ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Monday, July 29, 1996 TAG: 9607290104
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-7 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: RADFORD
SOURCE: CHAD WILLIS STAFF WRITER
In a manner of speaking, Jay Fogleman's victory in Saturday's Kroger/WDBJ-7 250 Late Model Stock race at New River Valley Speedway came down to the luck of the draw.
Fogleman benefited the most from a rule that called for a random draw of numbers at the halfway point to decide how many of the lead cars would be inverted to start the second half of the race. The number came up a seven, putting the North Carolina driver at the head of the field.
Fogleman led the final 125 laps, holding off a relentless Rodney Cundiff in one of the closest finishes of 1996. It was Fogleman's first victory of the season at the speedway, and couldn't have come at a more opportune time. He picked up $15,000, the richest winner's purse ever given at New River Valley Speedway and one of the largest payouts ever offered in the state.
"It feels really good to get up here and finally get a win," Fogleman said. "We've been here a couple of other times this season and really not done as well as we would have liked. This time the secret was just getting out in front to start the second half and holding on."
Getting to the front was a problem for Fogleman in the first 125 laps. After qualifying more than a mile per hour slower than pole-sitter Ronnie Thomas, Fogleman was forced to make his charge from the outside of Row 6.
"The car was pushing a lot on the higher lines and I just had trouble getting going in the first half of the race," Fogleman said. "It wasn't until late in the race that I found the low line ... it was really quick and took away the inside move from Cundiff."
Stephen Grimes led the first 100 laps before yielding to Thomas, who crossed the line first at the halfway mark, picking up a $1,000 bonus to go with the $500 he collected as the top qualifier.
Thomas' luck quickly went downhill in the second half of the race as he was involved in a spin on lap 161 that sent him to 15th position. Thomas worked his way back to seventh place before a race-ending crash on lap 212.
"Anyone in the stands could tell that I was the fastest car on the track tonight," Thomas said. "We're just snakebitten in the televised races. I don't want to take anything away from Jay, but he's just lucky we got taken out in that wreck, or I'd be the winner."
Grimes placed third, with Greg Marlowe taking fourth and Ray Young in fifth. Speedway points leader Jeff Agnew finished 17th, three laps off the pace.
In the Pure Stock division, Christiansburg's Tommy Allie extended his track-best win streak to 11 races. Allie outdueled Joey Lyons for his 13th victory of the season. Ronnie Vaught finished third.
Floyd's Ray Sowers picked up his sixth victory of '96 and extended his lead to more than 100 points in the Mini Stock division. Robert Cox placed second with Kevin Snyder close behind in third.
LENGTH: Medium: 57 linesby CNB