Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, June 27, 1993 TAG: 9306270141
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: D12 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: M.J. DOUGHERTY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RADFORD LENGTH: Medium
The Winston-Salem, N.C., driver led the last 154 laps as he captured the 200-lap Late Model Stock Car feature in the Shelor Chevrolet 300 at New River Valley Speedway.
Rumley's victory also ended Ronnie Thomas' chance for a $50,000 bonus for winning all six races in the Camaro Junction/Doughton's Racing Parts Challenge.
Rumley jumped from third to the front when Chris Diamond bumped front-running Kenny Prillaman as Diamond tried for the lead.
Instead, Rumley drove his Chevrolet Lumina past both cars that had been ahead of him and never looked back.
"The 10 [Prillaman's car] was mirror driving, the nine [Diamond] was faster and the 10 should have let him go," Rumley said. "Kenny was trying to protect the lead. When they touched it wasn't Chris' fault. And it left it wide open for me."
Diamond finished second, holding off Thomas and Kelly Denton as they raced for position over the last few laps. They finished more than 15 seconds behind Rumley and were the only other cars on the lead lap.
Michael Ritch finished fifth, one lap down.
"We were just fortunate to get the car running right," said Rumley, who tied Thomas with four wins this season. "We came up here Thursday night and set up the new shock [suspension] system. It worked out. And I'm glad to be here."
Rumley also was in front of the 13-car melee that stopped the race just after it started.
The accident began as the green flag dropped. Cars in the middle of the field - just in back of Rumley - started jockeying for position.
Six cars had to be towed from the track during a 13-minute stoppage in the race and the 10 caution laps that followed. The others made it around to the pits under their own power but most required considerable repair, including Frankie Pennington, Rodney Cundiff and Stacy Compton.
Knocked out in the wreck were Jerry Godbey, Mike Dillon, Malcom Fink, Gary Richards, George Spangler, Donnie Plunkett, Dickie Wilson and Billy Martin. Also Carl Dadian missed more than 100 laps.
In other races Saturday night:
Charlie Smith of Christiansburg inherited the lead when the two drivers in front of him spun and he raced past Tony Howell on the final two laps to win his first Modified Mini race of the season.
Leader Scott Brawley and second-place Eddie Rankin spun in turn 2 of the 25th lap. Because of the accident, the race was extended to 27 laps.
Grump Wills of Bozoo, W.Va., held off Aaron Deplazes to win the 25-lap Pure Stock race for the eighth time this season.
The 25-lap Mini Stock race was not completed at press time. And there was no Limited Sportsman race this week.
Keywords:
AUTO RACING
by CNB