Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, August 3, 1995 TAG: 9508040001
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-3 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: CHRIS KING
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
The reason for their increasing involvement is the loyalty of the sport's fans - to both the sport itself and to products being pitched a favorite driver. Never was that loyalty more apparent than Saturday night at New River Valley Speedway.
A violent thunderstorm delayed the start time of the featured Late Model race by two hours and 40 minutes, and soaked anyone who didn't have an umbrella, but the majority of the crowd stuck around. Of the estimated 8,500 fans who were there when the storm began roughly two-thirds were around for the 11:40 p.m. start.
True, the prospect of winning the $1,000 that WDBJ-7 gave away was a factor in many decisions to stay. Still, those folks deserve credit. Maybe you had to witness the ferocity of Saturday's storm to truly appreciate the fans who stayed. That loyalty was a key ingredient in WDBJ-7's decision to broadcast races and sponsor a car.
The broadcast Sunday was the fourth race in the last year to be shown by WDBJ-7, which could lead some people to take Late Model racing on television for granted. Don't make that mistake.
New River Valley Speedway is the only track east of the Mississippi River, and possibly the country, to have late model race broadcast live on a network affiliate. The amazing thing about the relationship between WDBJ-7 and the speedway is how quickly it developed.
In 1993 at the prodding of Stephanie Carroll, who is in charge of marketing at the speedway, WDBJ decided to sponsor a car. It picked up from there.
"I had never seen much short track racing," said Jim Shaver, the vice president of operations at WDBJ-7. "We came down here and liked the atmosphere around the track. The caliber of competition here is as good any in the region; we thought it would be fun to try [televising a race]."
The first race won in its time period and production of the event went well, so the station decided to televise a second race, the Chevy Dealer's Shoot-out, worth $10,000 to the winner.
This season two races have been televised with a third to come (the aforementioned Chevy Dealer's race will be broadcast in October). Though plans for next season are not set, both WDBJ-7 and track officials have expressed interest in televising races in the future.
At the very least, the race sponsored by WDBJ-7 will be televised next season and if conditions can be worked out with the track, two or more races could be aired. The potential glitch in next year's schedule is the Chevy Dealer's Shoot-out, which is held on Saturday afternoon.
Beginning in 1996 CBS and its affiliates will be contractually obligated to air a Southeastern Conference or Big East Conference football game on Saturday afternoons. The station will not know until two weeks prior to the game which one it will be carrying.
Poor Ritch: The biggest loser in Saturday's race was Michael Ritch who entered the day leading the chase for the track championship by 10 points over Tony McGuire.
Ritch completed only one lap before being caught up in a nine car accident. The end result: Ritch fell to fourth in the points standings, 34 points behind McGuire who seized the lead with a third place finish. McGuire has accumulated 760 points. Jeff Agnew, who won his first race of the year Saturday, moved into second place with 758 points.
The victory was Agnew's first since Aug. 20, 1994, and it establishes the three-time track champion as the man to beat with seven points-paying races left. Ray Young is in third place with 744 points. Ritch is only four points ahead of fifth place Ronnie Thomas, with 726.
Thomas, whose 56 career victories at the speedway are an all-time high, should not be discounted. The Christiansburg native has finished no lower than second when he has been able to avoid on-track trouble.
SoBo update: Despite rumors of the track's impending demise, action at South Boston Motorspeedway continues. On July 22, Elliott Sadler captured his sixth consecutive race, a track record. The 20-year-old Sadler broke Sam Ard's 13-year-old track record with his last lap comeback.
On Deck: Next week could go along way in determining who emerges with track championship with twin 50-lap late model races, both of which will pay points. Also on tap at the Wade's/Sealtest Gold 200 are a 35-lap Limited Sportsman race and 25-lap Pure Stock and Mini Stock races.
Gates will open at 1:30 p.m., with practice beginning at 3:30. Qualifying begins at 6 with the green flag dropping at 8. Admission is $10 for adults and $1 for children under 12.
One of the reasons for the growing popularity of stock car racing throughout the country is the influence of television and corporate sponsorship.
The reason for their increasing involvement is the loyalty of the sport's fans- to both the sport itself and to products being pitched a favorite driver. Never was that loyalty more apparent than Saturday night at New River Valley Speedway.
Despite a violent thunderstorm that delayed the start time of the featured Late Model race by 2 hours and 40 minutes, and soaked anyone who didn't have an umbrella, the vast majority of the crowd weathered the storm. Of the estimated 8,500 fans who were there when the storm began roughly two-thirds were around for the 11:40 p.m. start.
True, the prospect of winning the $1,000 that WDBJ-7 gave away was a factor in many a person's decision to stay. Still, those folks deserve credit. Maybe you had to witness the ferocity of Saturday's storm to truly appreciate the fans who stayed. That loyalty was a key ingredient in WDBJ-7's decision to broadcast races and sponsor a car.
The broadcast Sunday was the fourth race in the last year to be shown by WDBJ-7, which could lead some people to take Late Model racing on television for granted. Don't make that mistake.
New River Valley Speedway is the only track east of the Mississippi River, and possibly the country, to have late model race broadcast live on a network affiliate. The amazing thing about the relationship established between WDBJ-7 and the speedway is how quickly it developed.
In 1993 at the prodding of Stephanie Carroll, who is currently in charge of marketing at the speedway, WDBJ decided to sponsor a car. It picked up from there.
"I had never seen much short track racing," said Jim Shaver, the vice president of operations at WDBJ-7. "We came down here and liked the atmosphere around the track. The caliber of competition here is as good any in the region; we thought it would be fun to try (televising a race)."
The first race won in its time period and production of the event went well, so the station decided to televise a second race, the Chevy Dealer's Shoot-out, worth $10,000 to the winner.
This season two races already have been televised with a third to come (the aforementioned Chevy Dealer's race will be broadcast in October). Though plans for next season are not set, both WDBJ-7 and track officials have expressed interest in televising races in the future.
At the very least, the race sponsored by WDBJ-7 will be televised next season and if conditions can be worked out with the track, two or more races could be aired. The potential glitch in next year's schedule is the Chevy Dealer's Shoot-out, which is held on Saturday afternoon.
Beginning in 1996 CBS and its affiliates will be contractually obligated to air a Southeastern Conference or Big East Conference football game on Saturday afternoons. The station will not know until two weeks prior to the game which one it will be carrying.
Poor Ritch: The biggest loser in Saturday's race was Michael Ritch who entered the day leading the chase for the track championship by 10 points over Tony McGuire.
Ritch completed only one lap before being caught up in a nine car accident. The end result: Ritch fell to fourth in the points standings, 34 points behind McGuire who seized the lead with a third place finish. McGuire has accumulated 760 points. Jeff Agnew, who won his first race of the year Saturday, moved into second place with 758 points.
The victory was Agnew's first since August 20, 1994, and it establishes the three time track champion as the man to beat with seven points paying races left. Ray Young resides in third place with 744 points. Ritch is only four points ahead of fifth place Ronnie Thomas, with 726.
Thomas, whose 56 career victories at the speedway are an all-time high, should not be discounted. The Christiansburg native has finished no lower than second when he has been able to avoid on-track trouble.
SoBo update: Despite rumors of the track's impending demise, action at South Boston Motorspeedway continues. On July 22, Elliott Sadler captured his sixth consecutive race, a track record. The 20-year-old Sadler broke Sam Ard's 13-year-old track record with his last lap comeback.
On Deck: Next week could go along way in determining who emerges with track championship with twin 50-lap late model races, both of which will pay points. Also on tap at the Wade's/Sealtest Gold 200 are a 35-lap Limited Sportsman race and 25-lap Pure Stock and Mini Stock races.
Gates will open at 1:30 p.m., with practice beginning at 3:30. Qualifying begins at 6 with the green flag dropping at 8. Admission is $10 for adults and $1 for children under 12.
by CNB