Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, September 20, 1995 TAG: 9509200015
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-4 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: CHRIS KING
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
Agnew went into the race 10 points ahead of Young in the competition for the Late Model Stock Car track championship. After winning five consecutive races, the Floyd driver had been steadily losing ground to Young and the race on Sept. 11 seemed as if it would be no different.
With more than half of the 100-lap race complete, Young was comfortably in third place, while Agnew was laboring to hold onto fifth position. Had the race ended then, Agnew would have gone into Saturday's final race with a slim, two-point lead over Young.
But fate would not allow such a finish. Young, who lives in Bassett, developed a fluid leak and the black flag came down, costing him five laps and any chance at the track championship.
After Young's departure from the race, Agnew's car began to run better and he ended up with a third-place finish. Young was relegated to 21st place, which gave Agnew an insurmountable 82-point lead.
The track championship is Agnew's fourth in the past five years. No one else has won the track championship twice in the track's eight-year history.
In other divisions:
Limited: Indian Valley's Hank Turman secured his first track championship with a third-place finish in the double points race. Turman, who won four races on the season, leads Christiansburg's Bo Howell by 94 points going into the finale.
Mini Stock: Radford's Wayne Moore has been on a roll the likes of which has never been seen at the speedway. Moore has won the last 10 races he has participated in and 12 on the season.
This charge has given him a 22-point lead over Floyd's Ray Sowers in the battle for the Mini Stock title. The winner of each race receives 50 points, with the points total decreasing in increments of two. What this means is that Sowers will have to finish 12 spots ahead of Moore (11 spots would tie, but the the first tie-breaker is races won on the season). An unlikely development at best.
Pure Stock: Rookie Randy Taylor has relied on consistency to clinch at least a tie for the class championship. Taylor, who hasn't won a race, is 48 points ahead of Tony Rogers going into the final race.
With a driver guaranteed at least two points for driving in a race, Rogers would have to win the race and hope for a field of at least 25 cars and a last place finish by Taylor, to tie for the track crown. Rogers would be awarded the crown in case of a tie because he has taken the checkered flag this year.
Modified Mini Stock: This is the most competitive class, at least on paper.
Jimmy Hinkley leads K.J. Bishop by a scant six points. Hinkley, who is retiring after the season, was propelled into the points lead by virtue of his victory in the double-points race.
WILKESBORO WINNERS:Last weekend's Late Model Stock Car race at North Wilkesboro Speedway marked the beginning of the big-money season. It also started what could be a very profitable stretch for the regulars at New River Valley Speedway.
The 150-lap race was won by Nathan Buttke. The Randleman, N.C., native used the same car he drove to victory in the last Late Model race held at the speedway.
Positions two through four were dominated by the New River Valley Speedway regulars. In the most surprising result, Phillip Morris, who has won one race this year at the speedway, finished second. The Ruckersville resident qualified third, but his intake has been sent to Daytona Beach, Fla., for further inspection.
The most impressive performance of the day was put on by Christiansburg's Ronnie Thomas. Thomas started the 40-car race 32nd, but maneuvered his way through the field for a third place finish. Considering the quality and quantity of cars in the race, it was nothing short of miraculous.
Thomas was allowed to run with the big carburetor that has been disallowed at New River Valley, but he had trouble with it. Eventually he was forced to use the smaller carburetor.
``Two things cost us this race,'' Thomas said. ``No. 1, we only got one lap to qualify and it takes the Dodge two laps to get up to speed, and No. 2 we were messing with the carburetor and it got the gearing and chassis off. We had to change everything on the car.
``Under the circumstances a win couldn't have been much more gratifying than a third. Twenty-nine spots is a long way to come.''
Agnew finished fourth. Young finished 15th.
Christiansburg's Wilton Cromer was awarded victory in the 50-lap street stock race. Apparent winner Toby Tilley of Winston-Salem, was relegated to a 14th place finish for failing to slow for a caution.
ON DECK: This week marks the end of points-paying races and all classes will be racing.
The featured event will be the 100-lap Late Model race. Also scheduled are a 35-lap Limited Sportsman race and 25-lap Pure, Mini and Modified Mini Stock races.
Gates open at 1:30 p.m. and practice starts at 3:30. Qualifying begins at 6, with racing action starting at 8.
Chris King covers racing and community sports for the New River Current.
by CNB