Remembering Larry McClure: Underdog Icon and Daytona Dreamer

The NASCAR world lost a key figure this week. Larry McClure, former NASCAR Cup Series team owner and a beloved Southwest Virginia businessman, passed away Wednesday morning at Johnston Memorial Hospital in Abingdon. He was 76.

To many, McClure was more than a name on the owner points sheet, he was a symbol of scrappy determination and small-town grit, someone who punched above his weight in a sport often dominated by powerhouse operations. With his family run Morgan-McClure Motorsports team, McClure carved out a legacy few independent owners could match.

Operating out of the hills of Abingdon, Virginia, far from the Charlotte epicenter of stock car racing, McClure and his team fielded the bright yellow Kodak sponsored No. 4 Chevrolets that became staples of the 1990s NASCAR landscape. Between 1983 and 2009, Morgan-McClure competed in 703 Cup Series events, earning 14 victories, including three Daytona 500 wins, 1991 with Ernie Irvan, then again in 1994 and 1995 with Sterling Marlin.

Those Daytona victories weren’t just checkered flags. They were statements. They proved that a team without the deepest pockets could still outmaneuver and outrun the best in the sport when it mattered most.

The 1991 Bristol Night Race remains one of the most iconic short track moments in the team's history. Under the lights at Thunder Valley, Irvan muscled his way to victory, delivering a signature win in the team’s backyard, a triumph that resonated with fans who saw themselves in the grit and grind of the 4 crew.

While drivers like Irvan, Marlin, and even Mark Martin would find success elsewhere in their careers, the chapter they wrote with McClure was a special one, built on loyalty, resilience, and the thrill of competing against giants.

Morgan-McClure may have closed its doors in 2009, but the legacy it left behind still burns bright among longtime NASCAR fans. That Kodak yellow paint scheme remains etched in the memories of those who grew up watching Cup races during the sport’s 90s boom.

Larry McClure wasn’t just a team owner, he was a believer. In his drivers. In his crew. In his small-town operation that went toe to toe with titans. His legacy isn’t measured only in trophies, but in the inspiration he gave to every underdog chasing a shot at glory.

Rest easy, Larry. You gave the sport something it can never replace.