Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, May 18, 1995 TAG: 9505180012
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-8 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: M.J. DOUGHERTY
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
The temperature was more like 70. And, unfortunately, the skies starting spitting out rain at 2:15 p.m. By 4, it had rained so much, and so much more was expected, that the X-Press Markets/Flav-O-Rich 200 was postponed. The track's rain date is Sept. 23.
None of this was supposed to happen. The weather forecasts Saturday morning had called for increasing cloudiness with a 50 percent chance of rain late in the evening.
Despite the threatening weather, another large field had gathered at NRVS for the races that didn't happen. There were about 25 Late Models, 17 Limiteds, 22 Pure Stocks, 20 Mini Stocks and 10 Modified Minis.
NOWHERE TO GO: With the races called early on account of rain, what to do with a free Saturday night became the question.
For drivers wanting to race, it became a quest to find an open track. Lonesome Pine International Raceway in Coeburn had called their races off before 2 p.m.
Bassett's Ray Young immediately thought of South Boston Speedway. But after 15 minutes of calling the facility from the NRVS offices without getting any answer, he decided that it was best to pack up and go home.
(South Boston did race. Stacy Puryear won the 150-lap Late Model race. And there were no NRVS regulars in the field.)
DRIVERS A CHANGING: The first major Late Model driver change of the season has occurred. But nobody is without a ride because of the switch.
Randy Ratliff of Oakwood will now be behind the wheel of the No. 88 Noel Turner-owned Oldsmobile. Tam Tophan started the year as the driver of that car. Ratliff had been driving the No. 23 Ford owned by Rodney Gardner and Troy Sutphin (which was the No. 6 driven sometimes by Frankie Pennington last year).
"We finally made a deal to get out of that Ford," said Ratliff, who stressed that leaving the Gardner/Sutphin car was an amicable separation. "I don't know what it is, I just can't drive a Ford."
Ratliff has shown he can drive an Olds, though. He was driving one last year when he earned his first career victory at NRVS.
It was not known what would happen to the Gardner/Sutphin Ford.
Meanwhile, Tophan will be back in the Limited Sportsman division to get more experience. He will be driving the Chevrolet he ran last year.
Tophan becomes the second driver to jump back after jumping up to Late Models. Hillsville's Eddie Walls returned to the Limited ranks a couple of weeks ago.
That leaves North Carolinian Rock Harris as the only driver who has moved up to Late Models and stayed there.
ENDUROS DOUBLE TROUBLE: NRVS promoter and co-owner Ronnie Snoddy has announced that the prize for winning an Enduro race will double to $1,000 if 50 or more cars are entered.
Second place drivers receive $300 and third place gets $200.
The next Enduro is June 3.
SHOWING OFF CARS: The speedway will be used for something different next Saturday: the Second Annual New River Valley Speedway Car and Truck Show.
The show will feature race cars, street machines, street rods, customs, classics, antiques, trucks and mini trucks.
Registration is 8 a.m.-noon. The show hours are 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Awards will be presented at 5 p.m.
The entry fee the day of the event is $13. For information, call Shelly Rosenbloom at 384-7151 or the track at 639-1700. A portion of the entry fee goes to support Big Brothers/Big Sisters of the New River Valley.
Admission is $4 for adults and $1 for children 12-and-under.
ELK CREEK REPORT: Corey King of Pulaski won the Motorcycle Class again at Elk Creek Dragway last week. He rode his 1978 1,000 c.c. Suzuki past Wytheville's Michael Waller in the finals.
THIS WEEK AT NRVS: The track will hold another open practice Thursday. Gates open at 3 p.m. and the practice goes from 4 to 8 p.m. Admission to the grandstands is free.
But all eyes will be on Sunday afternoon's Wilco/Winston 300. The feature is a 250-lap Late Model race which pays $4,000 to win and will be broadcast live on WDBJ TV-7.
Also on the schedule is the first visit to the track by the Mid-Atlantic Modifieds. A field of 24 - 30 cars is expected for the 50-lap race.
The Limited have a 35-lapper and the Pure Stocks a 25-lapper.
Gates open at 9 a.m. Practice begins at noon. Qualifying is at 1:30 p.m. And the racing - and the TV coverage - starts at 3 p.m.
Admission is $10 for adults and $1 for children 12-and-under.
by CNB