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

DATE: SUNDAY, September 4, 1994                   TAG: 9409070099
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: C-12   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Staff report
DATELINE: CALLAWAY                                LENGTH: Medium

LAWHORN ON TRACK FOR TITLE WITH WIN

Rustburg's Dudley Lawhorn took a major step toward his second consecutive points championship at Franklin County Speedway on Saturday night.

Lawhorn won the 75-lap Late Model Stock Car feature race of the Pepsi-Cola 300. The victory was Lawhorn's second in as many weeks and extended his points lead to 150 over Rodney Cundiff.

A first-place finish usually is worth 30 points, but Saturday's race, part of a Labor Day weekend doubleheader, was worth double points.

Nine races remain on the FCS calendar, but Lawhorn consistently has finished in the top five. Cundiff will be forced to win nearly every remaining race to catch him.

Saturday night, Lawhorn was the pole-sitter, but Frankie Penninngton - who started on the outside of the front row - took the early lead.

Pennington slipped momentarily on lap 53, and Lawhorn, Todd Philpott and Cundiff, running 2-3-4, each moved up a spot. Philpott, making his 1994 Late Model debut, finished second. Pennington rallied to finish third. Cundiff and Harvey Harrison finished fourth and fifth, respectively.

In other races Saturday night:

James Cox won the Mini Stock division, his third victory of the season. Cox overtook pole-sitter Gary Joyce on lap 11 and held the lead through several caution periods late in the race. Tommy Dean and Carlton Clark placed second and third, respectively.

Steve Lam, who has 20 Mini Stock victories this year, blew an engine in his Pinto during practice and borrowed another car for the race. He placed eighth.

Red Hartman led all 25 laps of the Pure Stock race, allowing him to maintain a comfortable points lead. Jay Peery and Mike Owens, third and second in points, respectively, flip-flopped in the race.

Stephanie Yates, a 16-year-old from Floyd County, easily won the 12-car Rookie race. Yates finished six seconds ahead of points leader Mike Roberts, who took second. Tony Perdue was third.

Points leader Mike Dudley prevailed in the Street Stock competition. Jimmy Mullins overtook David Smith with a last-lap pass for second.

Teddy Lawless won the 10-lap Truck race, and Jason Stump was the Any Car winner.

Racing returns to FCS at 6 p.m. Monday. Points in all races again will count double.

by CNB