Remembering Junie Donlavey – a Photo Tribute to His NASCAR Career June 12, 2014 NASCAR Former NASCAR Sprint Cup Series team owner Junie Donlavey passed away earlier this week at the age of 90. The Richmond native first fielded a car in the NASCAR Grand National Series at Martinsville Speedway in 1950. Donlavey fielded cars in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series until 2002 – with 863 starts as an owner, one race victory, 60 top-five and 218 top-10 finishes. NASCAR reacted to Donlavey’s passing with the following statement: With Junie Donlavey’s passing this week, NASCAR lost a treasure, a man who personified NASCAR’s proud past. With 863 starts as a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series car owner, he won over millions of fans through his 50-plus years in our sport. The list of men who drove for him during his career is impressive, including two who won NASCAR Sprint Cup Rookie of the Year honors – Ken Schrader and Jody Ridley. Others included Dick Brooks, Ricky Rudd, Dick Trickle and Benny Parsons. All contributed to Junie’s lasting legacy in our sport. NASCAR offers sincere condolences to Junie’s family and friends at this difficult time. Drivers who drove for Donlavey include NASCAR Hall of Famers David Pearson, Fred Lorenzen and Joe Weatherly, along with Tiny Lund, Bobby Isaac, Benny Parsons, Ken Schrader and Harry Gant. Photos from Donlavey’s career as a car owner follow… Benny Parsons at the wheel of Donlavey’s car, 1988 Bill Dennis won his second straight NASCAR Permatex 300 at Daytona for late model sportsman in 1973 driving the Junie Donlavey Ford Jackie Oliver of Walton-on-Thames, England drove this car in the 1972 Firecracker 400 at Daytonafinishing 25th after engine failure Ken Schrader with Junie Donlavey; Schrader drove for Donlavey from 1985 to 1987 Sonny Hutchins of Richmond, VA, drove this Donlavey-owned Ford to a seventh place finish in the Daytona 500, 1967 Junie Donlavey, 2012 Donlavey with Richard Petty, 1974 Junei Donalvey, 2012 Junie Donlavey, 1987 Junie Donlavey talks with driver Ken Schrader Jody Ridley at the wheel of Junie DonlaveyÕs Truxmore-sponsored Ford Thunderbird. Ridley scored the only NASCAR Cup win of his career during the year in the Mason-Dixon 500 at Dover Downs (DE) International Speedway. It would also be Donlavey’s only career NASCAR Cup victory as a car owner In one of the most popular wins in NASCAR, Jody Ridley takes the checkers at Dover in 1981 for his car owner, the legendary Junie Donlavey. It is the first for both Ridley and Donlavey, who has competed since 1950
