NASCAR legend, Richmond native Donlavey dies at 90
Stock Car Racing History
Growing up in Richmond and cutting my racing teeth on NASCAR asphalt modified racing at Southside Speedway in the mid-60s, you've often heard me tell on these pages of the four New England Modified racers - Ed Flemke, Red Foote, Rene Charland and Denny Zimmerman (the kid of the bunch and Flemke's protege), known collectively as "The Eastern Bandits" - who came south in the early 60s and made Richmond their base as they cleaned house in modified races at Southside, South Boston, Manassas, Marlboro and even Bowman-Gray Stadium until Flemke shared the secrets of their lightweight chassis.
A year ago (February 21, 2013), Zimmerman - the 1971 Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year - made a post on the site dogfightmag.com in the Vintage Modified section recalling the help given to other racers back in the early 60s by Junie Donlavey. I think the short post about Junie Donlavey in his pre-Cup days by a renowned racer is very insightful and appropriate at this time of his passing for those who never saw the weekly short track side of Junie:
Feb. 21, 2013
First of all....Junie Donlavey....what a gentleman...a good friend....a great ambassador for auto racing. Junie ran a shop (called Swansboro Motor Company) in Richmond that put garbage trucks together for Truxmore, didn't build em just assembled them. His shop would take a brand new truck chassis and a brand new garbage canister/compacter (or whatever they are called) and put em together and out would roll a brand new garbage truck.
That was his day job (which he delegated to a very capable crew), his real interest was racing. In later years (after the Eastern Bandit days) Junie got involved in Grand National Cars and many of the drivers he hired went on to great careers. Back to the Bandit days tho....We would arrive at his shop in Richmond Friday morning after running New Egypt NJ the night before. Friday night was always Southside Speedway. Usually there was stuff to do on our cars and Junie would open a bay for us to work on our cars. Forgot to tell you his shop was (as I remember) about 8 bays, 6 for the garbage trucks and 2 for his race cars. If we needed help he would even lend some of his working staff to help us. Then if time permitted we would check in to the motel get some sleep and then off to Southside Speedway. After the races back to the motel, then Saturday morning, back to Junies shop to work on our race cars and get ready for Manassas VA Saturday night (South Boston if they had a big money purse) but usually Manassas.
Junie and his employees were always most gracious and willing to help even when (in the beginning) when we were whipping them. They got a pretty good deal too because Eddie Flemke was helping them (schooling them) make their cars handle better and before long it was no longer easy pickings. I think Eddie single handed improved the competition every where we went.
This was a time period that mostly Sonny Hutchins drove for Junie. The Eastern Bandits were (4 of us) Eddie Flemke, Rene Charland, Red Foote in the J2 and me the kid. Red Foote moved to Richmond after the J2 for some reason quit traveling. Red could have driven for just about anyone down there he wanted to but he drove for Junie sometimes and also the #8 out of Norfolk.
That's it for now but I can't thank Junie enough for what he did for us and racing in general.
Denny Zimmerman. (1971 Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year and former "Eastern Bandit")
