Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, July 20, 1995 TAG: 9507200009
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-3 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: M.J DOUGHERTY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
That was the new weather challenge facing New River Valley Speedway drivers last Saturday at the Basham Oil/F&L Oil/Pennzoil 300. For them, all they could do was to drive fast enough to circulate air through the inside of the car.
Roanoke's Tony McGuire, who entered Saturday's race as the points leader in Late Model, was asked about how to stay cool on the hot day. ``You don't,'' he responded. ``I expect [the track] to be a little slicker. You'll have the oil start coming through on days like this. But it won't be a problem. And it will be the same for everybody.``
The track temperature was about 130 degrees - before anybody took any practice laps. But it wasn't anything drivers hadn't faced before.
``This is hot, but with the air hoses coming into the car, it's not too bad,`` said Chad Harris of Stuarts Draft. ``Last year, when we ran the 250 in the afternoon, the car didn't have air hoses and it got real hot. This car has them built in and we've used them since the first race.``
Seven of the 27 Late Models had tarps over their cars. There would have been more, but the late spring storms that plagued the track had winds that destroyed the top tents of several teams.
``The tent helps out a lot - it feels 15 degrees cooler,`` said Bassett's Ray Young.
And the record heat wave didn't make anybody change his approach to things. Before practice began, Billy Daniel of Rocky Mount was waxing the roof of his Chevrolet.
``It's almost too hot to do this,`` hel admitted. ``You just drink plenty of liquids and let the sweat pour out.``
DRIVER CHANGES: A Wytheville connection was established this week as Boyd Sult became the seventh driver in the past three years to drive the No.88 Oldsmobile owned by Noel Turner.
Sult took over for Randy Ratliff of Oakwood, who had taken over for Tam Tophan of Wytheville. Under the arrangement, Sult is using his engine in the car.
Ratliff is back in his own No.23 Ford. But the Oakwood driver has competed at Lonesome Pine International Raceway in Coeburn the last couple of weeks instead of at NRVS. Ratliff finished second and third in the twin 50s at LPIR on July 8.
Tophan has raced in the Limited Sportsman division.
Last year, Rick Sigmon had the ride the entire year and finished ninth in points. This year, Sigmon has struggled with his new team and is15th.
In 1993, Hank Turman of Indian Valley, Junior Leagans of Wytheville and Carl Daiden of Roanoke took turns in No.88.
Dicky Wilson of Salem is the latest driver to get behind the wheel of the No.1 Pontiac of the Sweeney Brothers from Floyd. Satch Worley, Johnny Rumley and Mike Dillon have all been behind the wheel for big races throughout the region this year - and all have found themselves in accidents.
``I guess they felt sorry for me, with all the bad luck I've had with my car,`` said Wilson, referring to the handling problems of the Emery Collins-owned No.27 Chevy Monte Carlo.
DEBUT TIME: Two big winners from Franklin County Speedway in Callaway made their first appearance at NRVS this year, with mixed results.
Late Model driver Jimmy Mullins of Collinsville qualified 21st of 27 cars. But he stayed on the lead lap the entire race and finished 11th. He has three wins at FCS. Mini Stock driver Chris Martin of Stanleytown qualified 10th (out of 25 cars) but spun twice and ended up 18th, one lap down. He has seven wins at FCS.
MANIC MINIS: The fourth time was the charm as the Mini Stocks tried to start their 25-lap race Saturday.
Debris on the backstretch halted the first start. Then mechanical problems began to plague some of the cars. One restart had to be waved off when the crippled cars couldn't exit the track in time. Trying to slow, the cars bunched, some too close, and the contact left more debris on the track that had to be cleaned up. The fourth try got the green.
ELK CREEK REPORT: John Cecil of Radford won the Trophy Class at Elk Creek Dragway last weekend. He was driving his 1973 Ford.
Arthur Austin of Pulaski was runner-up in the Motorcycle Class to Wytheville's Michael Waller.
Corey King of Pulaski won the Motorcycle competition July 1; Rusty Dunce of Dublin edged out King on July 2.
Rusty Jackson of Pulaski was second in Pro Class July 1; Ralph Hancock of Pulaski was division runner-up July 2. Doug DeSalvo of Radford was a semifinal round winner in Sportsman Class on July 1.
THIS WEEK AT NRVS: The only appearance of the season by the Classic Race Cars will highlight the New River Pontiac/Nissan/GMC 200. The Classic Race Cars are full-scale replicas of the modified cars from the 1930s and 1940s.
The feature will be a 100-lap race for the Late Models. Also scheduled are a 35-lapper for the Limiteds and 25-lap races for the Mini Stocks and Pure Stocks.
Gates open at 1:30 p.m. Practice starts at 3:30. Qualifying gets under way around 6. And the green flag drops at 8. Admission is $10 for adults and $1 for children 12 and under.
text
begin
Input file was 0007 Output file was /asst/dti/0720/pass2/0007
by CNB