3-time Daytona 500-winning NASCAR team owner Larry McClure dies

Former NASCAR Cup Series owner Larry McClure passed away on Wednesday morning in Johnston Memorial Hospital in Abingdon, Virginia. McClure was most notably a three-time Daytona 500-winning team owner in the Cup Series as part of Morgan-McClure Motorsports.

McClure was a co-owner of the organization alongside Tim Morgan and Jerry McClure from 1983-2012. Morgan-McClure Motorsports' first race was the 1983 Winston 500 at the Talladega Superspeedway. The team's final race was the 2009 Sharpie 500 at Bristol.

Morgan-McClure Motorsports competed in 703 NASCAR Cup Series races, winning 14 races and 13 poles. The team's most notable victories were three Daytona 500s.

The first came with Ernie Irvan in the #4 car in 1991, while the latter two were back-to-back victories for Sterling Marlin in the #4 machine in 1994 and 1995. The team won two more races at Daytona in the Pepsi 400 with Irvan in 1992 and Marlin in 1996.

Morgan-McClure Motorsports fielded some of the most notable NASCAR names the sport had to offer through its time. The likes of Irvan, Marlin, Mark Martin, Bobby Hamilton, Mike Skinner, Jimmy Spencer, Mike Wallace, and Ward Burton. The team's final victory came at the Martinsville Speedway in 1998 with Hamilton behind the wheel.

Morgan-McClure Motorsports continued to race through the early 2000s and attempted to race through the 2010s. However, this wouldn't happen as the team closed its doors in 2012, with the 2009 Sharpie 500 being its final start.

Aside from racing, McClure was a businessman in Southwest Virginia as he owned several dealerships in the area. McClure was the uncle of former Xfinity Series driver Eric McClure, who passed away in 2021.

Former NASCAR driver Sterling Marlin paid tribute to Larry McClure

In the wake of Larry McClure's passing, former NASCAR driver Sterling Marlin paid respect to his former team owner with a post on social media. Marlin competed for Morgan-McClure Motorsports back in the 1990s and won back-to-back Daytona 500s in 1994 and 1995 with the organization.

Marlin shared a touching tribute to McClure. The Tennessee native expressed how McClure took a chance on him and, in the end, became a two-time Daytona 500 winner. Marlin made it known that he'll miss his former team owner, writing:

"My heart hurts finding out Larry McClure passed away. He took a chance on me saying “I know you’ll drive the hell out of it.” He gave me a fast race car & back to back Daytona 500s. He was innovative, smart & a hell of a guy. Glad I got to see him last year. gonna miss him"

The NASCAR Cup Series returns to action this Saturday at the EchoPark Speedway in Atlanta, Georgia. It marks the 18th race of the 2025 Cup Series season.