THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, April 5, 1996 TAG: 9604050617
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C5 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY FRANK VEHORN, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 75 lines
Buddy Dozier, one of the most exciting drivers at Langley Speedway for several seasons, is being forced to end his driving career.
The decision was made by his doctor, not by Dozier.
Dozier, who has a history of back problems, underwent surgery again during the offseason. This time, the doctor ordered him to stay out of race cars.
``He said if I didn't, and I got hit real hard, I could be paralyzed for the rest of my life,'' Dozier said. ``As much as I love racing, it is not worth that.''
Dozier, 48, figures he has defied the odds as much as he can.
He was told in 1970, after a motorcycle accident, that he probably would not walk again, much less pursue his dream of driving a race car.
But Dozier, with the help of his family, fought back from the injuries and was the 1988 Grand Stock champion at Langley. He was a regular in the Late Model Stock division the last seven years.
Dozier, of Virginia Beach, will remain active at Langley as a car owner. He has signed C.J. Johnson, a young Richmond driver with considerable potential, to drive his car.
TIRE PROBLEMS: A decision by Langley officials to use a different tire in the Late Model Stock division has created problems.
The tire is made of a softer compound, causing it to wear out much quicker than the tire used last year.
All of Langley's Late Model events are 100 laps or longer, and drivers say the tire is good for only about 70 laps. The tire gets it first real test Saturday night in a 100-lap Late Model feature.
Qualifying will begin at 5 p.m., with racing at 7. Features also will be held for Grand Stock, Limited Stock, Mini-Stock and Pure Stock drivers. Rain checks from last week will be honored.
STUDIES FIRST: Chesapeake's Ashton Lewis Jr. will skip the first few Late Model races at Langley to concentrate on his studies at Old Dominion University.
Lewis said he expects to begin racing next month, running both at Langley on Saturdays and at Southside Speedway in Richmond on Fridays.
Lewis, who has entered a few Busch Grand National events the last two years, will concentrate entirely on Late Models this summer. He said the Grand National car is up for sale.
Lewis will graduate from Old Dominion next winter. He plans to go racing full time after that.
NEW RIDE: Phil Warren won 19 races and the Late Model Stock championship in one of the most dominating seasons ever at Langley last year, but the Norfolk driver and his crew didn't take much time off during the winter.
Warren built a brand-new Chevrolet Monte Carlo, which he plans to debut later in the season.
``We are still working with it,'' crew chief Bruce Brierly said. ``It is completely different than the Monte Carlo that Phil drove last year.''
Warren will open the the season with the car that took him to most of his victories last year.
AT SOUTHAMPTON: With last weekend's session rained out, racing teams will get another chance Saturday to prepare for the 1996 season, which is scheduled to open April 13 at the track, located a mile west of Capron.
The track's technical inspection team will conduct safety checks beginning at noon Saturday, with on-track testing scheduled for 2 to 7 p.m. Admission is free.
Meanwhile, the names for the track's weekly divisions have been overhauled: Late Model Sportsman becomes Super Late Model; Sportsman becomes Late Model Stock; Limited Stock becomes Limited Sportsman; Mini-Stock becomes 4-Cylinder Modified, and Hobby Stock becomes Super Stock.
In addition, two new divisions will take their places in the weekly lineup: 4-Cylinder Stock and Pure Stock (last year's semi-regular Enduro class). ILLUSTRATION: Photo
Veteran driver Buddy Dozier will remain active at Langley Speedway
as car owner for C.J. Johnson.
by CNB