Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, April 2, 1994 TAG: 9404040160
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-4 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: By M.J. DOUGHERTY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RADFORD LENGTH: Long
The Ferrum Flash, who came out of retirement last year to win the track championship at age 61, decided during the off-season to semi-retire, meaning he will run only selected races, which is understandable after four decades in racing.
That decision also leaves open the battle for track supremacy. With Radford out of the picture, other former NRVS champions are looking to repeat instead.
At the top of that short list is Jeff Agnew of Floyd, the track champion at both New River and Lonesome Pine in 1991 and 1992. But last year, when Agnew's trademark 05 car showed its age, he switched teams and ended up without a victory and fourth in the points race.
"Last year kind of taught us a lesson," said Agnew. "We've been working all winter to get where we wanted to be."
Agnew is starting his first full season racing for fellow-Floydian Bruce Sweeney. He qualified last year's back-up car seventh at Martinsville earlier this month, only to see his run spoiled by a mechanical problem in the first few laps.
"We'll have to have some luck if we're going to go for the championship," Agnew said. "We can't have spark plug wires breaking."
Meanwhile, Vinton's Tim McGuire returns full-time for the first time since the first year of the track. And all McGuire did in 1988 was win the Late Model title.
"I'm looking forward to starting and finishing the season here," said McGuire, who was 19th at NRVS and seventh at Franklin County while splitting time between the two tracks. "You are not going to beat the competition here racing them once a month."
And of course, there is Ronnie Thomas. The Christiansburg driver took the checked-flag a track record dozen times last year and finished second in points.
However, Thomas' success this year will depend on two things - how soon his new Chrysler will be ready and whether he can find enough horsepower in the car with the new carburetor and air intake rules.
"It's a new car, new engine, new rules," said Thomas. "It's going to be close getting ready for Saturday [the season's first race]. We're going to be out here without any practice."
Of course, the Late Model battle is going to be more than a three-car race. Other returning drivers who finished in the top 30 in points include Johnny Rumley (third with six wins including the October Chevy Dealers Shootout), Tink Reedy (fifth with a win), Frankie Pennington (sixth with a win), Kenny Prillaman (seventh with a win), Dick Goodwin (10th), Michael Ritch (11th), Stacy Compton (12th), Kelly Denton (15th), Tony McGuire (21st), Dicky Wilson (28th) and Ray Young (30th).
All but Rumley and Compton are expected to be at NRVS full-time in 1994. It is anticipated that Rumley will run only the major races as he also runs a limited Busch Grand National schedule.
Compton will once again split time between New River and South Boston, where he finished sixth in the points.
Ritch, who raced some on the Grand National circuit last year, will be driving the ride left vacant when Radford retired.
Denton, McGuire, Wilson and Young hope to call New River their racing home every week.
Young, a two-time Limited champ, was the Late Model Rookie of the Year despite running only 11 races last year.
"Last year was a disappointment because we had limited funds," said Young, who is with a new team and has former driver Clay Highberger (16th at NRVS) as his crew chief. "I was Rookie of the Year but I didn't feel I deserved it. But if I follow up that up with a good year, it will show something."
Denton started last season at Lonesome Pine (11th at LPIR) before moving to New River full-time midway through last year.
Wilson and McGuire spent most of their time at Franklin County. Wilson (4th at FCS) raced some at New River at the end of last year and takes over Highberger's old ride. McGuire (5th at FCS) started racing at Franklin County after an accident in the first 200-lap race last May destroyed his best car.
"You've got to concentrate on qualifying in the top five and not tearing up the equipment," said McGuire. "There are 10 to 12 cars here that can win on any given night. At other tracks, there may be one or two."
The Limited Division has been thrown wide open with the departure of Kenny Montgomery.
The champ last year and a runner-up to Young the two seasons before that, Montgomery expected to be moving up to Late Model this year. But when his car owner pulled out of racing, Montgomery was left on the outside looking in.
"I'm just waiting, looking for a ride," said Montgomery, who is from Parrott. "It's hard being here [as a spectator, not a driver]. But there is nothing I can do about it. Hopefully, something will open up."
Montgomery's absence does open up the division. That should create a dogfight among the top returning drivers: Charles Miles (second in points with five wins, including the October shootout), Bo Howell (third), Rock Harris (fourth with three wins) and Mark Akers (fifth with two wins).
The Modified Mini Division also could be interesting. Two-time defending champion Charlie Smith of Dublin plans to run the Goody's Dash Series part-time.
"We're running pretty good, as least as good as at the end of last season," said Smith, who used his 10th-place finish in the Dash race at New River last year to finish in the top 50 in the series points standings. "Hopefully, we'll run four or five Dash races, depending on how well we run here."
Meanwhile, points runner-up and 10-time winner Scott Brawley's owner has had to leave racing for business reasons.
Dale Sutphin (third in points with two wins) and Eddie Rankin (12th with one win) could be in the best position to challenge for the title.
Another driver to be watched is 1993 Mini Stock champ Tony Howell, who is moving up one division.
With the departure of Howell for the Mod Minis, the Mini Stock Division will feature a spirited battle with several drivers chasing the title.
The best bets to challenge for the championship are Jay McCray (second in points with five wins), Eric Huff (third with one win), Randy Bell (fourth with one win) and Kevin Light (sixth with one win).
In the Pure Stock Division, five-time winner Tommy Allie of Christiansburg may not race because of his mother's health problems.
If Allie is not back, Mike "Monk" Marion (second in points with one win), Davis "Ducky" Phillips (third with two wins) and Aaron Deplazes (fourth) will shoot it out for the points title.
Racing begins tonight with the FM-94 Radio 200. The racing card features a 100-lap Late Model race, a 35-lap Limited Sportsman race and 25-lappers in the other three divisions. All races are double-points events.
The FM-94 200 begins 25 consecutive weeks of Winston Racing Series action at the 0.416-mile banked oval track just off U.S. 11 in Pulaski County.
Tickets are $10 for adults and $1 for children 12 and under. Gates open at 2 p.m. Qualifying starts at 6:15. The green flag drops at 8 p.m.
Keywords:
AUTO RACING
by CNB