Larry Carrier’s contributions to the auto racing industry and the state of Tennessee earned him an honored seat in the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame. Carrier was president and founder of the International Hot Rod Association, a sanctioning body in the sport of professional drag racing that has member tracks all over North America. In 1961 Carrier founded the Bristol International Raceway, officially renamed the Bristol Motor Speedway in 1996. It is one of the most outstanding tracks on the NASCAR racing circuit, cited by ESPN as the “1986 Track of the Year.” Carrier was instrumental in bringing national television coverage to the area. He sold Bristol Motor Speedway in 1996 for $20 million. At the time of the sale, the facility seated 71,000 and was one of the largest sports arenas in Tennessee. Long involved in the community, Carrier has “always been interested in youth programs.” He organized an amateur boxing program in 1981 sanctioned by the USAABF. By 1986 more than 100 boys were participating in the program. Larry Carrier was often asked to move his headquarters to the Midwest to be closer to the core of the automotive industry. He always steadfastly refused. A Tennessean through and through, Carrier is a rugged individualist who loves his state’s mountains, hills, and people, and here he will stay.
