Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, September 9, 1993 TAG: 9309090222
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-8 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: M.J. DOUGHERTY
DATELINE: RADFORD LENGTH: Long
Ronnie Thomas of Christiansburg and Paul Radford are tied atop the Late Model Stock Car standings at New River Valley Speedway.
Radford, the "Ferrum Flash," has held the lead since May when he passed Johnny Rumley after the third race of the season.
Meanwhile Christiansburg's Thomas, the 1978 Winston Cup Rookie of the Year, finished fifth in the first race of the season, dropped out of the second and has been playing catch-up ever since.
That was until Thomas won the Late Model race in the Dooley Printing 200 while Radford had his first "DNF" (did not finish) in 20 races.
Now the points race becomes very simple. Whoever does better in the Sunday's season-ending twin 75-lap races as part of the Huff Petroleum/Chevron 250 will win the track championship.
If they do equally well, Thomas wins the title by virtue of having more wins - 12-2 going into the season-finale.
"Just because he [Radford] has a senior citizen card doesn't mean I'm going to take it easy on him [Sunday]," said Thomas about his 61-year-old foe. "We're going to race him hard and he's going to do the same thing to us. He's a tough old cogger."
Radford knows the task that lies before him as he tries to avoid losing a 60-point advantage in the Late Model standings for the second time in three years.
"Unless he [Thomas] has some bad luck, he'll win the championship," said Radford, who lost the 1991 title when he had mechanical problems in three of the last six races. "Even if we go one-two in both races, each winning one, he's got it because he has more wins. I have to outrun him on the track. He just has to break even."
The scenario promises to give the NRVS racing season an ending that is just as exciting - but hopefully less controversial than last year's.
In 1992, Jeff Agnew and Frankie Pennington tied in points with Agnew claiming the title on the basis of the most victories, 6-3. The controversy came when a yellow flag come out on the last lap, and after several hours of consultation with NASCAR the track officials disallowed Pennington's pass under caution of Michael Ritch on the front stretch. Had the pass been ruled OK, Pennington would have won the track championship.
This year's battle matches a driver who has won seven of the last eight races - Thomas - against one who had completed 2,223 out of 2,224 laps in the division before last week's bad luck - Radford. The question is which will be rewarded: the front-runner or the consistent one.
\ LEADERS DRIVING ON: Charlie Smith of Dublin is the only sure champion. He clinched his second straight Modified Mini title with a second-place performance last week.
Christiansburg's Tony Howell only has to start the Mini Stock race to win the championship in that division.
Kenny Montgomery of Parrott will win the Limited Sportsman title if he finishes 11th or better. Montgomery leads Charles Miles 458-416.
That leaves the Pure Stock as the only close points race outside of Late Model. Christiansburg's Tommy Allie leads Mike Marion of Fairlawn and Davis "Ducky" Phillips of Plum Creek 468-458-428. Allie wins the title if he finishes third or better.
\ ACCIDENTS WILL HAPPEN: Jerry Godbey has avoided trouble throughout the Late Model season. But the Blacksburg driver wasn't so lucky during the Mini Stock qualifying.
J.D. Eaton lost control of his car in turn 2 and spun onto the back entrance to the pits. That's where Eaton made contact with Godbey's Pontiac Grand Prix, which was being pushed back from the pits.
No one was injured and both cars raced. Godbey finished 15th in Late Model. Eaton was 12th in Mini Stock.
\ EXTRA RACE SET: Details are final for the "Big Show" for the Late Models on Oct. 23.
The Southwest Virginia Chevrolet Dealers 300 will feature a 250-lap Late Model race with a purse of $26,250, with $6,500 to the winner. That compares to the normal Late Model payouts of $7,750 ($1,700 to winner) for regular races and $11,800 ($2,600 to winner) for 200-lappers.
Also, there will be a 50-lap Limited Sportsman race. It will have a $3,695 purse with $800 for the winner. The norms for the 35-lappers are $2,775 and $600.
Track officials are hoping upwards of 100 cars register for the race. The first 200-lap Late Model race at NRVS this season had about half that many entrants.
\ THIS WEEK: The track points competition for the 1993 season ends Sunday afternoon with the Huff Petroleum/Chevron 250.
The race card includes twin 75-lap Late Model regular points races. Drivers will qualify for the first race. Their starting order for the second race will be determined by their performance in the opener with the top finishers inverted. And because the race is less than 100 laps, caution laps will not count toward the total.
The other four divisions have double points races - 35 laps for the Limited Sportsmans and 25 laps for the Modified Minis, Mini Stocks and Pure Stocks.
Gates open at 10 a.m. Practice begins at noon. Qualifying starts at 2 p.m. And the green flag drops at 3.
Admission is $8 for adults and $1 for children 12 and under.
M.J. Dougherty covers sports for the Roanoke Times & World-News' New River Valley bureau.
by CNB