Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, July 27, 1994 TAG: 9408120028
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV3 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: M. J. Dougherty
DATELINE: RADFORD LENGTH: Long
Chronic back problems got the best of the Christiansburg driver. That was something the competition had been unable to do this season.
``I want to be able to get out while I can still walk,'' Hinkley told the crowd a couple of weeks ago when he announced his retirement after winning the Modified Mini Stock race at New River Valley Speedway.
That retirement became official this past weekend. Thus, Hinkley wasn't in the specially modified Ford Thunderbird he and car owner John Kytchen created this winter.
``Jimmy was a real driver,'' said Kytchen. ``He hated to give it up.''
For the first part of the season, Hinkley dueled fellow Christiansburg driver Tony Howell for supremacy in the Modified Minis.
By winning his last race, Hinkley retired with the edge in the points standings 304-302.
For the season, Hinkley won two races and three poles.
This week, K.J. Bishop moved from Kytchen's other car to take over the Thunderbird. He finished fifth.
Chris Price, Kytchen's grandson, drove Bishop's old ride and took ninth place in his first race.
This is the second straight season Hinkley has been forced out by problems. Last year, back problems forced Hinkley out of the car in late July.
Although he didn't win a race in 1993, consistent finishes had moved Hinkley to second in the points race. He still ended up fourth despite missing the last two months of action.
TELEVISION WARS: WDBJ has a Late Model new driver - or will have one this week.
The Roanoke television station has moved its sponsorship to Roanoker Tony McGuire, after deciding to end its relationship with Ronnie Thomas of Christiansburg.
This week will be the first that McGuire's car will fly the banner for Channel 7. And the upcoming race happens to be the week WDBJ telecasts three races - two Late Model 100-lappers and the Limited 35-lapper - from New River Valley Speedway.
Thomas has been plagued by bad luck and bad performances all season. Coming off a 12-victory season, Thomas' best finish this year is a third place. And the only time he ran out front this season, leaking fluids forced him out of the race.
Two weeks ago, Thomas qualified poorly and left the track without racing. He then decided he needed to start from scratch and build a new car. That decision made it doubtful Thomas would be ready for the televised race. And that led to WDBJ seeking another car to fly its banner.
In selecting McGuire, Channel 7 has one of the hottest Late Model drivers at New River. He has won three of the last five races, including last week's race.
Ironically, the new sponsor puts McGuire into competition with his older brother, Tim, in another arena. Tim is sponsored by another Roanoke television station, WSLS Channel 10.
PURE WINNING: Tommie Allie got back on the winning track last weekend. That made it seven for the season in eight starts and 12 victories out of his last 13 races.
But while Allie is solving the competition, he hasn't been able to solve an overheating problem.
And when the car all but overheated two weeks ago, keeping the Christiansburg driver from winning, he knew something had to be changed.
``Every week it would get a little higher - 210, 215,'' said Allie. ``Finally it got to 245. So we put a new radiator - a four-coil - in it this week. It's down to about 220. But it's not where it should be. But we don't have any sheet metal damage [to repair], so we've got all week to work on it.''
BO TO BE BACK: Bo Howell said Saturday his Chevrolet is just a couple of weeks away from being ready to make the jump to the Late Models.
Howell expected to get the car back from the paint shop this week. After that, he just has to put it back together and fine-tune the car.
Saturday, Howell will be racing in the Chrysler he drove to a ninth-place finish two weeks ago. He might bring the Chevrolet to test during practice, depending on how much work he gets done on the car during the week.
INVERTED FIELD UPDATE: The front of the field for the Pure Stocks, Mini Stocks and Modified Minis were inverted. The top four qualifiers were flip-flopped in Mini Stock, the top eight in the other two classes.
The result - the fastest qualifier won in Mini Stock, Gene Duncan, and Pure Stock, Allie, while the second quickest qualifier captured the Modified Minis, Tony Howell. Those three drivers also just happen to lead their respective divisions in victories.
Track officials are considering eliminating the ``8''-ball from the possible choices for inverting the field.
If that comes about, only the top four or six cars would be inverted, depending upon what number the pole-winner draws before the race.
Not all the drivers are happy with the inverted starts, even if they don't seem to be having much of an effect on the results.
Third-place finisher Aaron Deplazes was short with his post-race comments after the Pure Stock race. The Newport driver said he was tired of qualifying fast and getting sent to the back.
Deplazes had the second-fastest qualifying run, which put him seventh on the starting grid after the top eight qualifiers switched places.
EN FUEGO: Junior Leagans six-cylinder racer was on fire in the Limited Sportman race - first figuratively then literally.
Making his first appearance since blowing an engine in mid-June, the Max Meadows driver won the pole.
When the green flag dropped, Leagans and Rock Harris, who started on the outside, battled for the lead for the first half of the 35-lap race.
Then Leagans appeared to have trouble with his car staying in gear, and he settled into second place.
However, with 10 laps to go, Leagans pulled onto pit road as flames were coming from underneath the car.
The brief fire didn't cause any serious damage. But it did end Leagans' night, as he finished 14th while Harris went on to victory.
THIS WEEK AT NRVS: It's the race everyone has been waiting to watch and the one that can be watched over and over and over.
Saturday is the WDBJ-TV 7 300. The Late Models will run twin 100-lappers. Also there are races for the Limiteds, Mini Stocks and Pure Stocks.
Gates open at 2 p.m. Practice begins at 4. Qualifying gets under way at 6:15. The green flag starts at 8. And the TV coverage starts at 9.
Admission is $10 for adults and $1 for children 12-and-under.
Also, Thursday is an extra practice for drivers to get ready for this special weekend. Spectators will be admitted free to the stands between 4 and 8 p.m.
M.J. Dougherty covers racing and community sports for the New River Valley bureau of the Roanoke Times & World-News.
Keywords:
AUTO RACING
by CNB