[indybigjohn]

Really sad news. Prayers and thoughts from here. One of my best memories is your dad driving Karl's big-block at the old 25th St. Fairgrounds in Columbus one night.

Boyd Smedley and I had taken the Salem pace car up there to publicize an upcoming event, and they asked us to pace the feature. Then Butch Wilkerson came up and wanted to drive it. We let him and I rode along.

Halfway down the backstretch the first time, Butch says, "Hey, Potts, the speedometer doesn't work!" This was in the days when the dealers unhooked 'em when they gave them to you.

I answered, "Hell, Butch, all you have to do is stay ahead of 'em."

Larry was on the pole, and I don't think Butch was sure he could stay ahead of him.

That was also the night Chuck Amati couldn't get his car handling and had to start on the tail. He asked Gaines or Bobby Kinser (I can't remember for sure) to take a few laps in it and see if he could tell him what was wrong with it. Whoever it was brought it all the way up to second by the time the feature was over, got out, and said, "Feels OK to me."

RIP, Larry.