Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, April 28, 1994 TAG: 9404280177
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-6 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: M.J. Dougherty
DATELINE: RADFORD LENGTH: Long
Ronnie Thomas qualified second - just 0.02 seconds off pole-sitter Jeff Agnew's time of 16.61 seconds.
Then Thomas took the lead on the first lap of the Late Model Stock Car race and stayed out there almost half the race.
But alas, the hard luck that has plagued the Christiansburg driver and his Chrysler LeBaron so far this short season resurfaced.
"It's overheating again," said Thomas, who was the 1978 Winston Cup Rookie of the Year. "It really didn't get that hot - 200 degrees. But it was blowing out steam. It doesn't make sense. And the longer we ran, the weaker the engine got. We've got some problems to solve. But I still feel it [the overheating] cost me a show tonight."
A top finish would have been a welcome sight for Thomas. The winningest Late Model driver in the history of the track - 46 victories including a record 12 last year, Thomas has not had a top 10 finish in four races.
His best finish was 13th in the season-opening race. Since then it's been 24th, 22nd and 20th - or next-to-last, next-to-last and last.
Still, Thomas became the first non-General-Motors driver to lead a lap. He did qualify on the outside of the front row. And he led 49 laps. So that elusive top finish may be just around the corner for Thomas.
OTHER TIMES BUSY, TOO: Everyone knows what happens at the track on Saturday nights. But what about the other days of the week?
NRVS was a busy place every day this past week.
On April 19, the Tuesday before the Hanes 500 at Martinsville Speedway, NASCAR Winston Cup rookie driver Ward Burton brought his Chevrolet Lumina to the track to practice.
"He didn't run all that fast," said NRVS promoter Ronnie Snoddy. ``Mostly they wanted to work on their brakes for Martinsville. That and get some track time.''
Burton could practice at NRVS without penalty. Since it wasn't a Winston Cup track, it didn't count against the limited number of track practices each driver is allowed.
The workout must have helped some. Burton made the field for the Martinsville race on the second day of qualifying. He started 33rd and finished 16th, three laps down.
Then last Friday, Late Model driver Mike Huff practiced in the Pontiac that Johnny Rumley used to win the Mid-Atlantic title in 1991. Rumley also was on hand to provide assistance and advice.
CARBURETOR UPDATE: No changes were made to the carburetor-extra weight rules applied to the Fords and Chryslers in the Late Model field.
Besides Thomas, three others broke the 17-second mark in qualifying: Bobby Radford in a Chrysler, Frankie Pennington in a Ford and Tink Reedy in a Dodge.
Only Pennington finished in the top 10, though - and he was ninth. None of them finished on the lead lap.
However, there was some speculation that NASCAR may tighten the rules even more after Eddie Johnson of Ashland drove his Ford Thunderbird to victory last Friday at Southside Speedway outside of Richmond. Then Johnson won his third straight race at Langley Raceway in Hampton on Saturday.
RUMLEY UPDATE: Johnny Rumley was still awaiting word last week whether he finally would get that elusive Busch Grand National ride.
Rumley was one of several drivers being "auditioned" to replace Johnny "Juice" Smith in the White House Apple Juice car.
Smith finished second in the Goody's Dash series last year with three wins, including the race at NRVS. But he was 0-for-7 on the Grand National series - that's zero times making in the field in seven tries.
Meanwhile, Rumley has a pair of top-10 finishes on the Grand National circuit as he races a limited schedule with his own team.
Could it be Johnny "Juice" Rumley?
NEWS FROM ELSEWHERE: Stacy Compton won the 150-lap Late Model race Saturday night at South Boston. Darryl Lacks, another NRVS semi-regular, finished 10th.
Meanwhile at Lonesome Pine, sometime NRVS competitor Mike Porter drove to victory after pole-sitter Kelly Denton dropped out with an oil leak. Randy Ratliff was third. Denton and Ratliff had moved from Lonesome Pine to New River during the 1993 season and then started this year at the Pulaski County track.
FIGURE THIS OUT: Terry Hanks lost his fourth place finish in the Mini Stocks last week when he was found to have an illegal flywheel in the post-race inspections.
Two weeks ago, Hanks was awarded the victory in that division after apparently finishing third because the top two finishers had illegal flywheels.
"Sometimes we try to outsmart them and check the same thing two weeks in a row," said Lynn Carroll, the chief steward at New River.
RADIO RACING: For talk about racing, there are two weekly 30-minute call-in shows about NRVS.
Kool Country (WBNK 100.7 FM) and WNRV (990 AM) have "New River Valley Race Weekly" on Tuesday nights at 6:30, just before "NASCAR Live," with M.J. Dougherty as the host. The number to call in with questions is (703) 382-1887. The show also airs on WFNR (710 AM).
CD Country (WRIQ 101.7 FM) has "New River Valley Speedway Report" on Thursdays at 5:45 p.m. The host is Brian O'Donnell. The number to call in with questions in (703) 639-2461. The show is also on WRAD (1460 AM).
SPECIAL-EVENTS SCHEDULE: Something special is going on at the next six races at NRVS.
Saturday will feature a 50-lap Limited Sportsman race.
May 7 will have a 35-lap Modified Mini special race.
May 8, it's the first Enduro race, packaged with a 50-lap Pure Stock and 25-lap Mini Stock race.
May 14 will be the first 200-lap Late Model race of the year.
May 22 will be the first twin 75-lap twin Late Model races of the year.
And May 28 is when the Bud Girls pay a visit to NRVS.
UPCOMING AT THE TRACK: The special events begin Saturday with the New River Valley 200, which has a 50-lap Limited race.
Also on tap are the 100-lap Late Model feature and 25-lappers in the Pure Stocks, Mini Stocks and Modified Minis.
Gates open at 2 p.m. Practice begins at 4. Qualifying starts at 6:15. And the green flag drops at 8.
Tickets are $10 for adults and $1 for children 12 and under.
Keywords:
AUTO RACING
by CNB