Petaluma Speedway sends their heartfelt sympathies and condolences to Bert Lathrop and the Lathrop family as MaryLee Lathrop passed this morning. For years, the sprint car community was graced by the MaryLee Special, owned by Bert and MaryLee, always ?#9n? and until recently, always sporting a Pink Panther on the wing. Jay Smith/Bert Lathrop drove the family owned 9n for decades racing all over California with the now defunct Northern Auto Racing Club, then stepped aside for such drivers as Bobby McMahan, JT Hayes, Randy Lathrop and more recently Camron Mendes, Bill Cornwell, Klint Simpson, Eli Deshaies and Zack Lynskey. MaryLee was a fixture at Petaluma Speedway over the past decade or so as the 9n was a weekly participant here. MaryLee's last race was just a few weeks ago, where she braved the Petaluma chill as she usually did in the grandstands. To say MaryLee was a racefan is an understatement, and the sprint car world mourns her passing. Thank you MaryLee for leaving your mark on the sprint car world. Godspeed.
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