Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, August 2, 1993 TAG: 9308020041
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B5 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: M.J. DOUGHERTY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RADFORD LENGTH: Medium
After all, the Christiansburg driver had to start sixth because he had won the first Late Model Stock Car race in the Hoechst Celanese 300 at New River Valley Speedway. He fell back to eighth in the early stages of the race because of a blistered tire. Thomas even ran in the low groove.
But when the checkered flag dropped early Sunday morning on the second race, which went 104 laps because of a late caution period, the result was typical. Thomas had won again.
"We had to run the blistered tire or start at the back," said Thomas, refering to the tire rules in effect for the doubleheader. "But it seemed like as it [the tire] got hotter, the car handled a little better."
Thomas started moving up in the field at about the same time Rodney "Six Pack" Cundiff dropped off the lead. Cundiff jumped in front at the start. But on a yellow flag on lap 23, he pitted because it seemed one of his rear tires was going flat. The tires were fine, but the lead was lost to Frankie Pennington.
Much of Thomas' catch-up work came in a 10-lap span when he jumped from fifth to second. On lap 39, Thomas appeared on the scoreboard for the first time in the race as he moved into fourth. Two laps later, he slid around the points leader, Paul Radford, into third. Then on lap 48, Thomas went under Johnny Rumley into second place.
"I ran low because I had to get around so many cars," said Thomas, who has won four consecutive races and nine events this season. "I don't like to run down there because we go a little bit slower. I had to pass people down there tonight. Then I didn't have any straightaway [speed] advantage."
Once Thomas moved behind Pennington, it was only a matter of time before the lead changed hands. Thomas started applying pressure on lap 50. After a dozen laps, he moved around the outside of Pennington in turn 2.
"Ronnie was just too strong in the center [of the turns]," Pennington said.
Pennington was strong enough to stay in second the rest of the race. Kenny Prillaman took third. Chris Diamond recovered from a spin on the first lap, which put him one lap down, to finish fourth. Rumley ended up fifth.
Thomas' sweep of the doubleheader also significantly improved his chances of winning the track championship. With Radford finishing seventh and sixth in the two races, Thomas gained 22 points and now trails 378-350 with five races remaining, including the season-ending double-points event.
Scott Brawley continued his mastery in the Modified Minis. Brawley won his 12th pole and led every lap en route to his eighth victory. Dale Sutphin finished second.
Pure Stock driver Brian Chinault of Draper was treated and released from Radford Community Hospital on Saturday night. Chinault suffered a neck injury when his car hit the outer wall and ricocheted to the inside retaining wall. He was cut out of his car as a precautionary measure, necessitating a half-hour delay.
Keywords:
AUTO RACING
by CNB