Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, May 30, 1993 TAG: 9305300207
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: D9 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: M.J. DOUGHERTY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RADFORD LENGTH: Medium
Thomas won for the fourth time in five weeks as he led from flag-to-flag in the 100-lap Late Model Stock Car race in the Budweiser 200.
He accomplished this despite numerous problems with his engine and handling set-up in his Ford Thunderbird - and his health.
"We've got a problem. That water temperature was 265 degrees," said the Christiansburg driver who battled the flu this week. "The last 20 or 30 laps, it was missing. We've done everything we know to do. We're going to have to do something else."
Thomas added that his team's experimentation with the springs left the car with the wrong set up.
Points leader Paul Radford tried to take advantage of Thomas' handling problems. Radford twice pulled to pass Thomas in the fourth turn after restarts just past the race's halfway point.
But Thomas turned back Radford's effort. And then Radford found himself in a fight of his own for position.
"I was glad to see the No. 99 [Johnny Rumley] pushing the No. 26 [Radford]," said Thomas.
Radford finally pulled away from Rumley in the final five laps when Rumley had a tire start to go flat.
"They were running good and we were running good," said Radford, the division points leader. "Then Rumley had his tire blow and that made the difference."
Despite the flat tire, Rumley held off Michael Ritch for third place. Stacy Compton finished fifth.
In the 35-lap Limited Sportsman feature, pole-sitter Charles Miles of Christiansburg slipped past Rock Harris on the backstretch on the last lap for the win.
Harris then slid into Mark Akers on the front stretch while trying to hold on to second place and received a one-lap penalty. The penalty moved Bo Howell to second, Rick Cook to third and Kevin Sweeney to fourth.
In the 25-lap Pure Stock race, pole-sitter Tommie Allie led from start to finish as the Christiansburg driver won for the first time this season. Garry Davis finished second and points leader Mike Marion was third. Grump Wills, who had won five straight races, did not compete.
The Modified Mini and Mini Stock races were not completed at press time.
Keywords:
AUTO RACING
by CNB