TRACKS: Salute to a Racer: Driver Larry Krieger to be remembered at Irwindale
Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel
June 15, 2001Irwindale, Calif. - - He was one of Irwindale Speedway's favorites, one of the new track's first champions, a great friend to so many in the sport, a joy for his many fans, a husband, and a father. His name was Larry Krieger, and he left far too soon.
This Saturday, June 16, at Irwindale Speedway, Larry Krieger's memory will be rekindled with a special commemorative race named in his honor. The first Larry Krieger Memorial will be for his favorite kind of racing car, the fast and agile NASCAR Grand American Modifieds. That's the division that Krieger dominated in Irwindale's inaugural 1999 season with a dazzling record of 4 fast times, 4 main event wins, 16 top fives, 18 top tens, and 1 dash win in a total of 18 races.
Larry's wife, Donna, is wholeheartedly behind this tribute to her late husband and her company, Mountain Mortgage Company, will be adding to the night's Grand American main event purse in the following amounts: the winner will receive an additional $250, second place an additional $100, the leader on lap 18 (Larry's racing number) will get $100, and $50 each will be paid to the driver judged to have the worst luck as well as the last place finisher in the main event. That's in addition to the prize money that the racetrack will pay Grand Am drivers on Saturday night. Larry's family will also be giving merchandise certificates to the first place, last place, and hard luck drivers.
"Larry loved the Grand Americans, he loved to race the cars and he loved the people who race them," said Donna. "This is our way of reminding them about Larry and how much he cared about his extended family in racing."
Donna Krieger will be on hand at Irwindale Speedway on Saturday night to help present the special awards made in Larry's name to the winners and recipients. She'll also be bringing 41/2-month old Dean Jared Krieger, Donna and Larry's son, born only a few scant days before Larry passed away at the age of 35 in February of this year.
"Larry would want everyone to get on with the racing, he loved it more than anything other than his family," Krieger explained. "This is were Larry felt most at home, at the racetrack. This is were he would be tonight if were still with us … I hope that this race will remind everyone of how much joy Larry always took in being at Irwindale with his family and friends."
Donna and Mountain Mortgage have also added a $150 winner's bonus to each of the remaining six Grand American Modified races in the 2001 season in Larry's name. "Larry's spirit is so much a part of our feelings about Irwindale Speedway that we wanted to make it a formal component of the proceedings for each Grand Am Mod race until the end of this season."
Larry Krieger will be remembered for his car-building skills and his driving abilities, he will be longer remembered for the wonderful way that he embraced life, and the courageous way that he accepted his far too cruel fate. "A racer, and a damn good one, but more than that, he was a good man. Larry's legacy is that of a gentleman and first-rate friend to all," said track VP/GM Bob DeFazio. "He was the kind of guy that you really wanted to be around … Bright, animated, full of interest in everything, but especially racing … We miss him greatly and hope that this small tribute reminds everyone about a terrific competitor and an even better person."
The first 5,000 fans through the gates on Saturday night will receive a special commemorative collector's card with a photo of Larry and some of his racing cars.
Text provided by Doug Stokes
Editors Note: To view hundreds of hot racing photos and art, visit
The Racing Photo Museum and the
Visions of Speed Art Gallery.