THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, May 21, 1995 TAG: 9505210213
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C2 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY FRANK VEHORN, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: HAMPTON LENGTH: Medium: 68 lines
On a Saturday night when it seemed Phil Warren might not have enough to beat the opposition, the opposition beat itself, allowing Warren to coast to his eighth victory in as many weeks at Langley Speedway.
Warren was running third and enjoying a close-up view of an intense duel for the lead between Bugs Hairfield and Mike Buffkin when the leaders wrecked along the frontstretch.
Buffkin, who started on the pole, had led the opening 17 laps before Hairfield slipped up under him between the third and fourth turns.
Hairfield had the inside groove and was making a strong charge for the lead when the cars bumped tires, sending Hairfield's car over Buffkin's front hood.
The rear of Hairfield's car slammed down into the outside concrete wall. The damage forced him from the race.
Buffkin drove to the pits for repairs, but didn't contend again. He finished fifth.
Warren, meanwhile, shot through the wreckage untouched and led the remaining 83 laps.
He was followed under the checkered flag by brothers Greg and Danny Edwards.
Warren said he saw the two leaders get together off the fourth turn ``and then it was just race car on top of race car.''
Warren said his strategy was to ``stay in the middle of the track and hope they get out of the way before I got there.''
He gave credit to Greg Edwards, who was in his draft, for ``staying on his toes and not running over me when it all happened.''
Hairfield and Buffkin described the incident as ``just racing,'' but Hairfield seemed the most upset.
``I was on the bottom and he was on the top side and I feel he might not have stayed high enough,'' Hairfield said.
``But something like that is just a racing accident. Maybe I didn't stay low enough.''
Buffkin said if the cars had touched fenders instead of tires nothing probably would have happened.
``When the tires rubbed, I saw Bugs go across my hood. It was a scary moment,'' Buffkin said.
``It was a shame. Both of us were running good, and I was confident I could have won.''
Warren said his car wasn't handling as well on the outside of the track as it had previously this year, and he felt Hairfield would have been difficult to beat.
In other races:
Limited Stock points leader Tod Carson was disqualified after winning a special 40-lap feature when inspectors discovered an illegal clutch on his car.
Kevin Adams got the victory. He had finished second despite a slight mechanical problem.
Grand Stock driver James Kenney led all the way to win a 40-lap feature. Bubba Johnston finished second, two car lengths back.
It was Kenney's third win of the season. Norfolk's Roger Bress, a six-race winner this season, started and finished in third place.
Kevin Harrison led all 25 laps for his third straight Mini Stock victory.
Kevin Wagnor stayed safely in front of the action to win the 25-lap Pure Stock feature.
The race was stopped for 10 minutes to clean the track following a multi-car wreck on the third lap. by CNB