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

DATE: THURSDAY, October 6, 1994                   TAG: 9412010020
SECTION: NEIGHBORS                    PAGE: S15   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: M.J. DOUGHERTY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RADFORD                                 LENGTH: Medium

THREE CHAMPIONSHIPS DECIDED OVER WEEKEND

The three track championships that were still up for grabs were decided this weekend with the leader staying in front. That meant titles for Floyd's Jeff Agnew in Late Model, Christiansburg's Charlie Miles in Limited Sportsman and Radford's Gene Duncan in Mini Stock.

It was Agnew's third NRVS Late Model title in four years at New River and his fifth overall during the period.

"It's a credit to the crew," he said. "We've put a good, consistent car out there. And that's what it takes."

Miles, the 1992 Pure Stock champ, became the second straight Limited driver to improve on his runner-up finish of the year before.

Duncan had all but wrapped up his first title after Saturday night. Then he won the title in style by winning Sunday's race.

Davis "Ducky" Phillips of Plum Creek in Pure Stock and Tony Howell of Christiansburg in Modified Mini Stock had previously wrapped up their titles.

NORTH WILKESBORO REPORT: Ronnie Thomas and Tink Reedy both posted top-10 finishes in the Lowes 150 Saturday at North Wilkesboro (N.C.) Speedway.

Thomas of Christiansburg finished seventh. He passed Roanoke's Reedy late in the race. Reedy hung on to finish eight. Both had started far back in the 36-car field - Thomas 22nd and Reedy 28th.

The other two NRVS regulars weren't as fortunate. Dicky Wilson of Salem finished 17th, two laps down.

Oakwood's Randy Ratliff dropped out when a rear-end arm broke; he ended up 22nd. Ratliff had the best qualifying run of any New River driver, starting sixth.

After the race, Ratliff and Thomas got back to NRVS in time for qualifying. Since they finished 1-2 in the Late Model race, the quick trip north was worth it.

Mike Dillon started from the pole and ran away to an easy victory. The Clemmons, N.C., driver was the 1992 NRVS Rookie of the Year and a regular at the track for the first half of the season.

SOUTH BOSTON REPORT: Stacy Compton of Hurt didn't win the 200-lap Late Model race there Saturday night. But his second-place finish to Chesterfield's Wayne Patterson gave Compton a much greater prize: the track points championship.

Compton, who races at NRVS when he isn't at South Boston, entered the track's final race with a lead over Richard Landreth of Pine Hall, N.C. Landreth, who had led the points at South Boston for most of the season, finished third.

THIS WEEK AT THE TRACKS: New River Valley Speedway in Radford is off until the Southwest Virginia Chevrolet Shootout on Oct. 22. The 250-lap Late Model race will pay $10,000 to the winner.

Franklin County Speedway in Callaway has a regular night of racing Saturday. The feature is a 75-lap Late Model race. Gates open at noon, with racing beginning at 8 p.m. Tickets are $5 for adults; children 10 and under are free.

Keywords:
AUTO RACING

by CNB