THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, September 9, 1996 TAG: 9609090128
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C7 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY BRIAN J. FRENCH, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: HAMPTON LENGTH: 38 lines
Unbeknownst to almost everyone at Langley Speedway on Sunday, Mike Buffkin's plan was working to perfection.
Although he appeared to be out of contention at times, Buffkin was biding his time before roaring back to the front for what he called ``one of the biggest wins'' of his career in the 250-lap Late Model main event.
The white flag never flew, confusing almost everyone, but Buffkin knew when he had won.
``I made my pass (on Bob Shreeves in lap 243) and I was driving, and next thing I saw was the checkered.''
Buffkin was well back of the leaders in the first half of the race while conserving his tires, but moved from eighth to first by the halfway point.
After making a tire change, Buffkin again went to his conservative pace, falling back to fourth with 20 laps left before picking up three positions and holding off Shawn Balluzzo by 1 1/2 car lengths.
Balluzzo thought that he had won the race before track officials notified him that he did not.
``I was waiting for the white flag and I didn't see it,'' Balluzzo said. ``I saw the checkered flag, and I thought I won.''
In Saturday's other results:
Trevor Falls made another move toward the top of the Grand Stock standings, winning the 40-lap race. Rhett Bussler was second.
Jerry Scott won from the pole in a Limited Stock race shortened to 20 laps.
Chris Russell won his first Pure Stock race of the season when Woody Vance was disqualified for using rims that were too wide.
Sean Hess took over on lap three to win the 20-lap Mini Trucks event.
Mini-Stock points leader Joe Lupton won his fifth race of the season in an event halted for 20 minutes when Chesapeake's Glenn Smith II was involved in an accident on the frontstretch. He complained of neck and back problems and was taken to Hampton General Hospital as a precaution. by CNB