Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, February 9, 1995 TAG: 9502090051
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-4 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: M.J. DOUGHERTY
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
When the 1995 season shifts into gear at New River Valley Speedway in April, car owners, models, numbers and/or schedules will be different for many of last season's top drivers.
Those changes start with the last year's track champion, 11-race winner Jeff Agnew. After driving for fellow-Floydians Bruce and Barry Sweeney since the middle of the 1993 season, Agnew will be back driving for himself this year.
That shouldn't be a problem for Agnew, who won four track championships in two years - two at NRVS and two at Lonesome Pine International Raceway in Coeburn - with his own car in 1991 and '92.
Agnew's biggest worry is getting his new Chevrolet Monte Carlo - which will bear the familiar No. 05 - ready for the racing season.
``It's going to be nice, if we can ever get spare parts,'' Agnew said at the track's annual awards banquet. He added that the shortage of replacement parts could keep him out of the March 19 Martinsville race that pays $25,000 to the winner.
As far as the Sweeney brothers, they already have one driver waiting in the wings in Christiansburg's Charlie Miles.
``I'm hoping to go up to Late Model,'' said Miles, who won the track's Limited Division in 1994. ``I'll be out there every week. But I won't be racing every week; it costs too much money.''
Miles drove the Sweeney's backup car in several races last year. Usually, it would be his job to qualify the car for the first race in a Late Model twin-bill and ride around the track for a lap or two, ensuring that Agnew would have a car in the second race if something happened to his top car.
Another driver going back to racing for himself is Randy Ratliff. The Oakwood resident ran the second half of the 1994 season for Kelly Kidd. But that turned out to be a temporary union made out of necessity.
``Last year in the middle of the year, [Kidd] was without a driver and I was out of money,'' Ratliff explained.
Ratliff did get his first career victory late last season. But while that hasn't made it easy to get sponsorship money, he said he is doing a little better than last year.
Also taking a different approach to racing this year is Tink Reedy. His job with New River Industries has him on indefinite assignment in Winchester. He gets home to Roanoke on the weekends and will continue to drive Chubby Arrington's Dodge. But there will be no more late-week, all-night sessions to get the car prepped for Saturday. At least not for Reedy.
``They'll get the car ready,'' he said. ``I'll just have to show up.''
Meanwhile, Roanoke's Tony McGuire isn't changing much from his five-win breakthrough season. But he won't be at the wheel of No. 22.
Instead, McGuire's car number will be No. 07 - a better reflection of his sponsor, WDBJ (Channel 7). The 22 will stay in the family, on Tony's brother Tim's car. Last year, Tim McGuire drove No. 70, which looked suspiciously like the number used by his sponsor, WSLS (Channel 10).
However, changing cars will continue to be part of the normal routine for Chad Harris. The NRVS Late Model rookie of the year in 1994, Harris will once again have a Ford and a Chevrolet in his garage.
``We're going to get that Ford together,'' Harris said. ``We don't know which one we're going to run [from week to week].''
LINING UP LIMITEDS: With Miles not around, Limited Sportsman could be a wide-open division. But already there are a few drivers to watch.
Both of the Howell brothers of Christiansburg - Bo and Tony - plan on racing the full Limited season. Bo led the points standings early in the season; then a wreck put his car out of action for a couple of months, and he tried his hand at the Late Models. Meanwhile, Tony won the Modified Mini championship.
Of the two brothers, Bo's racing schedule seems more set.
``We want to do it for another year of experience, experience for me and experience for the crew,'' Bo said.
Tony has already sold his Mod Mini car to Gene Duncan. Now he just has to complete his Limited deal.
``That's what we pretty much want to do,'' Tony said. ``I just hope it works out that way.''
Another driver moving up to Limited is Aaron Deplazes of Newport. One of the most aggressive drivers at the track, Deplazes' move up from Pure Stock is part of a master plan.
``Everything we've been doing has been geared toward building a race car, not a stock car,'' Deplazes said. ``So we decided to spend the money and go for it.''
HE'S LEARNING: Late last season, Randy Custer of Christiansburg bought the Dodge Challenger that Ducky Phillips drove to the Pure Stock points championship.
Now Custer is getting ready for his first season of racing, and it didn't take him long to figure out the most difficult aspect of the sport.
``The hardest thing is going out and getting sponsors,'' Custer said.
UPCOMING EVENTS: Racing season will be here before winter leaves.
The first practice for the Martinsville's March Madness is just a little more than two weeks away - Feb. 25.
The first big parts show is less than a month from now. The Racer's Auction & Parts Sale is March 4 at 10 a.m. at the Radford Auto Action. Admission is $5. For information, call 639-9011.
Keywords:
AUTO RACING
by CNB