THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, April 26, 1996 TAG: 9604260653
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C3 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: AREA RACING REPORT
SOURCE: BY FRANK VEHORN, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 59 lines
Perhaps no driver at Langley Speedway greeted the new season with more anticipation than Rhett Bussler, a rising star in NASCAR's Grand Stock division.
But after only two races there might not be a more frustrated driver than Bussler, a Navy enlisted man who shattered his right ankle last week while trying to assist the crew of a plane that crashed near Oceana.
It could be several weeks or months before the ankle mends, but Bussler is determined not to allow the injury to spoil his plans to compete for the track title this season.
Despite having surgery on the ankle, Bussler showed up at Langley last Saturday night on crutches and started the Grand Stock race to collect championship points.
As planned, he stayed in the car for only two laps before turning it over to crew chief Buck Buchanan.
Bussler says he will be back in the car Saturday night.
``This (injury) is a setback, but I have every intention of going for the championship,'' Bussler said. ``I'll just have to work around it.''
Bussler feels he owes it to his new sponsor, Subway, and car owner Henry Klich to not permit the injury to ruin the season.
``The people at Subway are 1,000 percent behind me, and they have given me one of the best sponsorships at Langley,'' Bussler said.
After last week's aborted run, Bussler is eighth in division points, 30 behind leader John Hicks.
LANGLEY SCHEDULE: Pure Stock and Mini Stock drivers will be inactive Saturday to make room for a couple of touring divisions.
Visiting drivers will compete in a 50-lap Modified feature and a 25-lap Legends feature.
Also scheduled: a 100-lap Late Model Stock feature, a 40-lap Grand Stock race, and a 25-lap Limited Stock race.
Qualifying begins at 5 p.m., followed by the first race at 7.
Two Enduro races are scheduled on Sunday, beginning at 3:30 p.m.
RICHMOND FLAP: While tires have been the hot topic among Langley's Late Model drivers, the dispute raging at Southside Speedway in Richmond is over carburetors.
Eddie Johnson, whose Ford gets to use a larger carburetor, has won three of four races. Some drivers now are talking about boycotting. Johnson's big carburetor created a similar stir at Langley a couple of years back.
AT SOUTHAMPTON: Six feature races are scheduled Saturday at Southampton Speedway in Capron. Competition will include a 35-lap Super Late Model race, a 30-lap Late Model Stock race, and 25-lap races for Limited sportsman and 4-cylinder Modified/Stock drivers.
A pair of 20-lap races are scheduled for the Super Stock and Pure Stock divisions.
Time trials begin at 5:45 p.m. and heat races at 7. by CNB