‘KID ROCKET’ JOSH RICHARDS TO WAIT TABLES IN KNOXVILLE
by: Thomas J Schmeh

KNOXVILLE, IA (Sept. 16, 2006) - ‘Kid Rocket’ Josh Richards of Shinnston, West Virginia, is the latest late model driver to sign-up to wait tables at the Knoxville Late Model Celebrity Waiter Dinner & Auction on Saturday, September 30. The annual fund-raising event, which is held in conjunction with the Lucas Oil Knoxville Late Model Nationals, benefits the host National Sprint Car Hall of Fame & Museum in Knoxville and, to a lesser degree, the National Dirt Late Model Hall of Fame in Florence, Kentucky.

According to museum executive director Tom Schmeh, “I am so impressed with this young man. At eighteen years of age, Josh is intelligent, articulate and so charitable with his time and energy. It is fun to see young racers that are so talented on- and off-the-track; it speaks well for the future of the sport of auto racing to have such ‘givers’ coming up through the ranks. And I expect he'll give Kenny Schrader, Tony Stewart, Brian Birkhofer, Scott Bloomquist and the others a run for their money in that evening's $35,000-to-win national championship feature race!”

Josh Richards will be competing at the third annual Lucas Oil Knoxville Late Model Nationals, September 28-29-30, aboard his father’s Mark Richards Racing-owned Rocket chassis number 1 Grand Prix, which is sponsored by Seubert Calf Ranches, Ace Metal Works, MCB Motorsports, Hoosier Racing Tires, Rocket Chassis and Cornett Engines. The talented young driver, who burst on the racing scene in late 2003, was featured in the documentary “CNN Presents: Dirt Track Warriors” this summer.

Additional celebrity waiters will be announced in the coming weeks for the third annual event, which will be held on the second floor of the National Sprint Car Museum at 12 Noon on Saturday, September 30. Tickets are just $15 apiece and can be reserved by calling the museum at 1-800-874-4488. Speed Channel's Jeff Hammond and motorsports up-and-comer Justin Allgaier were the 'Celebrity Waiters of the Year' in 2004 and 2005, respectively.

Those seeking information on the museum are urged to visit the web site at www.sprintcarhof.com . Those seeking information on the Lucas Oil Knoxville Late Model Nationals can go to www.knoxvilleraceway.com . And those wishing to learn more about ‘Kid Rocket’ can check out www.joshrichards.com.