THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, July 30, 1995 TAG: 9507300210
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C2 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY FRANK VEHORN, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: HAMPTON LENGTH: Medium: 62 lines
With most of his toughest opponents missing, Phil Warren was able to cruise to one of his easiest victories of the season Saturday night at Langley Speedway.
Warren, NASCAR's Mid-Atlantic Region Late Model Stock points leader, started on the pole and was never challenged. He led every lap to post his 15th victory of the season in the 100-lap feature.
Buddy Malish was second, followed by Charlie Bryant, Jr., the division rookie who won the second race of last week's Twin 75 features.
While it seemed Warren had his Chevrolet Monte Carlo on cruise control through much of the event, he contended that he never had a dull moment.
``I was worried all the way,'' the Norfolk driver said. ``I ran as hard as I had to. Malish was staying right there with me, and I knew how well Bryant ran last week to beat me. I didn't know if they were saving anything or not.''
Warren grew more nervous in the final 10 laps as he felt his car getting loose and then spotted a knot of slow traffic in front of him.
``If the slower cars had stayed in a single line, it wasn't going to be much of a problem,'' Warren said. ``When they got side-by-side, things got exciting.''
But it wasn't anything Warren couldn't handle. He masterfully sidestepped the jam and continued on his way to the checkered flag.
Bryant was the only other previous winner of the season in the field. Eddie Johnson, Greg Edwards and Mike Buffkin all skipped the event.
Bryant, who had the field covered in his victory last week, said his chassis was a little too loose to challenge Warren.
``It was tough night, with the heat and car being a little off,'' Bryant said. ``I thought the car was going to come around, and it was a good car about the middle of the race. But it was just not good enough.
``We are not going to worry about it, though,'' he added. ``We will take third place and go on, but we're not through winning this season.''
In other divisions:
Tod Carson, whose car failed to start for last week's feature, came back with a strong performance to collect his 13th Limited Sportsman victory of the season. Carson started on the pole and was never challenged.
In Grand Stock, Rick Hester thought he had his first victory of the season until he was disqualified in postrace inspection. Track officials said they discovered illegal heads on Hester's engine. John Hicks was declared the winner after finishing second to Hester on the track. Jim Kenney, second in the points, spun on lap 17 and finished seventh. Points leader Roger Bress finished third.
Mini-Stock driver Kevin Harrison, who had a three-race winning streak snapped last week, began a new one by leading all 25 laps. He is the top winner in the division with 10 but trails points leader Jim Adkins by 44 points.
In Pure Stock, Kevin Wagner broke out of a tight duel with points leader Cory Fogelman to win a 25-lap feature. It was Wagner's second eighth victory of the season.
James Adams won the 25-lap race for touring Legends drivers. Former Langley driver Dale Lemonds was seventh. by CNB