THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, June 3, 1994 TAG: 9406030920
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C5 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY FRANK VEHORN, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: 940603 LENGTH: Medium
Since the start of the season, nine drivers have scored their first-ever victories at the 3/8th-mile, high-banked clay oval on Highway 58 near Capron.
{REST} The new winners include Late Model Sportsman drivers Earl Sawyer of Portsmouth and Greg Hubbard of Cobbs Creek, Va.; Sportsman driver Clyde Glenn of Dinwiddie, Va.; Limited Stock driver Chuck Gardner of Franklin; Mini Stock drivers Kendall Barnes of Sedley, Va., Jimmy Day of Boykins, Va., and David Fowler of Franklin; and Hobby Stock drivers Chuck Perry and Howard Bradshaw, both of Carrsville, Va.
Meanwhile, Franklin's Vic Story has driven to his first Sportsman victory at the track this season. Story had one previous Limited Stock win in 1992 before moving up to the Sportsman class in 1993.
The track, which is in its third year of operation, will reach a new milestone Saturday night when it records the 10,000th lap of competition in feature events.
On Saturday's schedule are 25-lap features for Mini Stock and Limited Stock drivers, a 20-lap Hobby Stock feature, a 30-lap Sportsman feature, and a 40-lap Late Model Sportsman race.
Time trials begin at 5:45 p.m., followed by qualifying heat races.
WINNING ISN'T EVERYTHING: The next new face to show up in victory lane at Langley Raceway in Hampton may be Buddy Malish.
Malish has yet to win this season at the NASCAR track, but his consistency in finishing close to the front has him on top of the Late Model Stock championship standings.
Malish, of Hampton, leads second-place Phil Warren of Norfolk by 28 points and third-place Greg Edwards of Poquoson by 36 points. Warren has one victory and Edwards collected his second win last Saturday.
Late Model Stock drivers will compete in a 100-lap feature Saturday night. Other races will be held for Grand Stock, Limited Stock, Mini Stock, Pure Stock, and Kart divisions.
Time trials begin at 5 p.m., with the first race scheduled for 7.
The track also will be open Sunday for a pair of Enduro events, beginning at 3:30 p.m.
DATE SET: The National Hot Rod Association has scheduled a national championship event at the new Virginia Motorsports Park in Dinwiddie for June 2-4, 1995.
NHRA national races are to drag racing what Winston Cup races are to stock car racing, and often attract more than 125,000 fans for the 3-day competition.
The Virginia Motorsports Park event will be one of only 19 major races on the NHRA schedule, and is the first new championship event added since 1989.
The motorsports facility had its grand opening last week. by CNB