Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, May 14, 1990 TAG: 9005130206
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C9 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JEFF MOTLEY SPECIAL TO THE ROANOKE TIMES & WORLD-NEWS
DATELINE: DUBLIN LENGTH: Medium
Finley overcame several bumping incidents to win the 100-lap NASCAR Dash race, and Reedy led all the way to take the 50-lap Late Model Stock race Saturday night.
Finley, from Huntsville, Ala., cut a tire as he challenged for the lead late in last year's race. This time, it was the misfortune of others that led to his victory.
Robert Huffman took the lead from last year's winner, Larry Caudill, by sending him spinning in turn four on the 58th lap.
Finley and Huffman matched paint jobs 12 laps later before Huffman pulled ahead. They bumped again 20 laps later, and this time Finley won the battle. He was aided by a flat tire on Huffman's car.
"I figured if he could bang me a little, then I could bang back," Finley said. "But when he had the flat tire there wasn't much else I could do. But I don't care about the bumping. I enjoy that kind of racing."
Another key for Finley was that he wasn't totally unfamiliar with the track.
"My home track in Huntsville is just like this one," said Finley, who won on the circuit for the first time this year. "I like running here because it isn't hard to adjust at all."
Finley was the 1989 Charlotte/Daytona Dash national champion, but wrecked his car at Daytona earlier this year and was making only his second start of the season.
In the LMS race, Reedy won for the third time in four tries by almost a quarter-lap over his nearest challenger.
Reedy, who leads the Mid-Atlantic region points race, started on the pole and let the rest of the drivers play right into his hands.
"I had hoped that Tony [McGuire], Ronnie [Thomas] and Clay [Highberger] would battle for that second spot so I could pull away," said the Roanoke driver. "That's exactly what happened."
Christiansburg's Thomas finished second and Salem's Highberger was third.
Track points leader Mason Ayers cruised to an easy Street Stock victory, and Salem's Kenny Prillaman won by half a lap in the Mini Stock race.
Keywords:
AUTO RACING
by CNB