Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, September 13, 1995 TAG: 9509130011
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-4 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: CHRIS KING
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Richardson, a senior at Tech majoring in mechanical engineering, is a regular on the Hooters Formula Cup Series, which will make its debut at New River Valley Speedway Saturday night. In addition to the Formula Cup cars, which are similar in style to Indy cars, a Hooters Late Model Stock Car race will serve as the co-feature. Both races will be 100 laps.
For Richardson, an Owings, Md., native, the race will be a crucial one in his quest to capture the Nikon Rookie of the Year award. He is 10 points behind leader Nathan Liber, after nine of the series' 14 races. Richardson is 10th in the overall points standings, despite the fact that he has driven in only five of the nine events.
While this is Richardson's first year on the Hooters tour, he is no stranger to open-wheeled cars or success on the national stage. While competing on the World Karting Association tour, Richardson captured six national points championships and five Daytona World Championships.
Along the way, the 22-year-old has collected 45 national wins and 50 regional wins in vehicles that reached speeds of up to 145 mph.
``The national championships and winning at Daytona were the highlights,'' Richardson said of his go-kart career. ``The national championships because it was a season long [process] and Daytona because it is a nice race on a big track.''
The graduation to the Hooters Series, Richardson hopes, is just another stop on his ascension to the top of open-wheeled racing in the United States. In five years, Richardson would like to be racing for the PPG Indycar World Series title with the likes of Al Unser Jr. and Michael Andretti. But he is aware of the difficulty of succeeding on that level.
``When you get to that level you depend on corporate sponsorship, you have to locate money,'' Richardson said. ``A lot of people have talent and can't find any money. If I can do that, I think I can make it in the series and do pretty well.''
If Richardson does continue to advance, the one person who will continue to be a part of his success will be his father, Calvin Richardson.
Owings, Md., is right across the border from Pennsylvania, the center of the World of Outlaws racing, which was Calvin's domain. At the age of 11, Tim Richardson followed his father's lead and entered the racing world.
Calvin Richardson serves as Tim's crew chief. When the pair isn't traveling to a race, the car stays in Maryland and Calvin helps prepare it for the next event.
Tim Richardson would prefer to be more involved with maintaining his car, but he has to keep up with the work that comes from being an engineering student.
``It helps you understand a lot of things,'' Richardson said of his major. ``It teaches you to be very meticulous, when you're putting the car back together. You are going too fast out there to mess up, when you're putting it back together.''
If Richardson, whose best finish was fourth in Pensacola, Fla., is to visit victory lane, he will have to overcome Allen May, of Dallas, Texas, who is leading the points race and Anthony Lazzaro, of Acworth, Ga., last year's series champion. Also expected to be a force in the race, which offers $46,000 in total purse money, is Sam Schmidt, of Long Beach, Calif., who has won the last two races.
The man to beat in the $40,000 Late Model race is Stockbridge, Ga.'s Mike Garvey, who has won three races this season and sits atop the points standings. In second place is Mario Gosselin, of Lake Wales, Fla., who won the last event.
In addition to the Hooters races, there will be 30-lap Mini and Pure Stock races, with a $500 first prize. Radford's Wayne Moore will be gunning for his 13th Mini Stock victory of the season.
Gates open at 11 a.m. and practice starts at 1 p.m. Qualifying for the Pure and Mini Stock races will take place at 4:30 p.m. and the Hooters cars will qualify at 6. The green flag will drop at 7:45.
Admission is $20 in the infield, $15 for general admission and $2 for children 12 and under.
Keywords:
AUTO RACING
by CNB