Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, August 10, 1995 TAG: 9508100025
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-3 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: CHRIS KING
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
The Floyd County driver has gone from struggling to find his niche with a new car, and hanging around the chase for the track championship, to being the heavy favorite. Agnew made adjustments to his car, resulting in improved handling in the corners, and since then has captured three straight races (the third came Saturday when Kenny Prillaman was disqualified for having an illegal carburetor.)
With his recent hot streak, and the woes of several top contenders, Agnew has accumulated an 18-point lead over second-place Ray Young in his pursuit of the track title. If Agnew garners this year's crown, it will his fourth in the eight-year history of the track.
"We are pretty tickled with the way the car is running," Agnew said after Saturday's race. "We have got a good motor, and the car is handling real well."
While Agnew may have his car handling well, three of his closest competitors were unable to keep their cars on the track Saturday night. That may prove to be the difference in this year's title chase. Tony McGuire entered the race in first place, two points in front of Agnew, but finished 18th after blowing an engine in the first race.
In the second race, McGuire drove Butch Isom's car to a ninth-place finish, which allowed him to keep his championship hopes alive. If McGuire captures the title, he will owe a debt of gratitude to Isom, who allowed the Roanoke native to get 34 points in the race. McGuire remains within striking distance in third place, 46 points behind.
While McGuire was able to find a ride for the second race, Michael Ritch and Ronnie Thomas were not as lucky. Both had their cars destroyed in an accident in the first race. Ritch finished 18th and Thomas 19th, and neither was able to find a ride for the second 50-lap segment.
The accident was particularly frustrating for Ritch, who was knocked out of a race for the second consecutive week for reason'Currently tThe High Point, N.C., native is 116 points behind Agnew.
The result was disheartening for Thomas as well. The Christiansburg driver has been the track's dominant driver when he has avoided trouble, but all too often he has been caught up in accidents caused by other people. Thomas is 122 points off Agnew's pace.
With only five points-paying races remaining, Agnew's closest competitor is Basset's Ray Young. Young finished second in both of Saturday's races and is 18 points out of the lead.
For Young to make a run at the title he will have to put the car in victory lane, something he has yet to do this year.
Accident Report: Tim McGuire missed Saturday night's races because of a crash in practice. McGuire lost his right front tire and slammed violently into the wall in turn four.
McGuire was taken to Radford Community Hospital, were he was treated and released with no serious injuries, according to a hospital spokesman.
In an accident even more violent in appearance than McGuire's, Boyd Sult hit the turn-four wall in almost the same spot. The front end of Sult's car practically disintegrated. Sult walked away from the accident.
Harris & Highberger: Chad Harris has enlisted the help of Clay Highberger to join the elite at the top of the LMSC field at NRVS.
Highberger previously had been working with Ray Young. He will work with Harris on chassis adjustments and the finer points of NRVS. This is only Harris' second year of racing on a paved track, and he felt Highberger's experience at NRVS, as both a crew member and a driver, would be invaluable.
"This is his third week with us, and he has already made a lot of difference," said Harris, a Stuarts Draft native. "We have had trouble handling all year, and Clay is helping us with that. He has fit in like a piece of the puzzle."
Harris recorded a third-place finish in Saturday's first LMSC race - a career best at NRVS.
No Moore: After winning six races in a row, and eight overall, it appeared as if nothing would stop Wayne Moore.
Maybe nothing on the track would have stopped him, but his behavior did. Moore has been suspended by NASCAR until Aug. 16 for action detrimental to racing, verbal abuse of track officials and threatening track officials with bodily harm. In addition to the suspension, Moore was fined $200 and must pay the fine before returning to action.
Wayne's brother, Marty, also was suspended for conduct detrimental to racing and being involved in an altercation in the pits. Marty Moore was fined $100 and suspended until the fine was payed. He payed the fine before Saturday night's race.
The Moore'of whom are from Radford, are on probation until Dec. 31, 1995.
On Deck: Next week at NRVS is the Pepsi-Cola 200, which also will be NASCAR souvenir night. The feature race will the 100-lap LMSC race.
Also on the card will be an Enduro race, in addition to the Limited, Pure and Mini Stock races.
Gates open at 1:30 p.m., with practice beginning at 3:30. Qualifying starts at 6:30, and the green flag to start the racing will drop at 8.
Chris King covers racing and community sports for The Roanoke Times' New River Valley bureau.
by CNB