Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, July 25, 1993 TAG: 9307250145
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: E8 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: M.J. DOUGHERTY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RADFORD LENGTH: Medium
For the second time in as many weeks, Thomas outraced Rumley in the Late Model Stock Car race at New River Valley Speedway.
Thomas' victory Saturday night came in the 100-lap feature of the Coca-Cola 200.
The victory was the third in four weeks and seventh of the season for the Christiansburg driver.
"Last week, everyone said that we did it with horsepower," Thomas said. "This week, everyone could tell we were handling better. It wasn't just horsepower. It wasn't going all the way to the top [in the turns]. We were going through the corners better. Last week, I earned the victory. Tonight was a little easier."
Rumley added some pressure in the last half of the race. He cut Thomas' lead from about three-fourths of a second on lap 60 to less than half a second just 10 laps later. But that was as close as Rumley could get.
"The car was real loose from the start," Rumley said. "As I got to him, it got looser and looser. I got to him and that was about it. The last 10 laps, the car was so loose I was lucky to be where I was."
Rumley ended up about 1 1/2 seconds behind Thomas.
Thomas, who started from the pole position, took the lead for good after Frankie Pennington, who started from the outside of the first row, got a better jump at the start and moved out front.
Thomas, whose car runs better in the high groove, successfully slipped under Pennington in turn 2 on the third lap.
After that, Thomas opened a lead of several seconds over the rest of the field as cars raced for position behind him. Yellow flags at lap 38 and 52 bunched up the field.
The second caution gave Rumley his opportunity. But he didn't have enough to overtake Thomas.
Stacy Compton held off points-leader Paul Radford for third place. Jeff Agnew took fifth.
In other races:
Charles Miles of Christiansburg found himself out front after the leader was black flagged and six cars got in an accident. Miles made the most of his good fortune, winning the 35-lap Limited Sportsman race. Kevin Sweeney was second and Bo Howell third.
Scott Brawley of Lenoir, N.C., started from the pole and outdistanced the field to win a caution-free 25-lap Modified Mini race by almost five seconds. It was Brawley's seventh victory of the season. Wayne Cassavaugh finished second.
Points-leader and pole-sitter Tony Howell of Christiansburg held off Jay McCray over the last 15 laps and won the 25-lap Mini Stock race. It was the fourth win in the past five races and eighth overall for Howell.
Mike Marion of Fairlawn started from the pole and won all the way in the 25-lap Pure Stock race. It was Marion's first career win on asphalt. Joey Lyons was awarded second place after the two cars that finished ahead of him were disqualified.
Keywords:
AUTO RACING
by CNB