DATE: Friday, May 9, 1997                   TAG: 9705090892

SECTION: SPORTS                  PAGE: C8   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE:    - FRANK VEHORN

                                            LENGTH:   66 lines

WARREN, BRYANT NOT ANGRY OVER BANG-UP AT LANGLEY

The incident Phil Warren and Charlie Bryant Jr. had two weeks ago that knocked each out of contention in the 100-lap Late Model Stock feature at Langley Speedway probably won't be the last time they dent fenders this season.

The reason isn't that either has hard feelings about what happened. Both are clean drivers with respectable reputations.

It's just that when two talented drivers with fast cars and similar goals compete on the same comeback trail for the same space, stuff happens.

Two years ago Warren and Bryant were the most successful Late Model drivers at the NASCAR track in Hampton.

Warren won 19 races and the championship. Bryant, just up from the Limited Stock division, won rookie-of-the-year honors, finished second in the points, and was the division's most-popular driver.

Last year was a frustrating reversal for each driver. They encountered problems with the new tires they were required to use and both dropped out before the end of the season.

Both are among the front-runners this season. Bryant has won one feature and was in strong contention to win two others. Warren probably would have gotten his first win of the season if he had not been black-flagged by NASCAR for spinning Bryant on a pass with three laps remaining in the race two weeks ago.

Bryant, 28, is racing only at Langley.

``I don't want to divide my attention or my efforts,'' Bryant said. ``I think part of my problem last year was I had a lot of things going on - moving into a new house and getting married - that I wasn't as focused on racing as much as I needed to be.''

Warren, 39, is racing at Southampton Motor Speedway on Friday nights and at Langley on Saturday nights.

``Racing two nights a week provides me more experience and keeps me sharper,'' Warren said. ``The only way it could be a problem is if we tore up the car on Friday and had to work all night to get it ready for Langley.''

Warren hopes to become the fifth different winner in as many races in the Late Model Stock division Saturday at Langley. SOUTHAMPTON

Late Model pit crews

will compete tonight

Late Model pit crews will be in the spotlight tonight in Capron when Southampton Motor Speedway holds the first round of its Pit Crew Championship.

Each of he competing drivers will pull to a stop and his or her crew will change two tires with the clock running. The fastest six crews will advance to the second round on July 11.

Races involving the track's four weekly classes also will run.

Highlights from the May 2 races will be featured in a two-hour program Monday on Home Team Sports at 7 p.m. DIXIELAND

Before cars take the track,

a 1-lap footrace tonight

Man and woman power will replace horsepower for a special race tonight at Dixieland Speedway near Elizabeth City, N.C.

``The Great Foot Race,'' a one-lap sprint around the 3/8-mile dirt track, is open to fans and drivers with $100 for the winner. The women get a 200-foot head start.

In faster competition, stock car races are scheduled for the Budweiser All-Stars, Biggs Pontiach Minnie Stocks, and Gates County Auto Machine Shop's three divisions. Racing begins at 7 p.m.

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