rashad evans

Richie Evans Biography

The undisputed King of the NASCAR Modified racing Richard Ernest Evans, known as Richie, was born on 23rd July 1941 in Westernville, New York where he lived with his family on his father’s farm.

Always having a keen interest in cars Richie left the family home at the age of sixteen to begin training as a motor mechanic at a gas station in Rome, New York and it was here that he had his first experience as a racer, beginning with some success as a street racer he progressed to drag racing.

After winning in drag racing a colleague suggested that he build his own car and have a try at stock car racing at the Utica-Rome Speedway. his first race was in the Utica-Rome Hobby Division in 1964 after building his car, a 1954 Ford Hobby Stock, numbered PT-109.

He progressed to the Modified in the premier division in 1965 and had his first victory on the final night of the season. In 1973, his first serious attempt at point chasing he won his first NASCAR National Modified Championship but he did not win another Modified Championship until 1978 and from there on it would seem there was no stopping him. He won the NASCAR Featherlite Modified Championship a further eight times, from 1978 to 1985, reluctant to relinquish his crown and setting a record for any NACSAR racing division even to this day.

Over a period of thirteen years Richie finished first nine times, second twice and only finishing out of the top ten one in all those years. his driving career was an awesome success taking a total of twenty six championships on eleven different tracks in four states, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Massachusetts. He won countless track championships across the North East and had a thirty seven victories season during 1979 whilst competing in stretch of sixty races.

In 1980 he entered for eighty four races and won fifty two of them. He won the Modified Race of Champions three times, taking the 1.5 mile at Trenton Speedway in 1973, was the last driver to win the 2.5 mile at Pocono in 1979 and the first to win the 3/4 mile at Pocono. the list of victories is seemingly endless. It is no wonder that his nickname was the Rapid Roman.

Sadly, on 24th October 1985 Richie was practicing for the Dogwood 500 event at Martinsville Speedway at Martinsville, Virginia when he crashed during the third turn, killing him instantly. He was just forty four years of age. his achievements have been recognised through many awards:- Selected as NASCAR’s Modifieds most Popular Driver nine times, Inductee into FOAR SCORE Hall of Fame, 1986, Inductee in the New York Stock Car Association Hall of Fame, Inductee into the National Motorsports Press Association Hall of Fame, International Motorsports Hall of Fame,1996, one of NASCAR’s 50 Greatest Drivers of all Time, 1998, New England Auto Racers Hall of Fame, 1998,Inductee into the Oswego Speedway Hall of Fame, 2000, Named #1 on NASCAR’s Modified All-Time top 10 list, 2003, one of NASCAR Weekly Series all Time top 25 Drivers,2006, Inductee into NASCAR Hall of Fame, 2010. an impressive list of ways to show the respect the racing fraternity had for him but maybe the following truly show the devastation felt when he died: – In the 1985 IROC Series, every orange car featured a ’61′ on the rear bumper to honour Richie and his orange #61 car, the #61 is the only retired number in any series – #61 on the Whelan Modified Tour. And finally, Richie’s #61 was retired at his nascar racing home track – Utica-Rome Speedway in Vernon, New York.

UFC 145 Live Blog: Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans

Apr 21, 2012 – this is the UFC 145 live blog for Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans, a light heavyweight bout on tonight’s UFC event from Philips Arena in Atlanta, Ga.Jones, who has won his past six fights, will defend his title against Evans, who has won four straight fights, on the main card.Check out the live blog below.

Round 1: The Atlanta crowd is absolutely raucous right now. Herb Dean is the man overseeing tonight’s championship fight. Jones avoids Evans’ eyes in the staredown. It’s on. Evans circles and Jones leaps in with a left to the body. Head kick nearly finds its mark for the champion. Evans pumps his jab but nothing lands clean. Jones lunges forward with a jumping side kick to the knee. Another head kick nearly lands for Jones. Evans backs away and regroups. Jones stalks into the pocket and whizzes a wild left hand past his rival, followed by a missed superman punch and a pair of body kicks. Evans backs Jones up with a huge head kick. Jones may be hurt. Rashad storms forward but the champ regains his footing as the horn sounds. MMA Fighting scores it 10-9 Jones.

Round 2: Evans squatting low in his stance to open the second frame. Jones briefly engages the clinch and wings a left hook on the way out. Jones slips a wild right hand and counters with a front kick. Evans circles out of a flurry and taunts the champ as he walks away. Hard body shot from Rashad. Evans starting to open up with his strikes now. Jones senses it and closes the distance with a pair of hard standing elbows. Evans is dazed but Jones fails to follow up. Jones lands another massive elbow. He’s starting to feel it now. Jones storms forward with a flying knee, left hook combo as the round comes to close. MMA Fighting scores it 10-9 Jones.

Round 3: Evans opens on the outside, looking to regroup. big right hand lands clean for Evans. Jones retreats and gathers himself, pumping out his jab to maintain distance. whenever Rashad presses forward he’s doing well, but if he sits back Jones can pick him apart. Jones switches his stance and tosses out another jab. The champ is being the aggressor, flying in with a powerful elbow and just missing with a hard knee. Jones is stalking Evans now, and Evans seems to be unsure of himself. The champ engages the clinch but nothing comes out of it. Jones misses a switch kick at the horn. MMA Fighting scores it 10-9 Jones.

Round 4: Rashad is on the defense now. Jones is fighting his fight, keeping the action at a distance and picking Evans apart with his jab. Jones leaps in, misses a shot and stuffs a takedown attempt. Rashad hesitates and reaches in for a double leg, but Jones repels it easily. Jones gets in tight and drops his hands but Evans doesn’t attack. The pressure Jones is applying right now is unbelievable. Rashad unleashes a flurry but Jones slips it and grabs hold of his neck, looking for a choke. Jones doesn’t have it locked in, though he gives Evans a knee to the body on the way out. Evans is starting to look winded. Jones shoots in for a power double at the horn. Evans sprawls and fights it off. MMA Fighting scores it 10-9 Jones.

Round 5: The pace picks up for the final five minutes. Jones opens up with his jab, followed by a thunderous body shot. The champ has his hands at his waist, taunting his rival. Another combination lands flush for Jones. Rashad misses wildly with a spinning back fist and Jones jumps in with a flying knee. Jones briefs clinches, throws a solid left hook then disengages. Bones flat out tosses Evans to the ground. He’s looking to finish, but Rashad fights it off and stands. thirty seconds left and Evans needs to do something desperate. Jones jumps and pulls guard. Evans looking to land a big shot, but it’s too little, too late. Jon Jones remains the UFC light heavyweight champion. MMA Fighting scores it 10-9 Jones.

Jon Jones def. Rashad Evans via unanimous decision (49-46, 49-46, 50-45).

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