THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, September 13, 1996 TAG: 9609130754
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY BRIAN J. FRENCH, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: 45 lines
The plot thickens . . .
Tony Edwards, controversial Southampton Speedway Late Model Stock driver, originally was scheduled to make his dirt-track return in Saturday's program.
But his long-awaited return will have to wait a little longer.
Track spokesman Gary Daughtrey confirmed that Edwards will not run Saturday, and will not return to action until the non-points East Coast Clash Oct. 11-13.
Edwards had completed his two-race suspension (spanning nearly a month due to weather and the Richmond NASCAR races) for allegedly spinning out rival Speck Edwards during an Aug. 10 event.
Tony Edwards' delayed return likely will end his run at the Late Model crown. He was in a three-way race with Speck Edwards and R.B. Jones before the latest suspension.
Though Tony Edwards has not been on the Capron track during his suspension, his car has. Larry Holloman of Newsoms purchased Tony Edwards' No. 33 Chevrolet, then stuck a new number on the door (No. 83) and a new driver behind the wheel, Chesapeake's Bobby Webb, a former Late Model Sportsman champ at Southampton.
Webb has fared well in his two substitution runs, finishing 12th and third. No word yet on whether he will continue to run in Tony Edwards' place.
ATLANTIC SEABOARD FINALS: Thanks to Richmond, Wes Troup won the 1996 Atlantic Seaboard Late Model title last weekend without ever getting out of his car.
Troup, representing Old Dominion Speedway, clinched the title since the Manassas track did not run a Late Model race due to the Richmond NASCAR program. Rules specify that a driver can't lose ground in NASCAR regional points if their home track does not run a race, so Troup was set with a championship points rating of 0.839.
South Boston Speedway's B.A. Wilson was second for the region at 0.783. Langley's Mike Buffkin moved within .005 points of Wilson after his 250-lap win on Sunday.
MINI STOCKER OK: Chesapeake's Glenn Smith II has been diagnosed with a strained lower back sustained in an accident last week.
Smith and Jeff Falk spun out after touching near the start-finish line with six laps to go, and Smith hit the pit road wall. The race was stopped for about 20 minutes while emergency personnel pulled Smith from the car. by CNB