DATE: Friday, May 23, 1997                  TAG: 9705230912

SECTION: SPORTS                  PAGE: C8   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: FRANK VEHORN

LENGTH: 72 lines

AUTO RACING ROUNDUP SOUTHAMPTON Suspensions to keep 3 Late Model stars from tonight's field

Three of the top four drivers in the Late Model Stock division at Southampton Motor Speedway will be absent tonight when the track holds its biggest race to date, the All-American 200.

Buck Godsey, his son Doug, and Tommy Cherry were given two-week suspensions and fined $250 each because of incidents in last week's race. Buck Godsey is second, Cherry third and Doug Godsey fourth in the championship points standings.

Track officials said the problems began when Cherry and Doug Godsey tangled on the 14th lap. Doug Godsey went to the rear of the field; Cherry pulled into the pits and lost several laps as his crew made repairs.

The two drivers were involved in another collision 10 laps from the finish of the 100-lap race, and Doug Godsey spun into the infield wall on the backstretch. That incident touched off a confrontation in the pits that involved Buck Godsey and members of Cherry's crew.

In addition, the Godseys will lose their spots on the Budweiser Winner's Circle program, which pays previous race winners $50 for each consecutive race they run following their initial victory.

Despite their absences, track officials are expecting a large number of entries for the first 200-lap Late Model race on the paved oval.

They hope to draw drivers from South Boston Speedway and Orange County Speedway in Rougemont, N.C. Neither track is open this week. LANGLEY 3-strikes-and-out rule appears to be working

Langley Speedway promoter Wayne Wyatt seems determined to tighten up his races by reducing the number of caution periods.

Langley last week adopted a rule by which a driver is sent to the pits for the night if he is involved in three incidents that bring out caution flags.

The first victim of the rule was Mike Connor, the Gloucester driver who had completed his first race the week before.

The rule seemed to be effective. There were only seven caution periods in the Late Model race, half of the number the previous week. 2 drivers ready to add names to winners' list

Now that Phil Warren has become the sixth different Late Model Stock winner in six races at Langley, who are the leading candidates to make it seven for seven?

Greg Edwards and Jody McCormick, both former winners at the track, could keep the streak alive Saturday night if they can end the bad luck that has gripped them this season.

Edwards won the pole position for the second time this season last Saturday, but each time an ignition problem prevented him from starting the race.

McCormick, meanwhile, blew an engine in practice last Saturday. He borrowed an engine from Mike Buffkin and crashed into the wall during practice. He was involved in another accident during the race but still finished second.

Another major candidate for victory is Bugs Hairfield, who has left Henry Klich's No. 42 car to drive his own 04 car. DIXIELAND ``Powder Puff Special'' puts women behind wheel

It is not unusual to see female drivers at Dixieland Speedway, where Gwen Pritchard is one of the top competitors in the Minnie Stock division. But there will be more women behind steering wheels than normal tonight when the dirt track holds a ``Powder Puff Special.''

The ladies-only event will be in addition to the regular weekly races.

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