Marty Gordon
NRVsports@ourvalley.org
Bethany Sexton is a typical teenage girl. She is a high school cheerleader and is involved in her Radford church, but she does have a little need for speed. This season, she scored at the track championships in a junior dragster at both Motor Mile and Elk Creek drag ways.
“It was really cool because when my brothers raced Junior Dragsters, they both won track championships, so it’s pretty special,” she said earlier this week.
The Junior Dragster Division is a scaled-down version of the top fuel dragster the public sees on television, and can reach speeds up to 85 miles per hour.
Sexton said winning the championships means the world to her. “This year has been my best year yet. I won 11 races and also won the track championship at Motor Mile last year,” she said.
The Fairlawn girl got involved in drag racing when she was eight years old after watching her father and two older brothers take their spin on the track.
Her older brother, Zack, won the Junior Dragster championship at Elk Creek in 2009. Nathan Sexton won the Elk Creek crown in 2012 and then won the track championship in the Street Class four straight years from 2014-2017. This year, he won the Footbrake championship.
Her dad, Mike Sexton who helps his daughter prepare the car before every race, also racked up several checkered flags in his younger years.
“The first time I got behind the wheel of my junior, I was scared to death, but now there isn’t a weekend I won’t be at the track racing. It is my passion,” Bethany said.
For now, she’s not even thinking about pulling off the side of the track. “I haven’t really thought about my long-term goal in racing. I just know I want to continue racing for the rest of my life.”
Bethany’s father is one of her main sponsors literally with his business, M&S Automotive along with Foothills Chiropractic. “They both make it possible for me to race and do what I love,” Bethany concluded.
Final Motor Mile Dragway points:
Friday Night Street Class-
First, Austin Johnson, 483 points
2, Nathan Sexton, 466
3, D.J. Moore, 281
4, Wendell Cox, 280
5, Sierra Sowers, 221
6, Doug Cox, 170
7, Wayne Cox, 120
8, Terry Winkle, 70
8, Mark Mannon, 70
8, Anthony Rosenbaum, 70
8, Paul Cox, 70
12, John Coe, 60
13, Amanda Coe, 50
14, Jason Gill, 40
14, Perry Figle, 40
14, Brian Schwartz, 40
14, Thomas McCann, 40
14, Chad Bolen, 40
14, Sara Rader, 40
14, Juston Houston, 40
14, Steven Leippi, 40
Jr. Dragsters-
First, Bethany Sexton, 272 points
2, John Hayes, 222
3, Brandon Sullivan, 191
4, Daniel Hagan, 190
5, Michael Hypes, 142
6, Jamison Hayes, 130
7, Garrett McCann, 90
8, Rylie DeLong, 30
9, Machenzie Powell, 20
10, Trey Eggleston, 10
10, Phillip Radford, 10
10, Ryan Tolley, 10
10, Marshal Spradlin, 10
6.95 Class-
First, Chris Seagle, 253 points
2, Robert Whitlow, 252
3, Ricky Stuart, 241
4, Eulas Coe, 162
5, Sherman Hawks, 160
6, Andrew Long, 141
7, Ethan Austin, 110
8, Gene Duncan, 101
9, Dewain Thornsberry, 100
10, Chris Shelton, 81
11, Darrell McGrady, 80
11, Monty Coppola, 80
13, Lucas Epperly, 70
14, Michael Austin, 60
14, Kenny Gray, 60
16, Todd Austin, 50
16, Roger Akers, 50
5.95 Class-
First, Nathan Lovingood, 324
2, Dustin McPeak, 220
3, David Phillips, 201
4, Mike Buckner, 162
5, Jayson Dalton, 140
6, David Whited, 130
7, Adam Walker, 120
8, Charles Gray, 111
9, Benny Goode, 90
10, Lee Winkle, 81
10, Rusty Jackson, 81
12, Chris Smith, 71
13, Lance Weikle, 70
13, Chris Turner, 70
13, Rob Frost, 70
16, Henry Stanley, 60