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

DATE: SUNDAY, August 7, 1994                   TAG: 9408070008
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: C-2   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: CHRIS KING SPECIAL TO THE ROANOKE TIMES & WORLD-NEWS
DATELINE: RADFORD                                LENGTH: Medium

YOUNG WINS FEATURE AT NEW RIVER TRACK

On a day that proved to be kind to second-year stock car drivers who captured rookie of the year honors, things were no different at New River Valley Speedway.

Ray Young took the lead from Jeff Agnew on lap 154 and survived a late-race caution to capture the Virginia's 13 (WSET-TV) 300 Late Model Stock Car race Saturday night.

Like Jeff Gordon, who captured the historic Brickyard 400, Young is coming off a season that saw him capture rookie of the year honors and along with it great expectations. And like his NASCAR counterpart, those expectations were fulfilled.

"Jeff won at Indy and for me this is the same thing," said a jubilant Young. "This has been my dream. Ain't no describing how I feel right now."

The Bassett, native not only had to get by Agnew, who has won nine races, he had to survive an accident on lap 199 that allowed the race to be extended to 216 laps, 16 more than were scheduled.

With the extension of the race came a restart that bunched the field and gave Stacy Compton and Agnew another crack at victory.

"I knew Stacy would be strong at the end. On that restart my heart was about stopped," Young said. "But I tip-toed into the corner and everything worked out to my advantage."

Agnew led the first 154 laps only to see his car fade at the end. The Floyd resident finished third, behind Young and Compton.

A crash on lap 48 brought out the red flag which delayed the race for 10 minutes and knocked Tony McGuire and Michael Ritch out of the running. McGuire and Ritch had combined to win to eight of the past nine races.

Chad Harris of Stuarts Draft finished fourth, Rocky Mount's, Rick Sigmon finished fifth.

Grump Wills of Bozoo, W.Va., led all the way in winning the Pure Stock race, which was extended to 27 laps due to a late-race caution. The victory came in Wills' first race of the year in the Pure Stock class. Tommie Allie of Christiansburg, who had his two-race win streak snapped, finished second, and Vinton's Robbie Cundiff finished third.

Christiansburg's Charlie Miles took the lead on lap 8 and held off Rock Harris for a victory in the Limited Sportsman race. The victory was Miles' fourth of the year. Harris finished second and Dean St. John of Hamptonville, N.C. finished third.

The Modified Mini Stock race was not completed at press time.

Keywords:
AUTO RACING

by CNB