THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, June 16, 1996 TAG: 9606160175
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C2 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JAMI FRANKENBERRY, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: HAMPTON LENGTH: 37 lines
Shawn Balluzzo made his first victory this season in the Late Model Stock division at Langley Speedway an exciting one.
The Hampton driver bolted to a big lead in the first 69 circuits of the 100-lap feature and held off late challenges by several drivers Saturday night.
Bob Shreeves, Phil Warren, Buddy Malish and Jody McCormick pulled into a cluster behind Balluzzo after a caution on lap 75, but none could hold the lead for more than half a lap.
``That's some racing,'' said Shreeves, who along with Warren led briefly in the last five laps. ``I think we would've got him with one more lap.'' Shreeves finished second, followed by McCormick, Malish and Warren.
``I really didn't push the car the whole night,'' said Balluzzo, who started on the pole for the first time this season. ``I could've gone faster, but I didn't want to use the tires up by pulling away.''
In Saturday's other races:
Jimmy Kenney held off John Hicks and Rhett Bussler to win the 40-lap Grand Stock event.
Pole-sitter Kevin Harrison took the lead from Kevin Reitnouer on the final lap for his sixth win of the season in the 25-lap Mini Stock feature.
Dude Gibbs, who started on the pole, regained the lead from Woody Vance on lap 21 for his second win of the year in the 25-lap Pure Stock race.
In the 25-lap Legends feature, Suffolk's Jimmy Adams led from start to finish for the victory.
Kelly Carson started on the pole and edged out Paul Lubno by less than a foot to win the Limited Stock 25-lapper. ILLUSTRATION: [Box]
Results by CNB