Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, August 1, 1994 TAG: 9408010067
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B5 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: M.J. DOUGHERTY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RADFORD LENGTH: Medium
Ritch nudged his way past first-race winner Johnny Rumley and into victory lane in the 117-lap race.
Three late race cautions extended the race 17 laps because of a rule that states a race cannot end under yellow. And on the third restart, Ritch made his move past fellow North Carolinian and Chevrolet driver Rumley.
"In those last laps, we got together a little bit and I got under him," said Ritch, who won for the fifth time this season. "I think I might have made some enemies tonight with the racing but you have to do that when you're going for the win."
One of the enemies was not Rumley, however.
"He did what he had to to win," said Rumley. "I would have done the same thing."
Another thing Ritch had to do to win was survive a crash on the restart on lap 103. The four drivers behind Rumley bunched up and a chain reaction wreck ensured. Running third at the time, Ritch emerged virtually unscathed while Randy Ratliff, points leader Jeff Agnew and Ray Young were not as fortunate.
After Ritch finished Tony McGuire of Roanoke in a Chevrolet, Ronnie Thomas of Christiansburg in a Pontiac, Rumley and Roy Hendrick of Richmond in a Pontiac.
Dicky Wilson of Salem had to be cut from his car after a four-car accident on lap 29 of the race. He was treated and relased from Radford Community Hospital for a broken nose and lacerations.
Gene Duncan of Radford moved out midway through the 25-lap Mini Stock race and stayed there the rest of the way to record his fourth straight win and eighth of the season in a race that ended at 12:30 a.m. Ray Sowers was second and Jay McCray third.
Keywords:
AUTO RACING
by CNB