Former Arkansas Late Model racer dies
Former Arkansas dirt racer Larry Potter, a frequent competitor at Riverside International Speedway in West Memphis, Ark., who also made appearances on the Comp Cams Super Dirt Series, died Monday. He was 69.
The Alexander, Ark., diesel mechanic piloted a Mopar-powered No. 69 for more than 40 years, starting in the six-cylinder division in 1972 and winning his first race that season in Oppelo, Ark. He moved into the Late Model division in the late 1970s and was a multiple-time runner-up in points at Riverside while finishing 10th in Arkansas Motorsports Professionals tour standings in 2007.
His most memorable run in Comp Cams (then the Mid-South Racing Association) competition came April 11, 2009, when he led 20 laps at Riverside before falling from contention. In his Mid-South Racing driving profile, Potter noted the scariest moment of his racing career came at I-30 Speedway in Little Rock, Ark., with when he flipped end over end three times off the racetrack.
A 10-time feature winner, Potter's son Jeff served as his crew chief later in his career.
Visitation is 5-7 p.m. Thursday, March 5, at Pinecrest Funeral Home in Alexander with a celebration of life 2-3 p.m. Friday, March 6, followed by burial at Pinecrest Memorial Park.
