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

DATE: THURSDAY, October 27, 1994                   TAG: 9411120031
SECTION: NEIGHBORS                    PAGE: N14   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: M.J. DOUGHERTY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RADFORD                                 LENGTH: Medium

BEGGARLY ADDS HIS NAME TO NRV WINNER'S LIST

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.

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 that 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.

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, he 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."

LAST SHOW: The local racing season ends Saturday with Franklin County's season finale: a Late Model Stock Car race with seven divisions on the schedule.

Gates open at 2 p.m., and racing starts at 6. Admission is $5 for adults, free for children 10 and under.

Keywords:
AUTO RACING