7-23-99
     by Dixie Phillips  


PERFECT NIGHT FOR FIVE DRIVERS
(winning heat and feature)

 Fan Appreciation Night was a huge success at Interstate 79 Speedway on
Friday evening as the race fans got to see great racing in five
divisions.  Visiting victory lane were all West Virginia drivers
including Butch McGill (West Union), Sonny Conley (Porters Falls), Vic
Vandergrift (Fairmont), Ron Howard (Morgantown), and Jeff Pennington
(Parsons).

 It might seem that the late model feature wasn't too exciting when told
that Butch McGill and Nolan Dalton started first and second and finished
that way.  However, the battle between the two veterans made for some
exciting racing throughout the 25 lap event.  Dalton was relentless in
trying to get around McGill, but McGill repeatedly made his car wide
enough so that Dalton could not make the pass.  The duo ran lap after
lap without touching and put on a great show for the fans.  Behind
McGill, who picked up his 4th win of the season, were Dalton, Robbie
Scott, Doug Horton (who advanced from his ninth starting spot), and Duke
Pratt.  Heat wins were taken by McGill, Dalton, and Mike Hawkins.

 In semi late action, it was Sonny Conley picking up his fourth win of
'99 after he edged a charging Rick Strickler at the line.  Strickler had
tried for the last several laps to make the winning pass but had to
settle for second.  Scott Chenoweth, Roy Gibson, and Rick Burrows
completed the top five.  In heat action, it was Conley, Gibson, and
Chenoweth taking the wins.  During one heat, driver Denny Swiger,
flipped several times after breaking a brake rotor, and leaving the
track over turn 1.  He was taken to a local hospital where he was being
examined, but it did not appear that he had any major injuries.

 Win #5 seemed pretty easy for Vic Vandergrift in the UMP modified
division.  Vandergrift was not challenged in the late laps by second
place Dave Defibaugh or the remainder of the top five including, Ron
Parrish, Louie Krushansky, and Jerry Teter.   Rick Smith piloted the
Jack's Auto Wrecking modified to a heat win in front on many of the
employees from Jack's who were treated to a night at the races.
Vandergrift and
Defibaugh also won heats.

 Pure stock driver,  Ron Howard, won his second race of the year as he
held off Jim Byers, Gary Britton, Danny Staggers, and Gary Yost.  Heat
wins went to Britton, Howard, and Jeff Kesling.

 Mike Simpson was going for his tenth win in the 4 cylinder class, but
Jeff Pennington put a stop to Simpson's win streak.  Pennington held off
several tries by Simpson in the final two laps.  Three through five were
Willie Robinson, Sonny Crayton, and Bruce Satterfield.  Pennington also
won the heat making it a clean sweep for the night.

 Next Friday night, July 30, the semi lates will run a  special paying
$600 to win.  All other divisions will have regular racing.



SUMMARY  7-23-99

LATE MODELS
 BUTCH MCGILL, Nolan Dalton, Robbie Scott, Doug Horton, Duke Pratt,
Denny Chamberlain, Gary Dalton, Frank Wilson, Sr., Frank Wilson, Jr.,
Danny Hamrick.,  Gary Tonkery,  Steve Radich, Mike Hawkins, Kevin Jones,
Mark Banal, Chad McDougal, Mark McGill, and Scott Miles.
 HEATS - B. McGill, N. Dalton, M. Hawkins
 POINTS LEADER - Nolan Dalton

SEMI LATES
 SONNY CONLEY, Rick Strickler, Scott Chenoweth, Roy Gibson, Rick
Burrows, Duane Moreland, Donnie Dotson, Shaun Poling, Jon Messenger,
Stanley Spooner, Ron Wiles, Doug Sankbell, Brian Laraway, and Birch
Hare      DNS - Tim Senic, Richard Frazier, Denny Swiger
 HEATS - S Conley, R. Gibson, S. Chenoweth
 POINTS LEADER - Rick Strickler

UMP MODIFIEDS
 VIC VANDERGRIFT, Dave Defibaugh, Ron Parrish, Louie Krushansky, Jerry
Teter, Ron Clevenger, Ray Perkins, Doug Thompson, Sonny Stutler, Larry
Yanero, Joe Clutter, Delmas Whiteman, Jason Ammons, Dana McIntyre, Jerry
Garrett, Mike Rose, Rick Smith, and Ray Johnson   DNS - Sam Henderson
 HEATS - R. Smith, V. Vandergrift, D. Defibaugh
 POINTS LEADER - Louie Krushansky

PURE STOCKS
 RON HOWARD,  Jim Byers, Gary Britton, Danny Stagger, Gary Yost, Frankie
Buzzo, Jay Martin, Chuck Bloom, Troy Frazier, William Shoemaker, Jon
Wamsley, Pat Frazier, Randy Bohan, Dave Tonkery,  Jeff Kesling, David
Settie, Paul Watson, Tom Frazier, Ronald Botkins, and Lloyd Frazier
DNS - Donnie Groves, Ed Tenney
 HEATS - G. Britton, R. Howard, J. Kesling
 POINTS LEADER - Jim Byers

4 CYLINDERS
 JEFF PENNINGTON, Mike Simpson, Willie Robinson, Sonny Crayton, Tom
Simpson, Paul Summers, Arlie Sigley, Dave Summers, and Troy Kimbrew
 HEAT - J. Pennington
 POINTS LEADER - Mike Simpson