Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, October 26, 1994 TAG: 9410290010
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-3 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: M.J. DOUGHERTY
DATELINE: RADFORD LENGTH: Long
The Pelham, N.C., driver became the 24th Late Model winner at New RIver Valley Speedway in the seven years the track has been in operation. He also became the record-setting 10th different driver to win at NRVS in 1994.
Beggarly becomes the first Winston Racing Series national champion to win at NRVS. He is the third Mid-Atlantic regional champ to triumph there, joining Johnny Rumley and Michael Ritch.
The list also has a Winston Cup race winner (Morgan Shepherd), a Winston Cup Rookie of the Year (Ronnie Thomas) and a Busch Grand National race winner (Rumley).
HAIL TO THE CHAMPIONS: All of the former New River track champions who are still active made the race: Tim McGuire (1988), Danny Willis (1989), Thomas (1990) and Jeff Agnew (1991, 1992 and 1994).
Also in the field were this year's track champs from Orange County Speedway in Rougemont, N.C. (Beggarly), South Boston Speedway (Stacy Compton) and Tri-County Speedway in Hudson, N.C. (Mike Dillon).
New River's Limited Sportsman champ, Charlie Miles, also made the show.
So it seemed fitting that the race's grand marshal was Paul Radford. The "Ferrum Flash" retired after winning the NRVS 1993 Late Model championship.
HEAT HIGHLIGHTS: Salem's Tink Reedy and Dave Mader of Mooresville, N.C., won the two heat races.
Both drivers started from the pole and never were challenged. However, Reedy's victory was by 21/2 seconds, while Mader's was by less than 21/2 car lengths.
Each race had one caution period, but for different accidents. Five cars piled up trying to avoid a spin in the first heat. In the second heat, a two-car spin didn't knock anyone out.
All six of the cars that qualified under 17 seconds (88.094 mph) on the 0.416-mile oval but didn't make it into 20 positions decided by time trials made the race through the heat races: Reedy, Mader, Greg Edwards, Richard Landreth, Rick Sigmon and Willis.
QUIRKY QUALIFYING: Tracy Owen had the slowest qualifying lap. He spun as he came into Turn 4 on his first lap. But instead of immediately driving into his second lap, Owen turned the car around and drove back around the track to Turn 2. Then he turned around again to complete the lap.
By the time Owen crossed the start-finish line, more than one minute (1:02.38) had elapsed. The strategy paid off, however, and Owen's second lap of 16.92 seconds put him in the 20th starting position - the last place decided by time trials.
FLYING AWAY: A pair of airplanes waited to take Beggarly, runner-up Elliott Sadler, early-race leader Wayne Patterson and Compton to the South Boston Speedway banquet after the race.
And even though the schedule was close, Compton didn't think the two planes would be racing back.
"They might be if one of us was driving [flying],'' he said. "But I don't think they are going to let us get behind the controls of the plane."
LIMITED ENTRIES: Tam Tophan won the battle of the Limited Sportsman drivers who had converted their cars into Late Models and tried to make the race. Tophan finished 12th, one lap down. He also had the top qualifying run.
Rock Harris came home 16th, two laps in arrears, after starting 17th.
Both had former Late Model cars. Tophan's Chevy was driven by Rumley last year. Harris' Ford was driven by Thomas.
Of course, it doesn't take much to change the car from one division to another. All that has to be done is remove 100 pounds of weight and change the heads.
Miles qualified 18th, while Rich Cook earned his way in through a heat race. However, both were involved in the 14-car first-lap accident. Miles was finished for the day and posted 29th. Cook was heavily damaged and ended up 22nd.
BY TYPE: Six different makes of cars entered the Late Model shootout. Race winner Beggarly carried the banner of the race sponsor - Chevrolet.
Thomas (fifth) was the best Buick. Mader (sixth) had the top Pontiac. Randy Ratliff (13th) had the outstanding Oldsmobile. Harris (16th) had the fastest Ford. And Reedy (31st because of the first-lap wreck) had the only Chrysler.
MISSING THE ACTION: Just three of New River's top 15 Late Model drivers did not try to make the race: Kenny Prillaman, Michael Ritch and Calvin Davis.
Salem's Prillaman wrecked his Pontiac last week at Martinsville.
Ritch attempted to make the Busch Grand National race at the North Carolina Motor Speedway in Rockingham. Richard Landreth was in the car that Ritch drove to five wins at NRVS this season, but went out in the first-lap accident.
Davis lost his ride two months ago and hasn't raced since. Randy Ratliff finished 13th, one lap down, in Davis' old car.
GONE TRUCKIN': The advent of the NASCAR Super Truck series will mean the Late Model "Silly Season" will be without two races in 1995.
Both Martinsville Speedway (Sept. 23) and North Wilkesboro (N.C.) Speedway (Sept. 30) have the race trucks as the companion event for their fall Winston Cup races.
In each case, the new races take the place of what had been post-season, big-money Late Model shows.
At Martinsville, the track will be back to just two Late Model races a season. The races will be part of doubleheaders with the Grand Nationals - one in the spring and one in the fall.
The dates haven't been set, since the Busch schedule hasn't been completed. Based on this year's schedule, those races would be March 19 and Oct. 15.
North Wilkesboro will still have two Late Model shows. The Late Models will replace the Modifieds as the companion race for the spring Winston Cup show April 8.
The Late Models will remain the feature event in the expanded Coca-Cola quadruple-header with a 150-lap race Sept. 17. A 100-lap Goody's Dash race will be added to a card that also includes a 100-lap Modified and a 50-lap Street Stock races.
PARTY TIME: Now that racing season is over, it's time to celebrate. And New River Valley Speedway will do that Jan. 20 at the Salem Civic Center.
The party begins with a social hour at 6 p.m. Dinner is at 7. Awards begin at 8. And dancing follows until the wee hours of the morning.
Tickets for the track's annual banquet are $20. Fans, drivers and crews are invited to the soiree. For ticket information, call the speedway at 639-1700 during business hours.
M.J. Dougherty covers community sports and racing for the Roanoke Times & World-News' New River Valley bureau.
by CNB