Hagerstown Speedway
Richards leads all 30 laps in Hagerstown opener
Josh Richards earned $2,000. (pbase.com/cyberslash)
HAGERSTOWN, Md. (March 7) — No snow, no rain, no cold. After losing the first two weeks to weather, Hagerstown Speedway’s Saturday afternoon opener was comparable to a July evening as Josh Richards scored a $2,000 triumphs and earned a guaranteed starting position in the Octoberfest 350. | Slideshow
Richards, who won the fourth heat and drew the pole position for the feature, stretched his lead to more than four seconds several times over Frankie Plessinger and ran away following a 24th lap restart to win by 5.94 seconds.
“It was pretty special to win here in the daytime," the Shinnston, W.Va., driver said. "I think this was only the second time I’ve raced here in daytime. We lucked out today with the pill draw and started up front in the heat race and in the feature. You can pretty much ride in the feature. Whoever started up front was most likely going to win.”
Plessinger, of Big Cove Tannery, Pa., was second followed by Gary Stuhler of Greencastle, Pa., D.J. Myers of Greencastle and Jim Yoder of Selinsgrove, Pa.
On the initial start, the third turn ended as a parking lot as several went for the same track space. The fracas ended with Tim Fedder, Ronnie DeHaven Jr., Dale Hollidge and Jamie Lathroum in the pits while the rest were able to restart.
Richards took off on the restart, leaving Plessinger and Yoder behind as Stuhler took the third spot on the fifth lap. Following an lap-eight restart, Richards again stretched his distance to nearly a straightaway over Plessinger and Stuhler by a 15th-lap yellow and behind them, had advanced past hometown driver Alan Sagi and Yoder to take over the fourth position.
Richards was again nearly four seconds ahead for a 23rd circuit yellow followed by another on the restart.
In the final six laps, Richards was flawless and cruised the rest of the way.
Notes: Richards was driving the Ernie Davis-owned No. 25. ... Jared Miley of South Park, Pa., was sixth after starting on the tail because he was late to the starting grid. ... Andy Anderson of Martinsburg, W.Va., rallied from 15th to seventh. ... Among drivers failing to make the feature: Eric Hons, Kris Eaton and Tyler Hershey.
Hagerstown Speedway (March 7): (1) Josh Richards, (2) Frankie Plessinger, (3) Gary Stuhler, (4) D.J. Myers,, (5) Jim Yoder, (6) Alan Sagi, (7) Jared Miley, (8) Andy Anderson, (9) Donald Lingo, (10) Dylan Yoder, (11) Mike Lupfer, (12) Paul Crowl, (13) Marvin Winters, (14) Scott LeBarron, (15) Roland Mann, (16) Matt Parks, (17) Greg Satterlee, (18) Mike Walls, (19) Harold Dorsey, (20) Dan Stone, (21) Tim Fetter, (22) Jamie Lathroum, (23) Dale Hollidge, (24) Ronnie DeHaven Jr. Heat race winners (among 33 cars): Stuhler, Yoder, Plessinger, Richards.
