Josh Richards(14) battled Jimmy Owens for the win
The Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series moved into the Midwestern part of the country on Monday to contest an event at the 300 Raceway. At the end of the night it was Josh Richards who scored the win and left Farley, IA with the winner’s trophy. The Shinnston, WV driver earned $10,000 for the victory in a race streamed by Lucas Oil Racing TV.
Stormy Scott set quick time in qualifying with a lap of 14.992 seconds around the 3/8 mile clay oval besting Kyle Bronson, Billy Moyer Jr., Josh Richards, Tyler Bruening, Devin Moran, Tyler Erb and Jonathan Davenport.
Josh Richards won the first heat race of the night over Jimmy Owens, Tyler Erb, Chris Simpson, Johnny Scott and Earl Pearson Jr. while Kyle Bronson outran Tyler Bruening, Jonathan Davenport, Brian Birkhofer, Jeremiah Hurst and Spencer Diercks in the second preliminary.
Billy Moyer Jr. was first to the finish line in the third and final heat race ahead of Shane Clanton, Rick Eckert, Tim McCreadie, Chad Simpson and Devin Moran.
Stormy Scott won the lone B-main race used to set the remainder of the starting lineup for the main event.
At the start of the 50-lap feature it was Bronson who stormed to the lead with Richards, Owens, Clanton and Erb in his tire tracks. Richards used a slide job maneuver to briefly take the lead on lap 4 but Bronson employed a crossover to regain the position.
A lap 5 caution for a flat tire on the Hudson O’Neal car slowed the action on the wide-open track. On the ensuing restart Owens moved into second and immediately set about applying pressure to Bronson.
By lap 15 the top-3 of Bronson, Owens and Richards ran in tight formation with Richards taking second one lap later. Then the those three cars found themselves in three-wide formation as they raced under the flag stand to complete the seventeenth circuit with Richards emerging with the lead and Owens assuming second.
A caution for numerous flat tires halted the furious pace on lap 18.
When the action resumed, Bronson charged back to second while Clanton and Erb fought over fourth. But another caution ended that scrap when David Webster spun on lap 19.
A series of yellow flags for flat tires would not allow the race to develop a rhythm during the middle stages. However, Owens was able to move to second on one of the restarts while another fierce battle between Clanton and Erb went on for multiple laps.
Bronson moved back to second on a lap 38 restart just before fourth running Clanton would suffer a flat to bring out another yellow flag.
Over the closing laps Richards would maintain control as his tires held up until he crossed under the checkered flag.
Feature Finish: 1. Josh Richards, 2. Jimmy Owens, 3. Tim McCreadie, 4. Kyle Brosnon, 5. Tyler Erb, 6. Jonathan Davenport, 7. Tanner English, 8. Shane Clanton, 9. Tyler Bruening, 10. Devin Moran, 11. Hudson O’Neal, 12. Rick Eckert, 13. Chad Simpson, 14. Shanon Buckingham, 15. Billy Moyer Jr., 16. Spencer Diercks, 17. David Webster, 18. Brian Birkhofer, 19. Earl Pearson Jr., 20. Johnny Scott, 21. Matt Lux, 22. Stormy Scott, 23. Chris Simpson, 24. Jeremiah Hurst
