Donlavey Racing
| Owner(s) | Junie Donlavey |
|---|---|
| Base | Richmond, Virginia |
| Series | Winston Cup |
| Car numbers | 53, 77, 90, 91, 93, 98, 99 |
| Race drivers | Ken Schrader, Jody Ridley, Ernie Irvan, Dick Trickle |
| Sponsors | Red Baron Frozen Pizza, Heilig-Meyers, Hills Brothers Coffee, Maxx Race Cards |
| Manufacturer | Oldsmobile, Hudson, Chevrolet Mercury, Ford |
| Opened | 1950 |
| Closed | 2005 |
| Career | |
| Races competed | 863 |
| Drivers' Championships | 0 |
| Race victories | 1 |
| Pole positions | 2 |
Donlavey Racing was a racing team that competed from 1950 until 2002 in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series. It was owned by Junie Donlavey and ran a total of 863 races in NASCAR. Donlavey Racing used a number of makes and numbers, but for years was best known for the No. 90 Ford. Though the team only had one points win (1981 Mason-Dixon 500) and two pole positions in its long history, three of Donlavey's drivers won Rookie of the Year honors (Bill Dennis in 1970, Jody Ridley in 1980, Ken Schrader in 1985) and a number of former and future NASCAR race winners drove for the team. Sixty-seven different drivers ran at least one race for Donlavey.
Donlavey made his debut as an owner in 1950 at Martinsville Speedway, where Runt Harris drove Donlavey's Oldsmobile to a nineteenth-place finish after suffering mechanical failures. Donlavey's next race as an owner came in 1952 Southern 500, fielding the No. 53 Hudson Hornet for Joe Weatherly. He started 38th and finished 16th. He did not field a car again until 1957, when Emanuel Zervakis drove Donlavey's No. 90 Ford at Raleigh Speedway, finishing 24th. Zervakis ran two more races for Donlavey that year, at Langhorne Speedway and Martinsville, finishing 26th and 22nd respectively. Harris ran another race for Donlavey as well, finishing 39th at the Southern 500. Zervakis returned to run Donlavey's Chevys the next season, but did not a finish a race all season. Donlavey only ran one race in 1959, at the Capital City 200. Harris had a fifth-place finish in that race.
Harris ran three more races for Donlavey the following season, but struggled with mechanical problems, and could only manage a best finish of 30th. Speedy Thompson took over for three races, his best finish being a 12th at the Dixie 300. Tiny Lund drove for Donlavey at the Atlanta 500, but finished 36th after suffering engine failure early in the race. Johnny Roberts drove one race for Donlavey in 1961, finishing 21st at Richmond after suffering a blown head gasket.
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