Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, May 17, 1993 TAG: 9305170008
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: M.J. DOUGHERTY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RADFORD LENGTH: Medium
Those were the problems Ronnie Thomas faced Saturday night in front of a record crowd of 10,000 at New River Valley Speedway.
Thomas overcame all that to record his third straight victory by winning the 200-lap Late Model Stock Car feature in the Valley Rich/X-Press Markets 300.
The victory also gives Thomas a shot at a $50,000 bonus if he can win the remaining five races in the Camaro Junction/Doughton's Racing Parts Challenge Series.
"It's hard to believe we sat on the pole and won the race without any practice," said Thomas, who had to replace the rear end on his Ford Thunderbird before the race.
Points leader Paul Radford finished second in his Chevrolet Lumina, the best showing of the season for the 40-year racing veteran. Thomas led the first 103 laps before Radford moved in front. Then Thomas regained the lead when he slipped past Radford in turn 2 on lap 117.
"What it looked like is that he got down so low, he bounded his motor up," said Thomas, who ran the high groove. "It kind of died on him."
Thomas stayed out of trouble and out in front the rest of the race. And two major accidents brought out red flags.
"I'd be the first to say the caution flags helped me tonight," said Thomas. "Usually I'm stronger if it stays green. I hope there's no caution flag, that it stays green. That's because I've got my car broke in after 30 or 40 laps and it's stronger. But tonight it faded."
At the same time, the race stoppages halted Radford's charge. Radford appeared to gain ground on Thomas when the two raced for long periods under green.
"As long as it stayed green, his car went away and mine stayed the same," said Radford. "I could stay down low and he couldn't. And if it had stayed green, I think we could have won."
Mike Skinner finished third, Frankie Pennington fourth and Stacy Compton fifth.
In the other races:
Pole-sitter Charles Miles led the entire way in the 35-lap Limited Sportsman feature, posting his first win of the season. L.C. VanDyke was second and Bo Howell third.
Scott Brawley started out front and stayed there to capture the 25-lap Modified Mini race. Points leader Dale Sutphin was second.
Jay McCray inherited the lead on lap 14 and held it the rest of the way to capture the 25-lap Mini Stock race. Robert Cox was second.
Grump Wills slipped past Tommy Allie on lap 7 and went on to win the 25-lap Pure Stock race. Allie came in second.
Keywords:
AUTO RACING
by CNB