Natural Bridge Speedway
Arthur spans Natural Bridge, earns $10,000
Walker Arthur climbed atop his car in victory lane. (Clifford Dove)
NATURAL BRIDGE, Va. (Oct. 6) — Near the end of a season when he branched out to run major races throughout the country, Walker Arthur won the biggest race of his career in his home state.
The 27-year-old driver from Forest, Va., led all the way Saturday night to earn $10,000 at Natural Bridge Speedway in the Sunoco Fall Classic, outrunning former World 100 winner Dale McDowell of Chickamauga, Ga., for an unsanctioned 50-lap victory. | Slideshow
Polesitter Joey Leavell of Waynesboro, Va., was third followed by Eddie Carrier Jr. of Salt Rock, W.Va., and Jim Bernheisel of Lebanon, Pa. Friday’s fast qualifier Booper Bare of Rockbridge Baths, Va., was sixth.
Notes: Arthur’s MasterSbilt by Huey is powered by a Cams Racing Engine and sponsored by Cecil B. Arthur General Contracting, Walnut Ridge Kennels, All About Wraps, Goode Country Store and PMZ Group. ... Arthur also won the night’s feature for the track’s steel-block Late Model division. ... Runner-up Dale McDowell took the second spot from Joey Leavell on the 13th lap. ... Eighteen of 24 starters completed 50 laps. ... Jamie Lathroum of Mechanicsville, Md., who entered the weekend with victories in three of the past four weekends, drove Scott LeBarron’s backup car. ... The event completes Natural Bridge’s season.
Sunoco Fall Classic: (1) Walker Arthur, (2) Dale McDowell, (3) Joey Leavell, (4) Eddie Carrier Jr., (5) Jim Bernheisel, (5) Booper Bare, (7) Gregg Satterlee, (8) D.J. Myers, (9) Greg Roberson, (10) C.S. Fitzgerald, (11) Skylar Marlar, (12) Freddy Smith, (13) Mark Pettyjohn, (14) Kenny Pettyjohn, (15) Tyler Hershey, (16) Jamie Lathroum, (17) Austin Dillon, (18) Ronnie DeHaven Jr., (19) Brian Tavenner, (20) Bryan Bernheisel, (21) David Watts, (22) Tim Senic, (23) Mike Lupfer, (24) Scott LeBarron. Fast qualifier (among 36 cars): Bare, 14.788 seconds. Heat race winners: Bare, Leavell, McDowell, Arthur. Consolation winners: Watts. Dash winner: Leavell.
Correction: Fixes and expands rundown.
