THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, April 28, 1995 TAG: 9504280615
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY FRANK VEHORN, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 77 lines
Langley Speedway promoter Wayne Wyatt found himself in a ticklish situation recently when some drivers asked if they could accept sponsorship from the proposed Suffolk Speedway, which may be competing with Langley for customers, teams, and possibly even a NASCAR sanctioning next year.
Hey, would Lowe's let HQ advertise in its store? You think the Colonel would invite Hardee's over for a chicken dinner?
Wyatt, though, may have pulled a diplomatic coup when he told drivers, ``Sure, go ahead and put that Suffolk Speedway sign on your car.''
``I wouldn't have done it if the Langley people had disapproved,'' said Phil Warren, the defending Late Model Stock champion at the Hampton track. ``But Wayne told me it would be all right.''
The money Warren receives for putting the Suffolk Speedway name, which is barely visible from the grandstands, on his car will help pay his tire bill.
``That's a big help,'' he said.
The Suffolk Speedway sponsorship is being underwritten by Joe Baldacci, the former Langley promoter who expects to be promoting racing next year at the Suffolk facility. Baldacci also promotes NASCAR races at Southside Speedway in Richmond on Friday nights.
Wyatt, a former driver, knows how much any kind of sponsorship means to race teams and did not want to be put in a position of taki at Langley last Saturday night was not for a race car driver but for Rick Brown, a fan from Virginia Beach.
Brown won $300 in a raffle sponsored by an area rescue team. Instead of accepting the prize, he gave it back as a donation to the rescue team.
AT LANGLEY: Norfolk Late Model Stock driver Phil Warren will be seeking his fifth victory in as many weekends Saturday.
Warren won his fourth consecutive race at Langley last week before Mike Buffkin ended his streak in a second 75-lap feature.
Late Model drivers will compete in the Coastal Homes 100 feature Saturday. In addition, a pair of 25-lap events are scheduled in the Grand Stock division, while Pure Stock, Mini-Stock and Limited Stock drivers compete in 25-lap features. Time trials begin at 5 p.m., and racing at 7.
Enduro racing will be held at the track Sunday. A 125-lap open event is scheduled for 3:30 p.m., followed by a 50-lapper for women.
CHECKERED BEGINNING: Hobby Stock crewman Neal White of Suffolk took advantage of Irvin Stephens Jr.'s visit to Victory Lane last Saturday night at Southampton Speedway to ask track secretary Candy Pittman a very personal question.
``Will you marry me?'' he asked.
After some jumping and screaming, Candy answered, ``Yes.''
AT SOUTHAMPTON: Now that Richard Holmes of Smithfield has set a Limited Stock record with his seventh consecutive victory, his next objective is the all-time track record, set in 1993 by Wade Hollingsworth at nine in the Mini-Stock division.
Races will be run in all five divisions Saturday night. Gates open at 4 p.m., with time trials scheduled 5:45 and the first event at 7.
AT SOUTH BOSTON: Grand National driver Hermie Sadler of Emporia, Va., will return to his roots at South Boston Speedway on Saturday night to compete in a 150-lap Late Model Stock race.
Sadler finished second in the track championship standings in 1992 before moving up to Grand National racing.
He will be competing against his younger brother Elliott, who is a South Boston regular.
Time trials begin at 6:15 p.m., and the first race is at 8.
OTHER TRACKS: Dixieland Speedway in Elizabeth City is hosting Pro Am motorcycles and its regular program of five stock-car events tonight. The opening race begins at 8.
Virginia Motorsports Park at Dinwiddie, near Richmond, will be open tonight, Saturday and Sunday for drag racing. The strip will open at 5 p.m. today for ``test and tune,'' at noon on Saturday for ET Points, and at noon on Sunday for 1/8th-mile races.
East Carolina Motor Speedway in Robersonville, N.C., will run Late Model Stock, Sportsman, Super Stocks, Four Cylinders and Pure Stock races Saturday night. Qualifying begins at 6, and the first feature is at 7:30. by CNB