Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, June 24, 1993 TAG: 9306240126
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-10 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: BRIAN DeVIDO
DATELINE: RADFORD LENGTH: Long
Sometimes, they spend their careers in obscurity. They're not the feature attraction. While the Michael Jordan's and Emmitt Smith's of the world are the wine and cheese, these guys are considered more like chips and dip: tasty, but only an appetizer for the main course.
On a smaller scale, New River Valley Speedway drivers in the Late Model division are the race track's main course. Names such as Paul Radford, Ronnie Thomas and Johnny Rumley are repeated in NRVS fans' conversations everywhere.
But what about the lesser known racers - the ones who whet the appetite to see the Radford's and the Thomases go at it?
Take a look at the points leaders in the other four LMSC racing divsions - these guys are just as competitive as the LMSC drivers:
\ LIMITED SPORTSMAN - Kenny Montgomery: Montgomery holds a 14-point lead over second-place Charlie Miles in the 35-lap races. He's won five of the nine Limited Sportsman races this season, and has been consistent in qualifying, never starting worse than third.
"You've gotta move fast in a 35-lap race," he said. "There's not a lot of time to play catch-up."
Montgomery's car, a Chevy Beretta, is 4 years old, but it's his first year racing the car.
"Car maintenance has been the key," he said. "We've stayed consistent. We're hard to beat if we're right."
\ PURE STOCK - Garry Davis and Grump Wills: Davis held a 12-point lead over Wills going into Saturday night's race, but Wills won and Davis finished seventh after colliding with Amos Stanley on the 14th lap of the 25-lap race. Wills has won seven of the nine Pure Stock races this season. Davis has not won a race this year.
"Qualifying has been tough," Davis said. "I've started out mainly third and fourth, but I've placed in the top three or four every week. I've been consistent and I don't overdrive the car. The car's only gonna do what it's gonna do."
And he can feel Wills breathing down his neck.
"I'm worried about Grump," he said. "He's got a good car, and more money than we have."
Davis has been racing his '81 Chevy Camaro for three years. He said he plans a move to the Limited Sportsman division next year.
\ MODIFIED MINI - Dale Sutphin: Sutphin holds a fairly comfortable lead in the 25-lap races. So far this year, he's won three.He said it's important to take chances on the race track, even if it means making risky moves.
"You can't wait in these short races," he said. But would he risk his car for the sake of a race? "Oh, yeah," he said. "Definitely. We're racing to win every week."
Sutphin drives a '91 Chevy Beretta. It's his first year driving the car.
\ MINI STOCK - Tony Howell: This division promises to be a fight to the finish. Christiansburg's Howell leads with 182 points. Tied for second with 180 points apiece are Salem's Jay McCray and Galax's Randy Bell.
Bell held a six-point lead over Howell and a 10-point lead over McCray heading into Saturday night's race, but finished sixth. McCray won the race and Howell finished second.
Howell took the pole in qualifying, but McCray took the lead on the fourth lap on the inside going into turn three. He led the rest of the way.
Qualifying wasn't too pleasant for Bell. His time of 19.86 seconds was the seventh-best qualifying time, .52 seconds behind Howell.
\ DISQUALIFIED: Austinville's Eddie Rankin won the 25-lap Modified Mini race Saturday night, but when racing officials asked him to "tear down" the car, he refused.
"The size of the diameter of his cylinder was protested, and he wouldn't tear down," said chief steward Lynn Carroll. "He wouldn't open it up to show us."
As a result, Carroll said, Rankin was disqualified, received no points for the race, and must pay a $200 fine if he wants to race at the speedway again.
\ RULE MIXUP: Ronnie Thomas was confused at the conclusion of Saturday night's LMSC race. Racing resumed on the 99th lap after six yellow-flag laps. Thomas trailed eventual winner Johnny Rumley by about three seconds before the caution period, but because of the yellow flags, was in position to make a late charge.
There was only one problem: Thomas' crew had told him there would be three more laps of racing when there were only two laps left.
Carroll said racing officials mistakenly told Thomas' crew that there would be a green flag on the 99th lap, a white flag on the 100th lap, and a checkered flag to end the race, making 101 laps.
As it was, a green/white combination flag was thrown for the 99th lap. The checkered flag followed for the 100th lap.
"Some of my guys told Thomas' crew wrong," Carroll said.
Thomas wasn't too upset, though. "If it wasn't for the caution flags at the end of the race, Rumley would have really had us beat anyway," he said.
\ SATURDAY'S RACE: Thomas tries to move one step closer to $50,000 in the 200-lap Late Model feature in the Shelor Chevrolet 300.
Camaro Junction and Doughton's Racing Parts have offered $50,000 to the driver who can win four selected races at the NRV Speedway, and two races in the fall at the Martinsville Speedway.
Thomas won the first of those races on May 15 in the Valley Rich-Express Markets 300, so he is the only driver eligible to win the $50,000.
Also, a $5,000 point fund will be distributed among the top 10 finishers of the six LMSC races. The person with the most points receives $1,500.
There also will be the regular 35-lap Limited Sportsman race, and 25-lap Modified Mini, Mini Stock and Pure Stock races.
Gates open at 2 p.m. Practice starts at 4. Qualifying is at 6:15, and racing begins at 8:00.
Admission is $8 for adults, and 1 for children 12 and under.
Brian DeVido covers sports for the Roanoke Times & World-News' New River Valley bureau.
Keywords:
AUTO RACING
by CNB