Larry Saunders says he does not remember his first time at the races. Of course, he was only 6 weeks old! Larry comes from a long line of racecar drivers. “I remember coming to New Paris Speedway as a child and watching my family race,” said Larry. “From 1965-1972 my dad, George Saunders, raced the No. 7 Late Model, which were called “Flyers” back then. My uncle, Wayne Saunders raced from 1968-1975 and my step dad, Skip Rhodes, raced from 1969-1976.”
In 1988, “Doughboy Racing” was born when Larry started racing in the Late Model Division. Now, 21 years later, Larry has a huge fan base at New Paris Speedway. The fans go crazy when he brings his No. 71 Street Stock out on the track. The “Doughboy” fans had to wait awhile this year before they got to see Larry on the track. “We did not get the car out till a few weeks into the season this year due to a blown motor on the last night of racing last year and then we broke the rearend at the Super Shoe at Kalamazoo. It was just too much to fix last winter with the economy being the way it was,” he explained.
Even though Larry started the year late, he has already won a B Feature. “I Just want to finish the season in one piece to have something to start with for next year,” he said of his goal for the 2009 season. In 2006, Larry won a Last Chance race at the Super Shoe. In 2002, he won a Street Stock A Feature at New Paris Speedway against strong competition. Any driver, rookie or veteran, in any class, will tell you how important that A Feature win is. “My career goals are to win another A Feature and to win a Feature at the Super Shoe at Kalamazoo,” Larry said.
While Larry goes to other tracks for big shows, he always makes his way back to his roots at New Paris.
“New Paris has always been home to me. It’s where I grew up and it’s where my kids have grown up.” “My Inspirations are my dad and Dave Marcus, but I always loved seeing Jim Blount race. I also really enjoyed watching the old Super Stocks from the 60’s and early 70’s,” said Larry Saunders. Saunders loves his fans, both past and present. “I would like to send out a very special thanks to all my fans, especially the kids. Everything that has been given to me over the years is hanging in my car and is with me every time I pull onto the track.” Larry would also like to thank his wife Robin, his kids, Shandi, Kelsey, Tony E. and Tony V. and also his mother in law Donna who provides the No. 71 Street Stock a place to live.
Larry’s sponsors are Penguin Point, Paragon Print and Imaging, Mom and Pete, Forgotten Heroes LTD and all the brave Men and Women of the Marines. On behalf of the Marc Times Racing News, Stock Car Extreme and Grubb Racing-Unleashed, good luck to Larry Saunders and Doughboy Racing in all your future racing endeavors.
