Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, July 15, 1993 TAG: 9307150008
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-12 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: BRIAN DeVIDO
DATELINE: RADFORD LENGTH: Medium
Ronnie Thomas has led nearly 50 percent of the laps raced in the Late Model division this year at New River Valley Speedway. He's 60 points behind points leader Paul Radford in the standings, though; Radford has led 12 percent of the laps raced this year.
There's more: Thomas has won five races this year; Radford has won two. Confused yet?
It's enough to make the most diligent statistician crazy.
Often, though, there's a reason behind the craziness of a number. In this case, Thomas has failed to finish a few races because of car problems. Radford has finished all 12 races strongly this season, picking up valuable points along the way.
Take a closer look at the wild world of speedway numbers:
\ 626: Laps Thomas has led this year in Late Model races.
\ 1,404: Laps run this year in the division.
\ 45: Percentage of the time Thomas has led in LMSC races.
\ 169: Laps Radford has led this year in LMSC races.
\ 12: Percentage of the time Radford has led in LMSC races. Just goes to show that consistency, and not necessarily being in the lead, can do wonders for a driver.
\ 1,000,000: Times Radford has been dubbed a racing "veteran." Every time Radford's name is in print, you can count on the "v-word." That's boring. How about "the professor," or "the sage?" But "veteran?" People can be more creative than that.
\ 41: Years the 62-year-old veteran has been racing.
\ 6: 1991 and 1992 LMSC champ Jeff Agnew's wins last year.
\ 0: Agnew's wins this year.
\ 27: Laps Agnew has led this year.
\ 2: Percentage of time Agnew has led in LMSC races this year. It hasn't been a banner year for Agnew, as car problems have plagued him. There'll be no "threepeat" for him.
\ 0: People who would've predicted that 12 races into the season Agnew still would be without a win.
\ 45: Laps Kenny Prillaman had led in LMSC races this year before his win in Saturday night's race.
62: Laps Prillaman led in Saturday night's race. Prillaman said he enjoyed looking in his rear-view mirror and seeing the rest of the field there, for a change.
\ 16.69: Fastest qualifying time in LMSC division this year (Chris Diamond). He has yet to win a race, though.
\ 2: Disqualifications in the LMSC division this year.
\ 2: Times Michael Ritch has been disqualified in the LMSC division this year. In this case, you certainly don't wanna be like Mike.
\ 8: Times Johnny Rumley has raced in the LMSC division this year.
\ 4: Wins Rumley has won in the LMSC division this year. He's raced at the Busch Grand Nationals on some of the weeks he hasn't been at the NRV speedway. Saturday, Rumley was at the speedway, but his engine broke in qualifying.
\ 240: Laps Grump Wills has led in the Pure Stock division this year.
\ 300: Laps run in the Pure Stock division.
\ 80: Percentage of the time Wills has led a race in the division. Division for division, Wills is the most dominant driver at the speedway.
\ 12: Races in the Pure Stock division this year.
\ 10: Times Wills has won the pole in the division.
\ 10: Wins Wills has in the division. Wills missed one week at the speedway, too, or his numbers would probably be even higher.
\ 5: Straight weeks it's rained at the speedway, leaving the track slicker at times than Bill Clinton on the campaign trail.
\ SATURDAY'S RACE: The Basham-F&L Oil-Penzoil 300 features a 200-lap Late Model race. There will be a 35-lap Limited Sportsman race, and 25-lap Modified Mini and Mini Stock races, too; there will be no Pure Stock race. Gates open at 2 and practice begins at 4. Qualifying starts at 6:15 and the green flag drops at 8. Admission's $8 for adults, $1 for kids 12 and under.
Brian DeVido covers sports for the New River Valley bureau.
Keywords:
AUTO RACING
by CNB