Buddy Arrington, who competed in 560 NASCAR Cup Series races over a 25-year career, is recovering at LewisGale Medical Center in Salem, Virginia. According to an update from Johnny Dickson (@Dickson_Johnny) on Twitter, Arrington, 81, underwent double-bypass heart surgery following two heart attacks on December 15th.
Update: Buddy Arrington
“Buddy is still in the Hospital where he had his Double Bypass Surgery
Doing as great as possible
Lewis Gale Hospital
Salem /Roanoke Virginia
Doctors are saying Buddy might be able to get out by This Weekend” pic.twitter.com/cZlBbcPI4I— Johnny Dickson (@dickson_johnny) December 17, 2019
According to the latest update, Arrington could leave the hospital this weekend.
Although Arrington, a hard-working independent driver/owner, never made it to victory lane in the NASCAR Cup Series, he was a staple in the sport from 1964 to 1988.
Arrington scored a career-best finish of third — twice — once at Nashville in 1965 and the other at Talladega in 1979. Arrington racked up 103 top-10 finishes over his career and had a best points finish of seventh in 1982.