COLUMN: Ex-NASCAR rookie of the year Larry Smith's wild exploits at Antioch

Horsepower Park, the old Antioch Speedway, is scheduled to have its first full season of dirt-track racing since 2018, announcing a total of 18 weekend events for 2026 to start on March 7.

The track’s history goes back to 1957, first as a quarter-mile drag strip, then as a half-mile clay oval.

With that backdrop, I plan to do a series of profiles about men and women who helped write the history of North Carolina’s fastest half mile — called “Pit Box Banter” — with this week’s column serving as the first entry.

Larry Smith was born and raised in the Whitney area of Caldwell County. Smith began his racing career on the local bullrings in this region. He quickly worked his way from the Hobby division to the Sportsman class.

Smith had a reputation of being a great driver on both dirt and asphalt. Smith was also a character off the track. I have been told he delivered bootleg liquor in spare tires every Thursday on his way to race in Columbia, S.C.

A story about Smith losing a wristwatch and a race car during the same illegal card game has never been confirmed, but it helped build his legend.

Smith won races throughout the Southeast. By May 1971, he made his NASCAR Cup Series debut in the World 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway and finished 22nd. The next season, he was able to secure a full-season sponsorship from the Canadian Carling Black Label beer.

Smith finished that ’72 season with seven top-10 finishes and won Cup Series rookie of the year honors.

The ’73 season was filled with ups and downs, with Smith only finishing in the top 10 once before his life was tragically cut short on Aug. 12 in Talladega, Ala. On the 14th lap of the Talladega 500, Smith spun his car around and smacked the outside wall.

He somehow drove the car back to the pits and got out of the car while his crew worked to get him back into the race. Once repairs were completed, his crew discovered Smith had passed away. Track doctors confirmed that he died of massive head trauma.

Rumors have circulated for years that Smith tore the lining out of his helmet to combat headaches caused by undiagnosed concussions throughout his racing career.

NASCAR legend Harry Gant said: “Larry was our hero. He was the first one of us that really made it. We all wanted to do what Larry did.”

I would like to share a few stories about Smith racing here in Morganton at the Burke-Lenoir Speedway (another of the local dirt track’s former names).

On July 15, 1966, Smith won the 100-lap midseason championship. James Spencer led the opening portion before the windshield blew out of his race car. With 10 laps to go, Smith’s car lost the right rear tire. Going into the turns, the axle would dig in the dirt and sparks would fly, then the left front of the machine would lift up on the straightaways.

Bud Williams was helping Spencer that night. He smiled and recalled, “Somehow when Larry lost a wheel he got faster. Spencer said dirt clods were beating him in the face.”

Smith held off Oscar Carter to put his car in victory lane, collecting a check for $800. The following week, Smith once again won the feature, but he didn’t get to visit victory lane. He and local favorite Earl Coffey were slamming into each other the entire race. On the last lap going into the final turn, Smith drove under Coffey and pushed him up the track. Coffey’s car flew over the wall and out of the track. Smith took the checkered flag as Coffey somehow drove back onto the racing surface.

Whether it was the mob of Coffey supporters coming from the bleachers towards the track or the sight of Coffey himself, Smith decided to drive out of the track. He turned right on Antioch Road, then drove to Claude Mabe’s store on N.C. 18.

His crew jumped in the truck, and they loaded the race car on the trailer in the parking lot before heading back across the county line.

Later the same summer, Smith and Clyde Berry from Drexel were trading victories week after week. One night, the two were trading paint and banging off one another. Coming to the checkered flag, Smith spun Berry, distorting his car.

Smith was victorious, and the Berry boys were fighting mad. Clyde, his brother, Red, and a group of locals were waiting on Smith when he drove into the pits. As he pulled in, they started beating on Smith’s car with wrenches, broom handles, and anything else they could find.

Smith drove back onto the track, made another lap, then tried to pull back into the pits. The mob was once again waiting and started beating on his car, and again Smith drove back onto the track. Local racer Spud Bennett remembers what happened next.

“Someone was standing in turn two and waving for Larry,” Bennett said. “The guy handed Larry something, and Larry drove back towards the pit area. When he pulled back down pit road, Larry pulled a .38 special and fired a shot or two in the air. The crowd scattered as Larry drove his car to his trailer and loaded it up. Within a few weeks, both teams were laughing about that night.”

Hope you enjoyed the banter and see you next time on the Pit Box.