ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Monday, May 13, 1996 TAG: 9605130116
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-4 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: RADFORD
SOURCE: CHAD WILLIS STAFF WRITER
THE BOONES MILL driver wins at NRVS after Agnew is sent to rear of field.
Rodney Cundiff picked up his first win of the season at the New River Valley Speedway, taking the checkered flag in Saturday's X-Press Markets/Valley Rich 100 Late Model Stock race.
Cundiff's victory snapped Jeff Agnew's four-race win streak and was the first win for the Boones Mill resident since last October's New River Valley Chevy Dealers 250.
``It feels good to get another win and to be the person to break Jeff's streak,'' Cundiff said. ``The car ran really good tonight, and it seemed to get stronger after the first 10 or so laps.''
While Cundiff was occupied up front for most of the night with pole-sitter Clay Highberger, Agnew was charging from the back of the pack.involved in a one-man performance of Tenneyson's ``Charge of the Light Brigade.''
Agnew, who qualified first, was sent to the rear of the starting grid when track officials discovered his vehicle was 10 pounds lighter than the mandatory 3,200-pound minimum.
``It's disappointing that we had the mix-up on the amount of gas we had,'' Agnew said. ``It may have cost us the win, but putting me at the back was a fair decision, I guess.''
With a sense of urgency, Agnew tore through the field quickly, moving up to 10th position by lap 16 and sixth by lap 34. Finally, on lap 63, Agnew went by Highberger and assumed second place.
``We knew [Agnew] was coming,'' third-place finisher Chad Harris said. ``My guys were radioing to me he was coming, then he was just there. He was really strong.''
Agnew caught Cundiff on lap 90, but the leader was able to hold off a pass attempt in turn 2. Three laps later, Agnew tried an inside move in turn 4 that was once again spurned by Cundiff.
``I was getting a little loose late in the race and that allowed Jeff to catch me,'' Cundiff said. ``I was just thinking, `If I can stay low then I can hold on.'''
Cundiff held his inside line, and with the help of slower traffic the final four laps, crossed the finish line ahead of Agnew.
Highberger finished fourth after leading 15 laps early in the race. Phillip Morris finished fifth.
In the 35-lap Limited Sportsman race, Tam Topham of Wytheville won his fourth straight race, outdueling defending track champion Hank Turman. Eddie Walls crossed the line second.
Christiansburg's Tommie Allie picked up his third victory of the season, winning the 25-lap Pure Stock race. Allie overtook leader Ducky Phillips on lap 22.
Tony Rogers finished second following a disqualification to apparent runner-up Randall Custer. Ronnie Vaught was third.
Wayne Moore of Christiansburg captured the crash-marred 37-lap Mini Stock race. Kevin Light came in second and Paul Vaught finished third.
In the season's first running of the Legends class, featuring five-eighths scale versions of late 1930s race cars, Larry Hollifield picked up the victory. Dwayne Marshall finished second and Myron Irvin placed third.
LENGTH: Medium: 64 lines KEYWORDS: AUTO RACINGby CNB