Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, August 29, 1993 TAG: 9308300257
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: KEVIN KITTREDGE STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RADFORD LENGTH: Long
They say he cheats and he talks too much.
And when Ronnie Thomas wins in the Late Model Stock division at the New River Valley Speedway - which is often - well, what they say is he ought to, by golly.
A guy who raced against Richard Petty. Who was NASCAR's Rookie of the Year back in 1978.
He is the home-town boy who made good. The Christiansburg native who went on to shine, albeit briefly, in stock car racing's major league, the Winston Cup. Thomas, the son of former NASCAR racer Jabe Thomas, has lived in Christiansburg all his life.
If his local roots go deep, so do the roots of resentment at this speedway outside Radford.
Call them the Thomas busters. Or the speedway star's anti-fans.
Whatever you call them, they are here each Saturday night - a very vocal counterweight to his abundant boosters.
Wade into the stands, of course, and you'll find plenty of people who'll tell you Thomas is a decent sort - that he drives cleanly, wins graciously, is kind to old ladies and is a role model for children.
"I've been a fan of his since he drove Winston Cup," said Kathy Williams, referring to the big league of NASCAR racing, where Thomas once made an impressive debut. "He's friendly and talks to you. He doesn't have that attitude like some people do when they're winning."
"Nice person," summed up Dennis Quesenberry. "Shows courtesy to other drivers, too. I'll tell you one thing, if you go to his shop down there [in Christiansburg] to meet him, he'll always greet you with a handshake. He's a gentleman."
Ask track officials, too, about Thomas and they'll point out he attends track promotional events, visits nursing homes and works on soapbox derby cars with kids.
Most of the other drivers at the speedway respect him, said the track's assistant general manager, Karen Sifford. "All but a couple would say he's a very clean driver."
So why do some people hate his guts?
"It's kind of like Dale Earnhardt," Sifford said, referring to the Winston Cup star. "People either like Dale Earnhardt or they don't. You either like Ronnie or you don't."
Stanley Barnett doesn't - and he'll tell you why.
"I don't like him because he's mouthy," Barnett explained on a recent Saturday night.
"Good driver," added nearby Bucky Graham of Thomas, "with a bad attitude. He's had a lot of stuff handed to him."
"He's a good driver. But I think he brags too much," said speedway fan Reanie Aker.
"And," added Aker, "I think something's not quite peachy."
Like, for instance?
"We heard rumors he's using illegal gas," she said.
"Let's put it this way," said her brother-in-law, Shane Aker. "He's the Harry Houdini of racing. He hides a lot."
For the record, one of the track's owners, Ronnie Snoddy, says Thomas probably has the most legal car on the track.
What does Thomas say?
"Do you really think Ronnie Thomas would cheat? Do I look like that kind of guy?" he said. "I'll just leave it at that."
Maybe it comes with the territory.
After all, Thomas, who seems to enjoy his notoriety, had won 11 of 18 races at the speedway this year.
His No. 12 Ford, often seen running far ahead of the nearest contender, is well known to speedway fans. Maybe too well known - especially to those rooting for other drivers.
And though Thomas has won here in the past, he has never been more visible than this season.
Not only has he won more than half the races, but through last Saturday's race (which he won), he had led 54 of every 100 Late Model laps run this year.
Still, it probably goes deeper than that.
Thomas, after all, is the driver racing legend Junior Johnson said was as talented a young driver as he had seen.
He was NASCAR's rookie of the year in 1978 - the year after Ricky Rudd and the year before Dale Earnhardt.
That's the sort of thing that can stick in a short-track fan's craw.
But unlike the other two drivers - both now fixtures on the Winston Cup circuit - Thomas' story after Rookie of the Year honors was one long string of blown engines, disgruntled sponsors and poor finishes.
He never won a Winston Cup race.
Finally, tired of fighting million-dollar racing teams on a macaroni-and-cheese budget, Thomas left the circuit and came home to Christiansburg.
Now 38, the Winston Cup dropout says his fast-track days - Thomas once ran a qualifying lap in Talladega at 202.4 miles per hour - were seldom fun.
In contrast, he calls the New River Valley Speedway "the light of my life."
He says the track where he has raced for the past six years, winning one championship, has helped restore his credibility as a winner.
Thomas - one of the few drivers on this level to make a living from racing - also says he's a lucky man. He thanks his father for introducing him to racing.
He thanks his pit crew for helping him win.
"Ronnie Thomas gets too much credit," says Thomas - a Ricky Skaggs look-alike with gray-flecked, shoulder-length hair and a quick grin.
Lest the word "humble" spring to mind, however, consider that Thomas also says things like this:
"The only problem I've got this year is finding some place to put all my trophies."
He laughed.
"I'm the only driver who's going to say things like that," Thomas said. "But I feel like the track needs someone who is vocal. Like it or not, I'm the man."
Maybe the confidence level explains why the boos don't bother him much.
"I'm very flattered that people would get that vocal over Ronnie Thomas. I look on it as an advantage," Thomas said.
Besides, Thomas added, he knows how all the boo birds really feel about him.
"Deep down they really love me, " he explained. "They just don't want to admit it."
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