Name: Larry Speakman
Year / Make / Model Car: 2004 Ford Taurus
Number: 91
Class: Late Model Sportsman
Years Racing: on and off since 1970
Job: Business Owner
1. How did you get into racing?
LS: Tried hot rodding my 62 Ford on the street and blew the clutch out, had to walk (literally) to work for a couple of weeks. Wanted to race something, but decided you don’t race what you drive to work. Went to a drag race, looked boring, paid $5 a class to win. Went to a dirt race at Decatur International (don’t know why tracks are called international) and you would get $20 even if you didn’t win. Teamed up with a North Carolina racer and built a 57 Ford. Total expenses for the first year, $480 including car, but not engine.
2. What would you be doing if you were not driving a race car?
LS: Building something as I enjoy that part of racing. I make most all parts for the car and do all chassis tech and engine maintenance. Tried fishing, but as long as I can race, fishing is second.
3. People who have inspired you the most while you have raced?
LS: I wouldn’t say inspired, but I can think of a lot of racers that I admired. Freddy Fryer, Red Farmer, are just a couple.
4. What is the biggest obstacle you are facing in your quest to succeed in racing?
LS: Lack of money and lack of knowledge. I had no one to impart knowledge so I had to learn everything I could on my own and there was no internet then and not many books on racing.
5. What driver are you a fan of?
LS: I still admire Davey Allison, a real class act. Saw him at a restaurant in Hueytown after he had won at Talladega and I had won at BIR the week before. He talked about my win and never mentioned his. Saw him at a restaurant after Atlanta race and he always had time to speak to you. I have several cup drivers that I have a passing interest in.
6. Out of all the race cars you have driven, which one was your favorite and why?
LS: I would like to have my old 62 Falcon. I read books and used ideas from the books to build this car from scratch. I did roll center layout even back then. It was underpowered and overweight, but was a good driving car. Actually drove it in the Alabama 200 in the 90’s (don’t remember the exact year) and finished 4th or 5th.
7. Pick one : CD player, I pod, 8-Track or Record player, and who do you listen to?
LS: none of these, talk radio or gospel music.
8. What have you been doing during the off season?
LS: Working on race car. Want to come back more competitive next year than I was this year.
9. Is there any other type of race car that you’d like to drive that you haven’t yet?
LS: I always thought I would like to drive a road race car.
10. Your best and worst moment in racing?
LS: Most surprising and I guess it could be best, was pass in the air at Jefferson (Gresham) in 95 or 96 ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?
11. Any local legends that you admired while coming up in Short Track Racing?
LS: Red Farmer
12. What motivates you to be the best in your racing division?
LS: I’m a competitive person and I do more than just drive as I work on the car and motor and repairs.
13. Favorite smell at the track : race gas or burning rubber?
LS: Burning rubber
14. What’s the funniest thing you have ever seen on the race track?
LS: Yankee came to North Carolina with $10,000 to race. This was in the 70’s. Rented a Uhaul, bought a set of tools at Sears, went to the track to buy a car and bought a limited car and had Tom Pistone make changes to be able to run a late model race the next day. Was going around the pits with $100 bills trying to hire a crew the day before the qualifying race. I saw him at Tiger Toms and asked him if he had driven a race car. He said no but he had driven a station wagon 100 mph at night before. The day of the race he showed up late. Tech was over, so not to be deterred, he weighed his car and bought gas and filled up to get ready for the first qualifier. He started on the rear and right off the bat drove into the wall and got the rs tires on the concrete wall and drive around the turn with the rs on the wall. He got off the wall and went into the pits. He didn’t have a crew so he got out, checked the car out, got back in and got ready to go out. He was parked in the infield where it was graveled and as he spun his tires when he took off, he had rocks in the car. As they got ready to line up the cars and was circling the track, his car was dropping rocks on the track. The flagman black flagged him, but he would just speed up. Someone came on the track with a black flag and he would just speed up and run at them. They couldn’t get him off the track so they just started the race with him riding around. Green flag came out and the first thing he did was put it in the wall again, but it was damaged and he could not continue. Should have been the end of it, but he got car fixed and showed up the next day. They would not let him in the pits so he just drove through the gate. He wound up in jail. I wonder if he got his $10,000 worth. I was in the stands as all this unfolded and we cracked up.
15. What local driver do you have the most respect for and why?
LS: I’ll find out this year after racing everyone.
16. Do you have another sport you enjoy to watch or participate in?
LS: No
17. What’s more important … racing for points or racing for the win?
LS: Wins, but if I get to run all the races, I would be happy with a championship.
18. Your favorite track and why?
LS: BIR was my favorite because it was hard to drive and I had developed a setup that worked for me. I like tracks where you can make clean passes. I guess MMS will have to be now, although it seemed hard for me to drive last year, hence, my wrecks! But, I expect to be better next year with Dennis Reno helping me with the best setup I’ve ever had at MMS the last 2 races.
19. Which describes you best : calculating driver or kamikaze driver?
LS: Calculatingly aggressive.
20. Last Lap, you’re in a side by side dash for the win… who would you want to beat and why?
LS: Whoever is beside me. The win, the win.
I would like to thank my wife, Donna, who sponsors me thru our storage business, Mimi’s Storage in Hartselle and our sign business, formedfaces.com. She is very supportive of my racing and without her support, I would not be able to race. I don’t know how many more years I’ll race, but I want to make the most of it. I also would like to thank Mike Rae, my long time supporter, he was with me long nights last year after the fender benders (that’s putting it mildly). Mike’s wife, Glenda who helps out on race day. My son, Phillip, handled the crew chief duties on race day and his son, Joe, is always around to help and was the most excited one when we won last year.
www.facebook.com/larry.speakman.969
www.formedfaces.com
www.mimisstorage.com
Thanks Larry, for providing us with this information, and if anyone else would like to be featured here please contact me at ShortTrackTalk@gmail.com
