Olivebridge, Town of Olive, NY
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Larry retired from racing in 1959 to help plan and build Onteora Speedway in Olivebridge NY. He became Director of Racing and Vice President of the track and his days behind the wheel of a racing machine were finished – except for the occasional novelty race which he secretly never liked, because he loved going for it – the speed and the competition.
Raymond Davis owned the land and was in the excavating business. He did much of the excavating work with his machines and Larry was often climbing on one machine or another to help.
Mavis Shurter did a lot of the handicapping at Onteora – positioning the cars in the race lineups based on the results of prior races or whether they were new to the track or their skill and car were known or unknown. She and her sisters, Doris Glass and Sarah Vansteenburgh, along with Sarah Ryan were the score keepers. And in true Mavis style, she took little credit for her constant behind the scenes work which included drafting public relations releases, rules and regulations, organizing special events like the Joie Chitwood Thrill Show. She was instrumental in planning and organizing the memorial benefit for race driver D.D. Harris after he died in an accident at Onteora Speedway. Larry and Mavis delivered the proceeds to Mrs. Harris. The two Harris kids were roughly my age so I went with my parents to deliver the envelope of money. I remember sitting in the Harris living room, in, what I can only describe as an odd sort of suspension. I remember that us kids didn’t make a sound other than the correct pleasantries of hello and goodbye. No one suggested that we go play and we knew enough to know we were expected to sit quietly and wait until the adults had finished talking. Mrs. Harris was kind and gracious. I didn’t feel the pain of death though I felt the sadness. I was somberly grateful that I could climb in the car with my mom and dad and go home. My parents; the car ride; the day; all; was surrounded with quiet.
Mavis and Larry bought Ted and Marge Ehrishman’s restaurant and bar directly across from Onteora Speedway. Prior to Ted and Marge, Dick Darling owned the bar.
