THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, August 2, 1996 TAG: 9608020643
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C9 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY BRIAN J. FRENCH, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: 48 lines
Late Model driver Roger Bress was released from Riverside Regional Medical Center on Sunday night after suffering a concussion and bruises in a seven-car wreck last Saturday at Langley Speedway.
Bress, 37, had to be removed from his car with the Jaws of Life before he could be transported to the Newport News hospital.
Bress is recovering at home but is still suffering from blurred vision and headaches, Langley promoter Wayne Wyatt said. Bress also has no memory of the race or the accident.
It is uncertain if or when Bress will be cleared to return to action this season.
HELPING HAND: Craig Eastep finished second in the Late Model race at Langley last Saturday. The finish was his best in 19 years of racing at the track. Surely, it was a cause for celebration.
But his mind was on other things - specifically, Bress' condition.
``We've been friends for a while, and as it turns out, tonight was the first time we weren't next to each other on pit road,'' Eastep said Saturday.
While Eastep and his crew couldn't do too much to help Bress, they were able to help his crew make it to the hospital. Eastep and his crew packed up Bress' car and equipment so the crew could leave for Riverside.
``They really needed to be with Roger right then,'' Eastep said.
TRACKING PROBLEMS: Qualifying at Langley last Saturday was restricted when the asphalt on the inside lane of turn 3 began to crack.
Only the Late Model Stock and Legends divisions could set their fields through time-trial qualifying.
The Grand Stock, Limited Stock, Mini Stock and Pure Stock divisions had to qualify by using the ``pill'' method, in which the points leader pulls an even-numbered pill (from two to 10) out of a hat.
For example: Pure Stock points leader Sam Zoellner pulled a six last Saturday. The field from one to six was determined by the reverse of the season standings (i.e. Zoellner started sixth, Woody Vance, second in the standings, started fifth, and so on). The rest of the field was filled by following the points standings.
Wyatt attributed the cracked asphalt to age and said repaving is planned, but no timetable is set.
The repaving is part of a series of improvements that includes installing new lights. The first of the new lights were in place Saturday.
GO-KARTING: Langley will hold a full slate of Go-Kart racing beginning at 7:30 tonight. All eight divisions will race in the program, which is free and open to the public. by CNB