POST FALLS - When asked before the race what it would take to do well at Sunday's Idaho 200, Las Vegas driver Thane Alderman stated bluntly, "An educated right foot."

Alderman, a veteran of a few Idaho 200s, knew that being smart, rather than fast, was the way to go.

Indeed.

Kevin Richards, the 2006 winner, made the right moves with his right foot and held off two hard-charging Utah racers, Lynn Hardy of West Valley and Zan Sharp of Wellsville, for his second Idaho 200 title.

"We had a pretty good day," Richards said in the winner's circle. "It was a pretty long day, had to work my way through."

Richards, from Spokane, moved into the lead when Dave Garber and Lynn Hardy got together on a restart and Richards avoided being involved.

"The car was tight the first 100, so we worked on it a little and the second 100 it was about right. Feels good to win the 200 two times."

The race was a points race for the host Rocky Mountain Challenge Series, which runs mainly in southern Idaho and Utah.

Dave Garber, who has had more than his share of bad luck in the race in recent years, again found himself in the lead, moving past Richards on lap 89.

Garber held the top spot until Hardy and Richards came together on a restart on lap 115. Hardy bounced off of Richards and got into the back of the leader as the three crossed the line to take the green.

Under RMCS rules, all cars involved in an accident that causes a caution must restart at the back of the pack.

Garber was involved in a few more tussles later, but rallied back to finish in seventh.

"It turned out to be a good day," Hardy said. "We were a little tight in the center in the first half, we fixed it with some spring rubber and trailing arm, and that seemed to help quite a bit. I was able to come up through there until we got to the top 5 - those guys were tough.

"I didn't mean to turn the local boy (Garber) around, I have to give it up to him - he didn't even come back at me.

Hardy barreled back through the field, getting up to fourth with 13 laps left. After a late caution, Hardy slipped past Sharp for the runner-up spot, as Richards motored away for the win.

Richards' good friend Sharp was gracious after the race, saying he just needed some longer runs to close the gap and go for the win. After having problems with his best car Saturday, the backup proved to be formidable.

"It turned out better than I thought," Sharp said. "Yesterday we blew up our primary car, so we took this one out and it took us awhile to get it to where it would run.

"I needed some long greens there at the end, not those short spurt restarts."

Sharp, who started on the pole and came in third in RMCS points, watched as points leader Jeff Hillock and second-place Steve Jones fell by the wayside.

Hillock and Jones got caught up in a multi-car accident on lap 9, and Jones' day ended there. Hillock limped off the track a few laps later, never to return. He wound up 25th.

Bruce Quale, who was fifth in RMCS points, had a steady day and came home in fourth place.

Top qualifier Ryan Wells of Hingham, Mont., had mechanical issues and retired on lap 54, finishing 22nd.

Eric Rhead, driving John Dillon's winning car from last year, fishtailed around the track most of the second 100 laps, bringing the nose-less No. 66 home fifth.

Other local drivers didn't fare so well. Blake Williams of Spokane, Richards' teammate, couldn't match his top 10 from a year ago, winding up 13th. Braeden Havens of Airway Heights lost power a few laps after making contact with Devin LaHorgue on lap 56 when both got into fluid laid on the track by Dan Garber, of Spokane Valley. Havens had been in the top 5 before finding trouble.

Todd Havens, Braeden's father, got a little too close to his son a few laps before and cut a tire. Todd was in and out of the pits the rest of the day and finished 16th.

Jeff Little of Sandpoint exited the track on lap 32 and did not return. Dan Garber got as high as second place early in the race and remained there until his rear end went out. He finished in 19th.

Alderman, who came in seventh in RMCS points, was caught up in the lap 9 skirmish, and spent his day battling an ill car. He persevered to wind up 15th.

2011 Idaho 200

Final results

Pos Driver laps

1. Kevin Richards 200

2. Lynn Hardy 200

3. Zan Sharp 200

4. Bruce Quale 200

5. Eric Rhead 200

6. Devin LaHorgue 200

7. Dave Garber 200

8. Travis Allen 200

9. Jim Wulfenstein 200

10. Ross Cooper 200

11. Kameron McKeehan 200

12. Kirk Hennefer 199

13. Blake Williams 189

14. Tom Plybon 185

15. Thane Alderman 161

16. Todd Havens 142

17. Travis Monett 108

18. Jim Curbow 98

19. Dan Garber 85

20. Jody South 80

21. Braeden Havens 56

22. Ryan Wells 54

23. Jeff Little 32

24. Curt Clampitt 14

25. Jeff Hillock 13

26. Steve Jones 9