Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, June 6, 1990 TAG: 9006060068
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-7 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: JEFF MOTLEY SPECIAL TO THE ROANOKE TIMES & WORLD-NEWS
DATELINE: DUBLIN LENGTH: Medium
The Street Stock division also has been the most competitive. Several drivers, including Joe Lucas and Stanley Akers, have graduated to Late Models.
But after the first few weeks of this season, the Street Stock race had become a yawner. Mason Ayers of Narrows would drive his bright red Chevrolet Monte Carlo to the pole, take the early lead and leave the rest of the pack to fight for second.
Track promoter Steve McMurray tried to make the race competitive once by putting numbers of the top six qualifiers into a hat. Who drew the top starting spot? Ayers won the draw and the race.
With victories in four of the first five events, Ayers had what appeared to be a commanding points-race lead. Then his luck changed.
Ayers was unable to compete two weeks ago after breaking a wheel stud during qualifying - for a double-points race. Then he and fellow competitor Shannon Tate soaked their tires in an illegal substance before qualifying Saturday and were forced to start at the rear of the field.
Now the Street Stock division is anybody's race.
"You are always going to have problems and some bad luck," Ayers said. "You just hope it isn't too much. . . . There is a long way to go and I would like to win the points, but right now we just have to get back on track."
In two weeks, Ayers' comfortable lead became a 50-point deficit. Indian Valley's Hank Turman, who has won one race this season, has 188 points. Ayers and Mark Akers of Narrows are in second with 138 points each. Akers won Saturday's race and Tate, who's fourth in the standings with 112 points, has the other season victory.
"This class has gotten really competitive," Turman said. "It seems like there is a new car in victory lane every week. I hope there is another new car there soon."
Turman was referring to the car he's building. The car he's been driving is in its third season and isn't set up as a Street Stocker anymore because of a rules change.
"The new car is the important thing that we will have to have to win the points," Turman said. "We knew this would only be a fourth- or fifth-place car and that's what it is. They changed the rule on us concerning the frame of the car, and the new car will allow us a better setup. So far, we have been so lucky and managed to stay out of trouble."
Luck was something Turman didn't have most of last season. He failed to finish the first nine races and, despite winning four of six later in the year, he had virtually no chance to take the points title.
"Our key this year is to always be there when it ends; be cautious and try to run decent," Turman said. ". . . We still know it is early with the points."
Before Saturday's Granger Select 200, Ayers was trying to sound convincing when he said his car wasn't necessarily the one to beat.
"We have a strong car, but the 81 car [Tate], Hank Turman, Mark Akers, Kenny Montgomery [who has lost two strong finishes to disqualifications] . . . any of those guys can win it," he said. "What we have to do now is . . . do well in those double-points races."
The Late Model Stock class is one notch above Street Stocks in horsepower and cost, and it also is the next rung on the ladder for such drivers as Ayers and Turman.
"At the end of the season, me and my crew are going to sit down and talk about it," Ayers said of the possibility of moving up. "I have to admit it has crossed my mind, but I'll basically leave it up to my crew. We have some good sponsors now and we'll have to see what happens."
When the subject is racing, talk often turns to sponsors. That seems to be what's keeping Turman from running with PCS' big boys.
"The only way to move up is with sponsorship," Turman said. "I'm trying to drive clean and finish up front every race, and maybe someone will take notice. I'm building the new car, but I would like to move up. I'll wait until the season is over and see what happens, though. Right now, I'm going to worry about doing as well as I can in this class."
by CNB