Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, October 2, 1994 TAG: 9410110081
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C-14 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: M.J. DOUGHERTY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RADFORD LENGTH: Medium
The first yellow flag moved Ratliff into a position to contend for the lead. The second rebunched the field. And the third took away his chief rival.
The result was a victory in the Late Model feature of the 200-lap event.
Jeff Agnew of Floyd wrapped up the division's points title on the basis of his fourth-place finish in the double points race.
The cautions extended the race to 124 laps - 24 more than scheduled.
A fight for the lead between Ratliff, of Oakwood, and Kenny Prillaman of Salem on lap 117 brought out the final yellow flag. As the two made slight contact, Prillaman spun between turns 3 and 4.
``I wasn't going to give in,'' said Ratliff, whose win was the first of his three-year Late Model career. ``I felt bad for him. But I wanted this one badly.''
Just a couple of laps from the scheduled end of the race, Ratliff appeared headed for a third-place finish. But race leader Tony McGuire of Roanoke spun trying to avoid Chad Harris, who had gotten loose coming out of turn 4.
The accident moved Prillaman into the lead and Ratliff to second. McGuire fell back to third.
After Prillaman's spin, Ronnie Thomas of Christiansburg took over second. Thomas worked his way from the back of the field after making a chassis adjustment on lap 30.
McGuire, Agnew and Harris of Stuarts Draft rounded out the top five.
Junior Leagans of Max Meadows took the lead on the start and stayed in front the rest of the way to win the 35-lap Limited Sportsman race. It was the second time Leagans has driven his six-cylinder Pontiac to victory this year. Rock Harris was second, Charlie Miles third and Dave Blessing fourth.
Miles, of Christiansburg, clinched the track championship in the division with his finish.
Randy Bell of Galax led from flag-to-flag as he won his first 25-lap Mini Stock race of the season. The victory also kept Bell's title hopes alive as he pulled to 22 points behind Gene Duncan going into today's season-ending race. Ray Sowers was second and Kevin Moxley third.
Aaron Deplazes of Newport took the lead on a restart on lap 18 and went on to win the 25-lap Pure Stock race. It was his second win of the year. Steve McCoy was second and Robbie Cundiff third.
Eddie Rankin of Austinville won his first 25-lap Modified Mini Stock race of the year. K.J. Bishop was second and Tim Maiden was third.
Keywords:
AUTO RACING
by CNB