I met Larry, after watching his career start at the Ozark Fairgrounds in Springfield, Mo when I used to go to the Friday night races there with my first wife's Dad. Earl was a one time racer who's history included winning the first 100 mile race at the fairgrounds. Earl was well known at the track and he introduced me to Larry one night after the races.

Some time later I was at the Ozark Drag Strip nearby with an old friend named Dave who was running a yellow B Gasser 1932 Ford pickup powered by an Olds with 6 single carbs on top. We had spent plenty of nights in his garage as he changed the car from a street racer to a drag car. I was a helper only, so only got my hands dirty when he mounted the motor in the car and needed an extra pair of hands. Anyway, that day Larry pulled in to the drags with a green 37 Ford Gasser and parked next to us. He was going to run C Gas I think. Anyway he made a few runs and adjusted his car as I visited with him. He was alone so I was extra hands on his car when he needed help, too! In eleminations we won our round then his class ran. I watched him launch and it wasn't long until he blew up and it took a tow to get back to the pit area. On futher examination, he had a cardboard scatter shield painted black in the car and it passed tech? Obviousley the car was nearly cut in half when the clutch exploded, but he was fine. That's the last time I know he ran that car, but he was getting so dominating with the stockers, he didn't have time to play at the drags much. I hadn't started taking pics yet, so have nothing of him or anything from that day, too bad.

Larry was so good, it was rare when he didn't win. He sent the reigning champ, Don Kordalis into retirement soon, as Larry's 57 red Chevy was awesome. I was working for Dean Roperr at the Lincoln dealer during some of this time and watched them battle some on fridays. Dean also ran Modifieds so was often at Joplin running them. Larry was so dominating they gave a $100 bonus, sometimes more, to anyone who could beat him. Not much bonus money was given at the local fairgrounds and soon, Larry was off running across the land domination many events. He was a wild and crazy guy and his talent was so good, I know I never saw a short track stock car driver that was as good as him. I saw him with Dick Trickle once and Larry lapped the filed at I-44 that night, something I'll never forget. R.I.P. to the man some thought was the best there was. His record speaks for itself and until he got lung cancer, he was still untouchable.

The following from wikipedia

Larry Phillips (July 3, 1942 – September 21, 2004) was an American racing driver and race car builder with a driving career starting in 1960 and running until 2001, the only person to win the NASCAR Weekly Series national championship five times. He won that title in 1989, 1991, 1992, 1995, and 1996. As a driver, he won seven NASCAR Weekly Series regional championships and thirteen track championships.

Phillips was born in Springfield, Missouri, son of Jim and Margie Phillips. He attended Bois D'Arc grade school in a suburb of Springfield, Missouri and Parkview High School in Springfield, Missouri.

Phillips competed in one NASCAR touring series race in 1976. The race was a combined Winston Cup (now Monster Energy Cup Series) / Winston West Series (now NASCAR K&N Pro Series West) event at Ontario Motor Speedway. He started 24th and finished 13th overall. Since he was the highest finisher in a Winston West car, he was credited with a win in the class

After years as a star in Midwestern dirt Late Model racing, Phillips switched to asphalt tracks in 1989 when two tracks near him: I-44 Speedway, Lebanon MO and Speedway USA, Bolivar MO were paved. That year, driving an asphalt Late Model that he owned, Phillips won 23 of the 27 NASCAR-sanctioned races that he entered, and won the track championship at Bolivar Speedway in Missouri.

In 1990, Phillips added James Ince (later a winning Winston Cup crew chief) to his team, and won 32 races in 40 starts in 1991 at race tracks in Kansas and Missouri.

The team's success continued in 1992 at the same race tracks, winning 38 times in 40 starts despite a trailer fire en route to the only double-feature event on their schedule. The team had more than 70 wins for the season including some late season dirt races.

In 1995, Phillips once again won 32 out of 40 races, winning the national championship over Greg Biffle by a tiebreaker. In his final national championship season, 1996, Phillips earned 14 wins in 20 starts.

He was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2000, but continued to race until the first race of the 2001 season. With his energy fading, he retired rather than race without confidence in being ready to win.

As part of the 25th anniversary of the NASCAR Weekly Series in 2006, Phillips was named one of the series' All Time Top 25 drivers. 2013 NASCAR Hall of Fame Nominee.