Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, July 31, 1995 TAG: 9507310108
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: CHRIS KING STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RADFORD LENGTH: Medium
Agnew outlasted the rain and the rest of the field to capture the 250-lap Late Model feature race in the WDBJ-7 250 Saturday night at New River Valley Speedway. For his efforts Agnew took home $5,000, the largest purse of the year.
For Agnew, the three-time track champion and winner of 24 career races at NRVS, the victory was a long time coming. The Floyd County resident, who captured 11 races last season, hadn't visited victory lane since Aug. 20, 1994. After the torrential downpour, which delayed the start of the race by over two and a half hours, passed there was no doubt about Agnew's dominance.
"We made some adjustments to the front end [after last week's race],'' said Agnew. "The car has never handled this well in the corners. I am tickled to death.''
Agnew opened the race on the pole and avoided the accidents that plagued the race in its early stages. On the race's second lap, nine cars were involved in an accident including Michael Ritch's. He entered the race as the points leader.
In a lap 19 accident, last week's winner, Phillip Morris, had his car damaged severely, and was never a factor in the race. Eighteen of the first 33 laps were run under the yellow flag.
Agnew was oblivious to the struggles of his peers as he steadily pulled away from the field during the first 125 laps of the race. At one point Agnew had a full straightaway advantage on Christiansburg's Ronnie Thomas.
A caution on lap 114 brought the field back together and gave Thomas a chance to catch Agnew before the 125-lap mark, but it was to no avail. After the green flag dropped on lap 117, Agnew resumed command of the race and collected $1,000 from WDBJ for leading the race at the halfway point.
"After we won that $1,000 I said, `Lets try to win this race,''' said Agnew.
After a 10-minute break at the halfway point to allow the drivers to make adjustments, the race took on a different feel. Agnew no longer pulled away from Thomas at will.
Thomas raced nose-to-tail with Agnew and it appeared he had the car to go to the front. But in the end, Thomas' car was slowed by mechanical problems.
"For 50 to 75 laps we were good,'' said Thomas. "But the longer we ran, the looser we got. It is disappointing, because I thought we had a winning car. You have to take your hat off to Jeff. He was the better man tonight.''
Tony McGuire, Rodney Cundiff, Mike Porter, Ray Young and Tim McGuire jousted all night for spots three through six. In the end it was McGuire, of Roanoke, who emerged from the pack and seized third place. Cundiff, of Boones Mill, took fourth, and Porter fifth.
In other races:
Blacksburg's Robert Fain, who started the race third, took the lead on the first lap and captured his first career victory in the 35-lap Limited Sportsman race.
Cascade's Stuart Taylor finished second, and Indian Valley's Hank Turman third.
Madison's Randy Taylor took over the lead when Tommy Allie dropped out of the race with transmission problems and held off the field to capture the 25-lap Pure Stock race.
Randall Custer, of Christiansburg, overtook Dean Young on lap 21 for second place. Radford's Young held on for a third-place finish.
Radford's Wayne Moore started on the outside of the front row and led all 25 laps while capturing the Mini Stock race.
A caution on lap 24 eliminated the lead Moore had forged and reduced the race to a one-lap sprint. On the final lap, Moore held off Robert Cox, of Roanoke, who finished second. The victory was Moore's seventh of the year and fifth in a row.
Rocky Mount's Dennis Worley finished third.
Keywords:
AUTO RACING
by CNB