Josh Richards Teams with Ken Schrader Racing and
Presta Products for ARCA
Racing at Daytona International Speedway
Daytona Beach, Fla. (February 3, 2010) – After
a record breaking year of
15 wins and earning the World of Outlaws Late Models Championship
title,
21 year old Josh Richards will attempt to make his mark again in
2010. His
pavement racing schedule for 2010 will start on February 6 with
the ARCA
RE/MAX Series Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200 at the famed Daytona International
Speedway. Richards will pilot the No. 99 Presta Products Chevrolet
in the
ARCA RE/MAX Series season opener driving for veteran driver and
mentor,
Ken Schrader.
With seven years of racing experience behind him and over 400 races
under
his belt, Richards has had the privilege to learn from a highly
respected
group of mentors including NASCAR drivers Ken Schrader and Tony
Stewart.
When tackling the task of transitioning into a full-time stock car
racing
regime, Richards has been lucky enough to have these two individuals
to
look to for advice. Support from these drivers has played a pivotal
role
in leading him to the successful path he is following today, so
it
doesn’t come as a shock that Richards is partnering with Schrader
for
his first ARCA RE/MAX Series race of the 2009 season.
"Being with Schrader and his people for Daytona is the best
part," said
Richards. "We've run a few races with him in the NASCAR Camping
World
Series East and he has so much knowledge and so much talent it's
unbelievable. We've been friends for a long time and as hard as
he has
worked to get to where he is today, you just have to respect him.
Donnie
Richeson, the crew chief, is just awesome at what he does and so
are all
of the guys on the team, so going to Daytona with Schrader Racing
and
Presta Products as a primary sponsor for this event is definitely
the most
exciting part of this venture."
“We are really pumped up about Josh driving one of our entries
at
Daytona. He has shown how talented he is behind the wheel of a racecar
and that made it a no-brainer to get involved when the discussions
about
doing this started,” said Schrader, “I’ve known
Josh for a really
long time and have seen him become better and better every time
he gets in
the car. We’re just excited to be a part of something as special
as
coming to Daytona. Josh has the right people around him to make
him
successful from his family to his management team, and hopefully
we can
give him an effort that is indicative of his abilities. We’ve
got a good
piece; we’re just ready to get after it!”
Hoping to follow in the same footsteps as Schrader and Stewart,
Richards
has worked hard to prove his talent through his accomplishments
as a
driver. Historical success paired with his intense dedication to
developing his career as a well rounded driver are key reasons why
the
high achiever deserves to be behind the wheel of a stock car.
"Racing is all I know," said Richards. "All day,
every day - the only
thing I've known my entire life is to race. There are no days off.
I’m
either at the race shop or racing, and I enjoy every second of it."
In addition to his 2009 World of Outlaws Championship victory,
Richards
also fit a select number of ARCA RE/MAX Series (Kentucky Speedway
and
DuQuoin State Fairgrounds) and NASCAR Camping World Series East
(New
Hampshire Motor Speedway and Dover International Speedway) events
into his
schedule, all while topping his dirt late model season earning 15
wins, 38
top-fives, 58 top-10’s and 12 Fast Qualifier awards.
In order to test the grounds at Daytona before his first ever start
there
for the Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200, Richards participated in ARCA’s
three
day test in December.
"I don't think it matters how much experience you have or
how prepared you
think you are, your first laps at Daytona are impactful," said
Richards.
"Once you get out on the track it's all out or nothing and
when you're
looking down the straightaway, it's just so magnified at a place
like
Daytona. I definitely feel more comfortable about going back for
the race
now that I have tested there."
Feeling fully prepared, Richards is ready to suit up and hit the
track in
his No. 99 Presta Products Chevrolet at Daytona for the ARCA RE/MAX
Series
season opener. The 80 lap Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200 can be seen live
on
SPEED on Saturday, February 6 at 4:30 p.m. ET.
|