Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, September 18, 1993 TAG: 9309180125
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-3 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: M.J. DOUGHERTY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RADFORD LENGTH: Medium
After placing second in the Limited Sportsman division for the last two years, Montgomery finally won the title at the New River Valley Speedway.
"I didn't think we had it until the last bit," said Montgomery after he clinched the points championship in the season's last points race.
He admitted he was a little nervous going into the last race. Once he maneuvered his car into second place, he stayed there. "I didn't want to have trouble find me," he said.
You can't blame Montgomery for being cautious. All he needed to claim the title last Sunday was to finish 12th or better in the 18-car field.
And the driver from the tiny community of Parrott in Pulaski County has been ever-so-close the last two years to winning the title.
Last season, one bad finish - ironically a 12th - cost Montgomery the championship.
He ended up just 12 points behind 13-time winner Ray Young.
In 1991, Montgomery won nine races, including three in a row at one point, in the Street Stocks class, the predecessor of the Limited Sportsman class. But Young won six races and took the title by 60 points.
All in all it wasn't a bad performance for a driver who never drove a race car until approaching his 30s.
Four years ago, Montgomery and Larry Gilbert built a Street Stock car and split the driving time. Then Gilbert had an accident and decided racing wasn't for him.
Montgomery bought him out and went on to became the division's rookie of the year.
"I always liked fast cars," said Montgomery, now 34. "I always wanted to race."
The acquaintance with speed began early for Montgomery. His uncle, Herbert Montgomery, and father, Arlin Montgomery, raced at the old Pulaski County dirt track.
And that family connection continues as Montgomery's brothers Wayne and Russell work on his pit crew while his wife, Vicki, serves as his scorer.
Montgomery started showing the signs of things to come when he won a pole at Franklin County Speedway after the New River Valley Speedway had finished racing in 1990.
Then in his season-opener in 1991, Montgomery started fifth, moved to the front after just three laps and stayed there for his first career victory.
That was the same year Montgomery teamed up with car owner Bobby Underwood. By then the pit crew - crew chief Benny Tickle, Pete Wesel, Pete Buckland, Dave Wikle, John Weeks and Don Bowman - had pretty much been assembled.
The team chased Young for two years. Then Young decided to move up to Late Models.
And Young's winning car became available when its owners, Jimmy and Randy Merryman, got out of weekly racing. Underwood bought it.
"The Merryman family wanted us to have the car," said Underwood. "Running against each other, we had a lot of fun last year, even though he [Young] was first most of the time."
With Young gone and Montgomery in Young's former car, he became the favorite in the division. But the team realized it wouldn't be easy.
"The only thing we tried to do is stay up front and stay out of trouble," Montgomery said.
The first three weeks, Montgomery was virtually untouchable as he won each race. On the second week, he qualified with a time of 16.92 seconds (88.51 mph) - the fastest lap turned in by a Limited all season.
"He's just about got the best reactions of anyone on the track," said Wesel. "If anything happens, he'll get through it somehow."
But those accomplishments made Montgomery a marked man. Twice, Cline Racing brought its famed No. 99, which holds the overall track record with a lap of 15.86 (94.43 mph). And as the season continued, the competition got stiffer.
"We just had to be consistent as we were last year," said Tickle. "That's what kept us in the race for the championship."
Along the way, Montgomery has become one of the most popular drivers at the track. While some drivers struggle for attention from businesses, his operation is full of co-sponsors - BRS Inc., Camaro Junction, Bingo USA, Blacksburg Radiator and Glass, and Metal Buildings and Erectors of Dublin. And the black-and-green T-shirts that match the cars are some of the most popular attire at the speedway.
Whether Montgomery defends his title is still to be decided. Removing 100 pounds of weight makes it a legal Late Model Stock Car. Already, Montgomery has driven the Chevrolet Beretta in a Late Model race this year, qualifying 15th in the first 200-lap race of the season.
A lot will depend on how the team finishes at Martinsville in the Goody's 150 Late Model race on Sept. 25.
"After that, we'll probably make our decision about next year," said Underwood. "If we can run competitively, we'll probably move up."
But even if Montgomery is driving in the Late Models, he will have special memories of his years in Street Stock/Limiteds. "The Limiteds is not a bad place to run," he said.
Keywords:
AUTO RACING
by CNB