Richey Etheridge named Lanier Speedway champion

Etheridge To Be Crowned Track Champion at Lanier National Speedway

The youngest track champion in the history of Lanier National Speedway will be introduced when 22-year Richey Etheridge walks onstage at the Georgia Mountains Center in Gainesville on Saturday November 22 at the speedway's annual awards banquet.

The Flowery Branch resident will take home two major awards in the Budweiser Pro Late Model division - the coveted points championship and rookie of the year title.

Etheridge began racing in 1994 in the Junior Late Model division at Lanier National Speedway. In 2000, Etheridge participated in the Braselton track's Sportsman class where he won rookie of the year, finished second in points, and won three races.

At the conclusion of the 2002 season, Etheridge competed in one Pro Late Model event at Lanier to prepare for a run at rookie of the year honors at the Braselton, Ga. track in 2003.

With veteran racer Wayne Willard acting as a consultant, Etheridge's initial goals were to win the rookie of the year battle.

"We were really just wanting to win rookie of the year," Etheridge said. "Then, we noticed about halfway through the year we had a pretty good chance to win the points."

"So, we reset our goal to win the points championship."

Etheridge campaigned the No. 46 Port City South Dodge Intrepid enroute to his title run at Lanier in 2003. He plans to stay busy in the coming weeks by running the same car in the prestigious Snowball Derby in Pensacola, Fl in December.

"I've never even run a four-barrel," Etheridge said.  "So, it will all be
new to me.  I'm going to run one of Wayne Willard's motors in the car."

Etheridge's long-range plans are to compete in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. His immediate goals, however, are to successfully defend his pro late model title at Lanier and win the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series Atlantic Division championship.

"We're going to come to Lanier loaded next year," Etheridge said.

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