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

DATE: THURSDAY, October 20, 1994                   TAG: 9412210012
SECTION: NEIGHBORS                    PAGE: E14   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: M.J. DOUGHERTY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RADFORD                                 LENGTH: Medium

IT'S THE BIGGEST RACE OF THE YEAR

The green flag drops on the year's biggest Late Model Stock Car race at 3 p.m.

The race is big for many reasons. The purse is the biggest of the year: $31,500 plus another $1,000 in qualifying and special awards. The winner gets almost one-third of that: $10,000.

The race is expected to draw the biggest field of the season. Last year, 43 cars attempted to qualify for the race. This year, at least 50 entries are expected, including top regular competitors, the biggest names from other tracks throughout the region and drivers from as far away as New York and Florida.

And, of course, the race will be broadcast live on WDBJ-TV (Channel 7).

Last year, Johnny Rumley of Winston-Salem, N.C., won the inaugural 250-lap event. This year, Rumley has won twice at NRVS while racing on the Busch Grand National circuit most of the time.

Also among the favorites will be Jeff Agnew. The track champion from Floyd drove to victory 11 times this season.

"We [New River drivers] have a little bit of an advantage," said Agnew, who has won the track championship three times in the last four years. "We know the way to drive it. But I'm not going to say that someone else couldn't win. You never know. I've seen drivers win their first time at a track. So anything is possible."

The gates open at 9 a.m. Practice begins at 11. Qualifying starts at 1 p.m. and will determine the top 20 starting positions. Two heat races will be held to fill starting spots 21-30. The green flag drops at 3 p.m.

Tickets are $12 for adults and $1 for children 12 and under.

BUSY DRIVERS: Rocky Mount's Rick Sigmon will accomplish a unique double. He is a top 10 driver at two tracks that run on the same night: New River Valley and Franklin County speedways.

Sigmon came in ninth in the points at NRVS. He stands 10th late in the season at FCS. Sigmon accomplished this feat by running - and running well - at FCS on nights NRVS didn't race. He spent off nights, holidays and rainouts in Callaway and ran the full schedule in Radford.

CAN'T TOUCH THAT: Mini Stock driver Steve Lam of Blue Ridge has set a track record at FCS with 24 wins.

Lam predicted the last of his triumphs. During a late-race caution Saturday night, Lam told promoter Whitey Taylor - and Taylor broadcast over the public-address system - that he could hold off the challengers over the last three laps.

Keywords:
AUTO RACING