Richards, Schatz take Outlaws titles

Sunday, Nov. 08, 2009

Jimmy Owens took the checkered flag and the victory in the Late Models main event at the World of Outlaws World Finals Saturday night at The Dirt Track @ Lowe's Motor Speedway.

But points leader Josh Richards won the race he needed to win, too, edging out veteran Steve Francis for the 2009 Late Models points championship.

Donny Schatz won the points championship in the Sprint Cars division for the fourth straight year.

Owens bounced back from mechanical problems that knocked him out of Friday night's heat races and grabbed the lead from Shannon Babb on the 34th lap of the 50-lap feature race.

"We were up till about 4 or 5 this morning getting the car fixed back," said Owens, 37, of Newport, Tenn. "But the crew did a good job, the car was great, and we were able to get some consistent finishes today. Me and Babb battled side-by-side for a while, and it was just hard-fought for everybody."

All Richards had to do, meanwhile, was finish ahead of Francis, whom he led by just four points going into Saturday's racing. He became the sixth driver in the past six years to win the Late Models title.

"I would've never dreamed this," said the 21-year-old Shinnston, W.Va., native, the World of Outlaws Rookie of the Year in 2005. "It's just been an awesome ride. We've been in some tight battles all year, and to come out of it as champion is just a dream come true."

He finished seventh, five spots ahead of Francis.

In the Sprint Cars division, all Schatz needed was a top 12 finish in the night's main event to win the points championship. He finished sixth in the race won by Joey Saldana.

"The battles were a little disappointing this weekend, but we won the war," Schatz said. "I got conservative tonight, because for the first time I was really thinking about the points deal. Whether it's one year or four years, it's just a number. What matters is what's here today, and we'll take this into next year."

Saldana won his 20th feature race of the season, his second at The Dirt Track, taking the lead in the 14th lap of the 30-lap race.

"It's been either feast or famine this year," said Saldana, who won a Sprint Cars event here on May 22.

"We either win or something breaks. I wish we were up here for the championship, but to come here twice and win is a neat accomplishment. I never thought I'd win 20 races in a career."

Disclaimer