Late model feature race winner Josh Richards climbs out of his car with fireworks going off Thursday night at Lernerville Speedway.

BUFFALO TWP — Josh Richards gave the lead up once. He wasn't about to do it a second time.

Richards was the pole sitter for Thursday night's 30-lap World of Outlaws Late Model feature and promptly surrendered the top spot to Steve Shaver on the first lap.

The latter's lead lasted just four laps, however, as Richards stormed back to take the checkered flag and pocket $6,000 at Lernerville Speedway.

Nicknamed Kid Rocket, Richards is growing up fast. Thursday marked his second straight win on the Outlaws tour. He took first place last Saturday at Winchester (Va.) Speedway and he won one of the features on Firecracker 100 weekend here last year.

Thursday's event kicked off the three-day World of Outlaws stay at the Sarver oval. It will culminate with Saturday night's fifth annual Firecracker 100-lap feature.

Rick Eckert finished second and Shaver third behind Richards. Each of the top three finishers won his respective heat race earlier in the night.

Richards, of Shinnston, W.Va., passed Shaver up for good just as both cars came out of turn four on the fifth lap. He led the rest of the way, enduring caution flags on the seventh and 27th laps.

“With the race just 30 laps, you have to give it all you can,” said Richards, who will be making his first appearance in a NASCAR Truck Series race later this summer in Kentucky. “I lost the lead and tried to hustle back.

“Luckily, I squeezed by him (Shaver). I took the lead on top.”

Shaver planned on remaining high as well, but stayed low before being passed.

“I took the lead early on the bottom and it felt pretty good,” he said. “I stayed there for a few laps and it ended up costing me. I thought there would be more traction on the bottom.

“With the quality of cars here, I feel good about taking third,” Shaver added.

The third and final caution flag of the race came with just four laps left.

It momentarily brought Richards back to the pack. He had built a sizeable lead with 10 laps remaining and began to encounter lap traffic.

Eckert, who set a Late Model track record during Thursday's hot laps (15.0 seconds) overtook Shaver for second place on the 23rd lap.

The late caution gave Eckert one final chance to win the race, but Richards was flawless after the restart and won by three car-lengths.

“I was a long way from passing him,” Eckert said. “I knew he was going to have to make a big mistake.”

Richards is hoping Thursday's win leads to more success. He now trails Eckert by just eight points in the World of Outlaw standings.

“I've got a great car and this is one heck of a racetrack,” he said. “I'm hoping we can put on a good show the next two nights.”

Notes: Eckert's track record eclipsed that of Darrell Lanigan (15.092). Lanigan set the former record six years ago. ... Sixty-one cars were included in the six heat races while 26 competed in the feature.