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prodirtcar32
10-10-2012, 07:03 AM
October 10, 2012

Natural Bridge Speedway ends its 2012 season with successful Sunoco Fall Classic.

With a heavy heart, the checkered flag fell on a very successful 2012 Sunoco Fall Classic at Larry & Karey Ramsey’s beautiful Natural Bridge Speedway. 84 cars from 8 different states signed in to compete in this year’s Sunoco Fall Classic weekend. Walker Arthur set the bar very high for future Fall Classic excellence by winning both the Super and Steel Block Late Model portions of the 7th annual season ending event. The Forest, Virginia speedster raked in over $11,650.00 plus lap money for his weekend’s worth of work. Eric Groah took home the $500 sportsman feature to cap off a weekend full of racing on the 3/8 mile speedway.

A great two days of racing and fun was overshadowed by tragedy when long time speedway employee Levi Dudley died of an apparent heart attack while watching the races Friday night from his pickup truck overlooking turns one and two. When the speedway opened on Saturday, flags were flying at half mast in remembrance and honor of the 59 year old employee.

“Levi was an outstanding person” said track owner Larry Ramsey. “He has worked here at the speedway for a very long time and was one of those guys you could really count on. Karey & I are just heartbroken for his wife and family. He will be greatly missed” added Ramsey.

The weekend was full of great fun for all ages. Saturday’s autograph session was very successful as fans lined up to greet more than 20 of their favorite drivers including NASCAR Nationwide Series star Austin Dillon. The youth from the Collierstown Presbyterian Church served over 100 breakfast’s Saturday morning to the teams that stayed on the grounds raising over $500 for their youth group.

“I just can’t thank our staff & sponsors enough. It takes a lot of dedicated people to put on an event like this” stated Karey Ramsey. “Larry has pretty much lived at the speedway this past week, preparing the whole facility for the speedway’s most prestigious weekend. The autograph session was really cool, getting to see kids interact with the drivers they cheer for. That is something we will do every year from here on out” added Karey.

“Our sponsors are what really make this thing work” said Larry. “Without their help and generosity it would be next to impossible to put on a weekend like we do. It starts right at the top with Sunoco, as they have been with us for many years and trickles on down to our newer sponsors. Each and every one of them means so much to this speedway and event. I have already heard from some sponsors that have pledged to do more for the 2013 Fall Classic. You certainly can’t ask for more than that” added Ramsey.

When the final Fall Classic checkered flag was waved, it brought a close to the 2012 Natural Bridge Speedway season. The 2012 points banquet will be held January 14th, 2013 at the Effinger Volunteer Fire Department. Plans are already under way for the 2013 season and 2013 Fall Classic at the Bridge.

2013 Sunoco Fall Classic Extra Award Winners:
*$250 - D&D Auto Recycling Super Late Model Fast Time Award
00B Booper Bare
*$150 - Schaeffer Oil Steel Block Late Model Fast Time Award
87 Walker Arthur
*$1,000 - R&R Auctioneering & Reese’s Water Service Dash Award
8 Joey Leavell
*$250 – Countryline Trucking Super Late Model Hard Charger
8A Jamie Lathroum
*$250 – Meineke Car Care Center Farthest Traveler Award
38 Kenny Pettyjohn
*$1,100 Value – KRS Graphics 2013 Motorsports Media Award
17M Dale McDowell
*$250 Bonus- Natural Bridge Speedway Lap Money Bonus
8A Jamie Lathroum
257 Skyler Marlar
119B Bryan Bernheisel
17 Ronnie DeHaven Jr.
*2 Cases of Oil - Schaeffer Oil Steel Block Heat Race Winner Award(s)
1 J.T. Spence
21 Billy Beachler
73 Greg Roberson
23 Gerald Wolfe
*$50 Certificates – Bernheisel Race Cars Non Qualifier Award
0 Lewis Hudson – Super Late Model
17 Chris Wilson – Super Late Model
8 James Crahliter – Steel Block
91 John Michael – Steel Block

Natural Bridge Speedway would like to thank all of their sponsors that helped make this weekend possible:
Sunoco Race Fuels, LWR Builder, LLC, Cecil B. Arthur Buckin Bulls, W.R. Deacon & Sons Timber, Inc., D&D Auto Recycling, McLung’s LLC., Meineke Car Care Center of Madison Heights, VA., Reese’s Water Service, R&R Auctioneering, Schaeffer Racing Oil, Countryline Trucking, Bernheisel Race Cars, and K.R.S. Graphics Motorsports Media

Sunoco Fall Classic Race Winners:
2006 – Bo Feathers
2007 – Booper Bare
2008 – Booper Bare
2009 – Jamie Lathroum
2010 – Jamie Lathroum
2011 – Steve Shaver
2012 – Walker Arthur