GIBSTONTON, Fla. — Billy Moyer outfoxed reigning World of Outlaws Late Model Series champion Josh Richards Wednesday night, capturing his 20th victory at East Bay Raceway Park during the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series event.
Moyer exchanged the lead with Richards four times over the final six laps of the 30-lap DART Winternationals feature, eventually holding him off to earn $5,000 for the 718th victory of his career.
Moyer and Richards started on the front row for the feature. A multi-car crash in turn two on the first lap delayed the green flag, but once the race got underway it was Richards assuming the lead.
Richards stretched the lead to five car lengths by the fourth lap as Moyer battled Shannon Babb for second. Moyer cleared Babb and set his sights on Richards, catching him on lap 10 of the third-mile dirt oval.
Following two quick caution flags on laps 15 and 17, the field saw the green flag for the final time as Moyer continued to hound Richards for the lead. Despite losing second for a lap to Babb, Moyer fought back and was alongside Richards for the lead with six laps left.
Moyer cleared Richards with five laps left, but the race was far from over. Richards went to the outside on lap 27 and regained the lead at the line as Moyer fought back on the inside.
Coming to the white flag Moyer nosed ahead of Richards to retake the lead. Richards made a wide sweep to the outside in the final turn in an effort to nip Moyer at the line, but came up short at the checkered flag.
“That was a heck of a good race out there with Josh, he raced me clean and I gave him room as well,” Moyer said. “The track was excellent tonight as I had said earlier. I’ve got to thank Leon Henderson for getting me down here. We weren’t going to come as of the first of the year, but he called and we got this deal together and I am glad to get this win for him.”
Babb, Don O’Neal and Jimmy Owens completed the top five.