Canyon Speedway Park
Whitwell captures Canyon's Western Classic
R.C. Whitwell enjoys victory lane at Canyon Speedway. (TKA Photography)
PEORIA, Ariz. (Nov. 10) — Concluding his triumphant return to his home state, R.C. Whitwell of Tucson, Ariz., captured Saturday’s Western Classic at Canyon Speedway for a victory co-sanctioned by the West Coast Shootout and Southwest Dirt Racing Association.
Whitwell, who spent most of 2011 and the early part of 2012 racing for a Missouri-based team, earned $2,000 for winning from outside the front row.
Lonnie Parker Jr. of El Mirage, Ariz., who started on the pole and extended his SWDRA points lead, settled for second with Clay Daly of Watsonville, Calif., third in wrapping up his second straight West Coast Shootout title.
Joey Moriarty of Phoenix, Ariz., was fourth and Jason Papich of Nipomo, Calif., rounded out the top five in the 23-car field. Saturday's race was the lone Late Model feature of the weekend after Friday’s action was rained out.
Western Classic: (1) R.C. Whitwell, (2) Lonnie Parker Jr., (3) Clay Daly, (4) Joey Moriarty, (5) Jason Papich, (6) Tony Toste, (7) Chad Reichenbach, (8) Tommy Malcolm, (9) John Cornell, (10) Dave Deetz, (11) Anthony Madrid, (12) Bruce Duckett, (13) Nick Bartels, (14) Bud Grossenbacher, (15) Kenny Wallace, (16) Brad Williams, (17) Bill Bartels, (18) Don Shaw, (19) Wes Hall, (20) Ricky Thornton Jr., (21) Garrett Alberson, (22) Dino Napier, (23) Karl Tipton. Heat race winners (among 23 cars): Daly, Moriarty, Whitwell. Dash winner: Parker.
Correction: Fixes that SWDRA's points chase continues Nov. 17 at Arizona Speedway.
