Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SATURDAY, October 23, 1993                   TAG: 9310230052
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV-3   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: M.J. DOUGHERTY
DATELINE: RADFORD                                LENGTH: Medium

JEFF AGNEW IS HANGING IN DURING A SEASON-GONE-WRONG

"We just haven't had too many things this year that have gone right," said the 28-year old driver from Floyd. "But we're hanging in there."

For the average driver, Agnew's season as he gets ready for today's Southwest Virginia Chevrolet Dealer 300 at New River Valley Speedway would amount to a pretty good year.

Agnew finished fourth in the points race at New River Valley Speedway. He didn't win any races there but captured a pole and led some laps during the season.

He finished tied for fourth in the NRVS-Martinsville Speedway Challenge series. And he came in 28th in the Mid-Atlantic Region.

But for Agnew, who won four track championships over the last two years - two at New River and two at Lonesome Pine - it was anything but good.

"Two or three cars up there [New River Valley Speedway] have been really strong," said Agnew.

"We've been about the same as we were last year. But they've gotten a little bit faster - a little more horsepower, better chassises. We got a little bit behind. And we're just now catching up to them."

The three driver who finished ahead of Agnew in the points race - Paul Radford, Ronnie Thomas and Johnny Rumley - combined to win 19 of the 22 Late Model races during the regular season.

Things started to change late in the season though. First, Agnew parked the Chevrolet Lumina he owned and started driving the Chevys owned by Bruce Sweeney.

"It was a natural," said Sweeney about the partnership late in the season. "We're both from Floyd."

Sweeney's race cars were available after Mike Dillon, the track Late Model Rookie of the Year in 1992, left to form his own team.

The new combination got off to an inauspicious start as Agnew's new ride caught fire just 37 laps into the first race he drove for Sweeney. But after that initial period of adjustment, the new team started to mesh. And Agnew captured his only pole of the year in one of Sweeney's Luminas.

Agnew has also had some success in the post-season races. In September, he finished second at North Wilksboro and sixth at Martinsville after falling back because of a flat tire.

But the tire problem foreshadowed October's mechanical problems as Agnew ended up 26th with a flat tire at North Wilksboro and 31st after a broken A-frame at Martinsville.

"Of all the times, I've raced at Martinsville, that was the first time I felt I had a chance to win it," Agnew said of last week's race where he qualified fifth but completed only 15 of the 200 laps.

The reason for Agnew's recent success is he switched cars again. He is now driving the older of Sweeney's two Luminas which was raced extensively in the early 1990s. And he has found that car very much to his liking.

"We're pleased the way the car has run the last four races," Agnew said. "We're using a little bit older car. It works a little bit better in the race and runs a little bit better."

Like the other New River regulars, Agnew feels knowing the track could be beneficial. But he also realizes the competition will be stiffer than the normal Saturday night.

"I believe it helps you in setting up the car; it might help knowing the track well [during the race]," he said. "But a lot of real good cars are going to be there. A lot of real good drivers. It should be a real good race, no matter what happens."

\ PIT STOPS: Gates open for the race at 9 a.m. today. Practice begins at 11. Qualifying will get underway at 1 p.m. Pre-race ceremonies begin at 2:30.

Racing begins at 3 p.m. with the Late Model qualifiers, followed by the 50-lap Limited race and then the 250-lap Late Model main event.

Admission is $10 for adults and $1 for children 12 and under.

The Late Model field has 60 pre-registered entries. It includes 12 former NRVS winners, including all six who won races this year. It also has all but one of the nine lap leaders and six of the eight pole winners. And the entries come from six different states - Virginia, West Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina and Florida.

M.J. Dougherty covers sports for the Roanoke Times & World-News' New River Valley bureau.

Keywords:
AUTO RACING