ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, April 6, 1996 TAG: 9604080088
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
DATELINE: DUBLIN
SOURCE: CHAD WILLIS STAFF WRITER
Beginning with today's Eagle Country PSK/Pizza Den 100, New River Valley Speedway fans hope the rumble they hear in 1996 will be coming from superpowered racing engines and not the heavens.
Last season, the foreboding booms of thunder and accompanying rains washed out 11 races at the Radford track, leaving speedway owner and promoter Ronnie Snoddy with more headaches than he cares to remember.
"Last year was really tough with all the rain," Snoddy said. "With any luck at all, we won't have to go through that again. We made up five races and lost six. If we just get weather like [Thursday's clear skies and 70 degrees] all season long, I'll love it."
Downpours aside, the new season at the NRV Speedway is shaping up to be one of the most competitive and entertaining seasons in years. Late Model Stock driver Jeff Agnew is gunning for his fifth track title in six years, the popular Legends class is returning for another season and Snoddy has booked numerous special events aimed at promoting the track's family atmosphere.
"We've seen that the Franklin County Speedway is trying to improve its family atmosphere this year," NRV Speedway public relations director Eddie Clark said. "Here at the New River Valley Speedway, we've always felt we had a family atmosphere and we've been proud of that. This year we're adding more events for the fans, and especially for the kids. The kids are the future fans of this sport."
The speedway will hold kids races, for ages 4 to 15, 12 times during the '96 season. Clark said the kids will participate in foot, Big Wheel and bicycle races. The Winston Simulator, a theme-park style simulator, was a big hit with kids and adults alike last season and will return to the NRV Speedway July 6.
"The weekend we had the Winston Simulator here last year we had probably our biggest crowd of the season," Clark said.
Adding to the entertainment in '96 will be an IIWA professional wrestling card on May 31 - featuring Shawsville resident Jimmy "Boogie Woogie Man" Valiant - and the the Allison Legacy Cars on June 1, a Virginia Old Timers class race on Aug. 3 and an Aug. 25 stop by the Mid-Atlantic Modified Tour.
"We've got a lot of things going on here this year, but our biggest day is still July 4th," Clark said. "This year we're going to have fireworks, the Enduro class, a monster truck show and Robbie Dawson, a motorcycle daredevil who says he can jump five monster trucks."
As if the promotions aren't enough for speedway fans, there is still the matter of the main event - the races themselves.
The Late Model Stock division will, as always, be the track's top draw. Agnew's No. 5 car figures to be hotly contested by last season's runner-up car in the points race, the WDBJ No. 7 car of Tony McGuire and third-place finisher Ray Young.
"The Late Model class looks to be really competitive this year," Snoddy said. "Agnew is looking to win another title, the McGuire brothers [Tim and Tony] should be tough, Stacy Compton, who will be driving on the Winston Cup circuit, has committed to five races here. It should be a great season."
The NRV Speedway will also be running the Limited Sportsman, Modified Mini Stock, Mini Stock and Pure Stock classifications this season. Hank Turman (Limited Sportsman), Jimmy Hinkley (Mod-Mini), Wayne Moore (Mini) and Randy Taylor (Pure Stock) stand as the defending points champions in '96.
Clark said the speedway will unveil a new truck classification this year, following the success of last season's NASCAR Supertruck events.
"The new truck division started a little slow at first and the drivers have had some delays in getting ready," Snoddy said. "We're hoping more people will get into it because when we held our show at the New River Valley Mall, a lot of people were interested in it."
The truck class will not be a part of the track's first weekend of racing, but the five traditional divisions will run. Gates open at 1:30 p.m. today with practice beginning at 3:30 and qualifying at 5:45. Following the kids' races, which take place at approximately 7 p.m., the first green flag will wave at 8 p.m. Admission is $10 for adults and $1 for children 12 and under.
1996 NRV Speedway Schedule (see microfilm for schedule.)
LENGTH: Medium: 82 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: ALAN KIM/Staff This year's official pace car of the Newby CNBRiver Valley Speedway is a Pontiac Trans Am, shown making its way
around the track on media day. color KEYWORDS: AUTO RACING