie (Laps 1 – 10); Josh Richards (Laps 11 – 25)
Wrisco Feature Winner: Josh Richards
Margin of Victory: 0.182 seconds
Cautions: None
Optima Batteries Hard Charger of the Race: Dane Dacus (Advanced 5 Positions)
Midwest Sheet Metal Spoiler Challenge Point Leader: Jonathan Davenport
Allstar Performance Power Move of the Race: Earl Pearson Jr.
Sunoco Race for Gas Highest Finisher: Josh Richards
Eibach Springs Rookie of the Race: Tyler Erb
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: Anthony Burroughs (Josh Richards)
Dirty Girl Racewear Fastest Lap of the Race: Dane Dacus (Lap #24 – 15.130 seconds)
Hot Rod Processing Tough Break of the Race: Jimmy Owens
STEEL-IT Most Laps Led: Josh Richards
PFC Brakes Pole Award: Josh Richards
Time of Race: 6 minutes 49 seconds