
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, July 11, 1993                   TAG: 9307110159
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: E11   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: BRIAN DeVIDO STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RADFORD                                LENGTH: Medium

PRILLAMAN 1ST TO FLAG AT NEW RIVER VALLEY

Kenny Prillaman slumped on the pit wall at the conclusion of Saturday night's 100-lap Late Model feature at New River Valley Speedway. He was relieved about finally being able to find a place to rest his sweat-soaked body.

Prillaman won his first race of the season, holding off Paul Radford's attempts to pass him on the last laps of the Wicker Basket Outlet 200.

Prillaman's game plan seemed simple enough.

"I just wanted to stay in front of everybody," he said, laughing.

Prillaman took the lead on the 44th lap from Ronnie Thomas, after Thomas was black-flagged for an excessive oil leak.

Frankie Pennington led for the first four laps, then was black-flagged on the fifth lap for jumping the start of the race. Since Prillaman was in second at the time, he moved into first.

Thomas took the lead from Prillaman on the 12th lap and led by four seconds before he received the flag.

"This cost us an easy, easy win tonight," Thomas said. "They'd better call me Santa Claus after tonight. I gave em' all a gift."

Radford started in 11th but worked his way to the front and passed Brad Teague on the 72nd lap to move into second place. Despite several attempts on the corners, he couldn't pass Prillaman.

"He had me on the corners," Prillaman said. "I had to keep him from getting under me."

Radford hasn't been happy with his qualifying times in the past month. He's started between the 10th and 17th spots the last four weeks.

"I'm getting tired of starting way back there," he said. "I was working better on the corners, but I was losing on the track."

Teague finished third, Dick Goodwin was fourth and Jeff Agnew finished fifth.

In the other races:

Kenny Montgomery took the lead from Charlie Miles on the inside of turn 2 on the last lap as he won by a hair in the 35-lap Limited Sportsman race. Miles finished second, Rick Cook took third and Ronnie Byrd was fourth.

Tony Howell started from the pole and led all the way as he held off Jay McCray to win his third consecutive 25-lap Mini Stock race.

Grump Wills took the lead from Tommy Allie on the inside of turn 4 on the 20th lap as he won his 10th Pure Stock race this season. Allie finished second, Robbie Cundiff was third and Mike Marion was fourth.

Dale Sutphin took the lead with two laps to go as he won the 25-lap Modified Mini race. Scott Brawley was black-flagged on the 23rd lap because his exhaust pipe was sticking out too far. Jimmy Hinckley finished second.

Keywords:
AUTO RACING

by CNB