Who was Larry McClure? Everything to know about winning NASCAR team owner in the wake of his demise

Larry McClure, the longtime co-owner of Morgan-McClure Motorsports (MMM), led the iconic NASCAR team to three Daytona 500 wins in the 1990s. He passed away at the age of 81 on Wednesday, June 25, at Abingdon, Virginia, the very town where his team was based out of.

McClure co-founded MMM in 1983 alongside Tim Morgan and debuted the No.4 Chevrolet in the Cup Series at Talladega Superspeedway that same year. The car became known for it's iconic yellow paint scheme born out of the Kodak sponsorship in 1986, which lasted for an impressive 18 years.

The team competed in 703 Cup Series races and nabbed 14 wins and 13 poles, with their most notable victories coming from the Daytona 500 in 1991, 1994 and 1995. MMM's downfall began with a fateful move to Pontaic in 2003, following which the team lost the Kodak sponsorship and had to made do with modest backing and subpar equipment.

Due to financial troubles, MMM ceased operations a few weeks shy of the 2008 Daytona 500. Around the same time, McClure was found guilty of tax fraud and served an 18 month sentence in federal prison, following which the team completely closed shop in 2012.

NASCAR analyst Bob Pockrass shared news of McClure's demise on his X handle, writing,

"Former NASCAR team owner Larry McClure has died. Morgan-McClure Motorsports won three Daytona 500s, two with Sterling Marlin and one with Ernie Irvan."

McClure's family released an official statement that read:

"The family of Larry A. McClure, former co-owner of Morgan McClure Motorsports, announces with great sorrow his passing on Wednesday, June 25 at Johnstone Memorial Hospital in Abingdon, Virginia. We would like to thank everyone for theri prayers and support during this most difficult time."

Larry McClure also owned two Chevrolet car dealerships in Southwest Virginia region, where he'd continue to work till his passing.

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NASCAR reporter lays tribute to Larry McClure's Daytona legacy

ESPN journalist Ryan McGee paid his condolences to Larry McClure's demise with a tribute to the team owner's Daytona wins. He shared a hearfelt memory of a recent encounter with McClure on his X handle.

"Godspeed Larry McClure. I saw him at the airport not too long ago and introduced him to a friend as "This here is the man who owned the slickest looking bullet that ever cut through Daytona." And he said "Hi, I'm Larry, and he's damn right,"" he wrote.

McClure fielded Ernie Irvan in the No.4 Chevy when the team won it's first Daytona 500 in 1991. Streling Marlin took the steering wheel during their back-to-back Daytona wins in 1994 and 1995, becoming the first driver to win consecutive Daytona 500s since Cale Yarborough in the 1980s.

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Edited by Pratham K Sharma