Daniel Richardson, of Rockville, Maryland, started his push for the Northeastern Conference Majors title in the right way by scoring a pair of wins at the VIRginia International Raceway Majors. The early-season wins put Richardson in a good position to carry that momentum through the rest of the season.

“To win a Majors Championship is a symbol of a full season at peak performance,” Richardson said. “Whether it be on the track or in the garage, you have to perform well on multiple occasions while keeping your equipment top notch throughout the year. It is the true meaning of ‘most races are won in the garage.’

“I, personally, have never competed for any other form of championship. So in comparison I cannot speak for Majors versus another. What I can say, a winning season is a culmination of the team and not just the driver. Our team consists of family, friends, and partnerships with incredible companies like Hoosier, Auto Gear, Hayworth Racing Brakes, and Performance Auto Works. Without this team, the driver would be hard pressed to perform the same.”

Like most amateur racers, Richardson not only had to deal with things going on during race weekends but other items away from the track. In his case, Richardson had to deal with a serious illness of someone close to him.

“The most difficult part of the season was fighting mechanical issues,” Richardson said. “Things happen on any given day. The beginning of the season was smooth sailing, while the halfway point came with some struggles. But, even on the worst days I would remember that quote, ‘The worst day at the race track is better than the best anywhere else.’

“As far as outside of the car, my family has been struggling over very tragic news. One of the most important people of my childhood was hit with cancer. I received the news before the season started. I did my best to not let it affect me. Luckily, my loved one sent me daily emails about her struggles and accomplishments. I began to thrive on her strength. She became an inspiration to me. I will always love her.”

The turning point for Richardson during the season was when he began to pull out his championship lead on the rest of the field.

“The largest turning point for me came when we started to pull away in points,” Richardson said. “I had never thought of winning this championship. Usually, we just race to get to the Runoffs, but this year we had a real chance to do something special. We had a chance to push our family to a championship title. At Watkins Glen when we went from fourth to second on the last lap, it sealed the deal for our team. Lots of craziness was going on during that race. I just kept my head down and kept pushing.”

With all the effort put into racing, Richardson had some important people to thank.

“My crew chief is the main reason this is even possible for me,” Richardson said. “Pam Richardson (Momma Dukes) is the mastermind behind the engineering of the car. She and Ted Warning spent countless hours in the garage tweaking and turning wrenches when my schedule prevented it. My dad, Charles Richardson, constantly gives me racing tips and tells me to drive faster! Love him for it!

“Dave Jones, our suspension specialist, was also pivotal in coaching and data analysis to find me that extra 0.1-second in each turn. Hoosier Tires welcomed us with open arms into their family this year and have been very hands-on with our team allowing some amazing results. I cannot say enough about Tim Gilvin and Jeff Spear at Hoosier! They are amazing!

“AutoGear transmissions was able to help us with a bulletproof synchro box to battle the dog boxes in our class. If you watch my in car video it looks like I am trying to break that transmission and can't do it! John Hayworth at Hayworth Racing Brakes made an amazing package for our car that lets us go deep into the corners. Performance Auto Works built a motor that can run with the best at a fraction of the cost, thank you! Finally, I want to thank my beautiful girlfriend Elena for encouraging and driving me to pursue my passion. To all of my friends and family, I love you, thank you, looking forward to bigger things in 2016! Aunt Pat: I love you! NTB!!!!!”