ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, October 6, 1996 TAG: 9610070143
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C10 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: MARTINSVILLE
SOURCE: STAFF REPORT
In any auto race, it's not where you start but where you finish.
That's particularly true of the Taco Bell 300 Late Model Stock Car race Oct. 13 at Martinsville Speedway.
Just ask Tony McGuire of Roanoke. He almost didn't make the 36-car field last year, but still came away as the winner.
McGuire was 65th fastest among 121 drivers in qualifying, so he had to compete in a 25-lap qualifying race. McGuire finished fourth, missing the field for the main event by one spot. But a disqualification moved him into the field in the 29th starting position.
After fighting his way to the front, McGuire held the lead for 66 laps. He was passed by Elliott Sadler with 28 laps to go and finished second, but Sadler was disqualified during the postrace inspection. That gave McGuire the victory and a $25,100 first-place check.
``It was a real flip-flop kind of deal,'' McGuire said, ``but I'll take a Martinsville win any way I can get one. The day started bad, but we got a break and then plugged along and plugged along. We got by some wrecks, raced pretty hard, then got hung up in traffic.
``In the end, though, we won the race and I think we deserved to win it. But it was one hectic day, believe me.''
With more than 100 drivers from tracks around the Southeast entered in the $90,320 event, just making the starting lineup will be a feat. Following practice Friday, the top 20 starters will be determined in time trials starting at 3p.m. Saturday.
The remainder of the field will be determined starting at 12:30p.m. Oct.13 in four 25-lap qualifying races. The top three finishers in each heat, plus four provisional starters, will advance to the main event.
What are McGuire's chances of repeating?
``Good, very good,'' he said. ``We have a good race car for Martinsville and pretty much the same team we've had for six years. It's jelled awfully well and we work together like the good teams always do.
``It's like a [Winston] Cup driver winning the Daytona 500. This is the biggest, richest, toughest and most important Late Model race any of us have ever run, no question. It's the biggest race I've won since I moved to the Late Model [division] in 1988.''
All seats for the Oct.13 races are unreserved and are priced at $25 for adults and $5 for children ages 6-12. The drivers will visit the grandstands for pictures and autographs starting at 11a.m.
LENGTH: Medium: 53 lines KEYWORDS: AUTO RACINGby CNB