Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, April 21, 1994 TAG: 9404210188
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-6 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: M.J. Dougherty
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
After reviewing the results of races the weekend of April 10, NASCAR added another 30 pounds of weight to Fords and Chryslers.
That makes a total of 80 extra pounds those two makes of cars must carry in return for being allowed to run the larger-on-top carburetor. The weight, in the form of lead secured to the frame, has to be distributed: 45 pounds on the left side, 35 on the right.
The non-General Motors drivers at New River Valley Speedway seem to be in agreement on the effect that weight will have on them - it could drag their cars down in the closing stages of the race. The problem is particularly acute because the added weight on the right side could cause a car to slide up in the turns.
"It comes down to friction," said Ronnie Thomas. "The tires heat up [in the longer runs], and that loosens their adherence."
However, there is less consensus as to how much more weight - if any - the Ford and Chrysler drivers will accept.
"We're not going [to add] any more," said Tink Reedy.
"I wouldn't mind 100 pounds, if they would let us put it where we wanted it," said Frankie Pennington.
This week, Reedy had the top finish among the non-GM drivers. He came home sixth in his Dodge Avenger. He also had the best qualifying run, starting eighth.
Pennington had his Ford Thunderbird in the top five late in the race before dropping out with about five laps to go because of damage to his left rear quarter panel. He had started 11th.
Thomas was challenging for fifth after starting 10th when the motor in his Chrysler LeBaron went awry on lap 41. He ended up 22nd in the 23-car field.
Rookie Chad Harris ran a steady race in his Ford Thunderbird and finished 14th after starting 18th.
LATE STARTS, DIFFERENT RESULTS: Dale Sutphin of Max Meadows literally loaded his Modified Mini car off the trailer while the parade lap waited for him. Things were so haphazard early in the race that Sutphin was black-flagged during a caution period (during which laps do not count) - at the request of his own pit crew.
Still, Sutphin finished third in the 25-lap field.
"We had to go to North Carolina to get the motor we put in," said Sutphin. "We had the weight we had to change [because of the new engine], so we had to guess on the setup. It looked like we got it right."
Two other drivers who did not make qualifying runs also started to give the Modified Minis their largest field of the year - 11. However, neither shared Sutphin's luck. Tim Maiden and David Huff both had early exits and finished next to last and last, respectively.
Meanwhile, in the Pure Stock race, April 10 winner Aaron Deplazes had an overheating problem in practice and did not make a qualifying run. He got the car repaired in time to start at the rear of the field. But after a few laps, mechanical problems returned and he ended up 14th - and last.
It marked the first time in three races Deplazes did not lead most of the laps in the Pure Stock race. It also was the second straight time the previous week's winner ran into bad luck before the next race. On April 10, Ronnie Vaught's fuel pump died right before the race and he did not start.
SIX PACK COMES BACK AT FCS: Rodney "Six Pack" Cundiff made his 1994 debut by finishing fifth in the 100-lap Late Model race at Franklin County Speedway.
Cundiff, who lives just a few miles from FCS in Boones Mill, raced primarily at NRVS the past two seasons.
But NASCAR changes in the engine rules for Fords, including the carburetor controversy, would have meant a major overhaul for Cundiff's Thunderbird. He even considered retirement.
Instead, Cundiff went to Franklin County, which is sanctioned by the American Motorsports Benevolent Association and which did not require Cundiff to change his car in order to race.
HOODLESS WONDERS: While pulling up to qualify in the Pure Stock race, Barry Davis of Dublin lost the hood on his Chevrolet.
The hood on the Chevelle was repaired quickly. And Davis got around the track quickly as well, capturing the pole for the race.
Davis wasn't the first driver who had hood problems. During Limited Sportsman practice, John Curtis had the front half of his hood fly up. After applying a lot of duct tape (red to match the color of Curtis' Chevy), the hood was secured and stayed that way throughout qualifying and the race.
Curtis also had some bad luck after the race. George Wolfe, apparently thinking there was still one lap to go, hit and spun Curtis during the cool-down lap at the end of the 35-lap event.
RADIO RACING: For talk about racing, there are two weekly 30-minute call-in shows about NRVS.
Kool Country WBNK 100.7 FM and WNRV 990 AM have "New River Valley Race Weekly" on Tuesday nights at 6:30, just before NASCAR Live, with M.J. Dougherty as the host. The number to call in with questions is (703) 382-1887. The show also airs on WFNR 710 AM.
CD 102 (WRIQ 101.7 FM) has "New River Valley Speedway Report" on Thursdays at 5:45 p.m. The host is Brian O'Connell. The number to call with questions is (703) 639-2461. The show is also on WRAD 1460 AM.
UPCOMING AT THE TRACK: Today is the open practice session for April. Gates open at 3 p.m. Practice is from 4 to 8. Admission to the grandstand is free.
Saturday is a regular night of racing at NRVS with the Fire & Safety 200.
There will be a 100-lap Late Model feature, a 35-lap Limited race and 25-lappers in the Pure Stocks, Mini Stocks and Modified Minis.
Gates open at 2 p.m. Practice begins at 4. Qualifying starts at 6:15. And the green flag drops at 8.
Tickets are $10 for adults and $1 for children age 12 and under.
Also, special events are planned the next several weeks. April 30 will feature a 50-lap Limited Sportsman race. On May 7, there will be a special 35-lap Mini Stock race. And May 8 will be the rain-delayed first Enduro feature ever at NRVS.
Keywords:
AUTO RACING
by CNB