Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, August 7, 1995 TAG: 9508080026
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-5 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: CHRIS KING STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RADFORD LENGTH: Medium
Agnew captured both twin 50-lap Late Model Stock Car races, and seized control of the chase for the track championship, at Saturday night's Wade's/Sealtest Gold 200.
Though he eventually emerged victorious in both races, Agnew took different routes in capturing his second and third wins of the season. The evening's first Late Model Stock Car race featured Agnew and Roanoke's Tony McGuire bumping each other around the track in an attempt to gain position.
Agnew led the race's first 13 laps from the pole, but was relegated to second place when McGuire bumped his way into the lead. The pair continued to engage in a hard racing duel until lap 34 when Agnew, after tapping McGuire in turn 2, retook the lead.
McGuire, intent on regaining the lead, immediately tried to get by Agnew, and on turn 2 of lap 35 nudged the Floyd driver in the rear bumper. Unfortunately, the bumping between the two indirectly led to an accident behind them that forced the race temporarily to be red flagged. In the melee, Michael Ritch and Ronnie Thomas were knocked from the race.The end result of this melee was the elimination of Micheal Ritch and Ronnie Thomas from the evening's racing due to no fault of their own.
When racing resumed McGuire promptly blew an engine, which allowed Agnew to waltz to victory.
``Me and Tony had a pretty rough run,'' said Agnew. ``He got underneath me and got me sideways, and I returned the favor. It's to bad he blew an engine or we could have done it a few more times. It was just racing the way it should be.''
Bassett's Ray Young finished second, and Chad Harris, of Stuarts Draft, had a career-best third-place finish.
If the action between Agnew and McGuire was racing the way it should be, then the second segment was racing the way it shouldn't be. Salem's Kenny Prillaman took the checkered flag for what appeared to be his second career victory at NRVS, but his car was unable to pass the post-race inspection.
NASCAR officials disqualified Prillaman for a carburetor that was too large. The disqualification left the results of the second race looking very similar to the first.
Agnew was awarded the victory, and Young finished second. Ruckersville's Phillip Morris finished third.
The most important development of the evening was the shake up in the chase for the track championship. Agnew, who arrived at the track two points out of first place, left the speedway with an 18-point cushion over second place Ray Young.
McGuire, who was atop the standings heading into the race, now resides in third place, 46 points off the pace. Ritch and Thomas' hopes for a track championship were dimmed when neither was able to field a car in the second race. Both are over 100 points behind Agnew.
Tim Dahm led all 25 laps and edged Royce Peters by a 11/2 car lengths to capture the Legends race. Tam Topham of Wytheville finished third and Dwayne Marshall was fourth.
Topham, in his second race of the day, led every lap of the 35-lap Limited Sportsman while winning his first career race at NRVS.
The only person who seemed to have a chance to challenge Topham was Hank Turman, and that threat was removed when Turman spun on lap 20. Narrows' Mark Akers finished second, Bruce Brown of Rocky Mount took third and Salem's Jay McCray was fourth.
Randy Bell, of Galax, held off Floyd's Ray Sowers to capture the 25-lap Mini Stock race. Bell sat on the pole and led every lap. Radford's Kevin Kenley finished third, and Marty Moore of Radford was fourth.
Randall Custer of Christiansburg inherited his first win at NRVS when Grump Wills was disqualified in the 25-lap Mini Stock race. Custer took over what would prove to be first place when he passed Christiansburg's Joey Lyons on lap seven. Tommy Allie of Christiansburg finished second, Lyons third, and Roanoke's Sam Sayers crossed the line fourth.
Keywords:
AUTO RACING
by CNB