THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, July 2, 1995 TAG: 9507020213
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C2 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY FRANK VEHORN, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: HAMPTON LENGTH: Medium: 64 lines
Phil Warren used a lightning-quick pit stop and a wet track Saturday night at Langley Speedway to win a rain-shortened, 225-lap Late Model Stock race.
The scheduled 250-lapper was stopped following lengthy delays caused by reappearing rain showers.
It was the 12th victory of the season at the 0.395-mile oval for Warren, who celebrated his 37th birthday on Friday.
Speedway officials tried their best to squeeze in all 250 laps but finally surrendered when rain began falling again after an hourlong drying process.
Warren was flagged the winner, followed by Bugs Hairfield and Eddie Johnson, who were disappointed they did not have an opportunity to race Warren for the win.
``They never should have stopped it,'' Hairfield said. ``I think the track was good enough to get in the final laps until they slowed us down again at the end.''
After an hour delay, the race restarted on lap 195 but went back to caution five laps later when rain reappeared. The cars ran three more laps under caution and stopped long enough for a crewman to dry the windshields. They went back to racing for two laps before the rain reappeared a final time.
Warren, who was in the lead during the stops, told officials he did not think the track was dry enough to resume racing.
``I guess if I were in the lead, that is what I would have said, too,'' Hairfield said. ``But Phil could drive this track with the lights turned out.''
Warren said the biggest problem was rain collecting on the windshield and creating a glare that made it hard for him to see. The cars do not have windshield wipers.
``I am sure Bugs is disappointed, and I would have felt the same if I had been in second place,'' Warren said. ``I have lost races like this, so I don't mind winning one like this.''
Johnson, who had won three of his last four starts at Langley, started on the pole and led 10 laps before Warren took his first lead.
Warren stayed out front for 43 laps until his car got loose, dropping him to third behind Johnson and Hairfield.
Warren regained the lead in the pits on lap 141 when the leaders pitted under caution for fresh tires.
``That was great work by my crew. They deserve the credit. I came in third and went out first with a better handling car,'' Warren said.
The race was stopped because of rain on lap 158 and and did not go back to green until an hour later, on the 195th lap.
``The crew made some adjustments during the stop that made the car a lot better. I think I could have won if the race had gone all the way,'' Warren said.
The Limited Stock and Pure Stock races, scheduled to follow the Late Model Stock feature, were canceled.
In other divisions:
Grand Stock points leader Roger Bress credited his 11th victory of the season to ``pure luck'' after winning the 40-lap feature. Bress assumed the lead two laps from the finish when leader Jim Kenney spun in front of him.
In Mini Stock, Kevin Harrison rolled to an easy victory in a 25-lap feature. Points leader Jimmy Adkins finished second, several car lengths behind. by CNB