Larry Kassel began racing in 1969, when he learned the basics of oval-track racing from two of the best, Dave Crocker and Bill Goeble. Tommy Frantz taught Larry important aspects of race car fabrication, including body work and paint, and shared some of his expertise in driving techniques. Larry and the “Racing Kassel family” eventually bought Dave Crocker’s car for Larry to drive at Englewood Speedway, and he was on his way to a long and storied career.
Larry drove his way to Rookie of the Year with the Englewood Racing Association Supermodified Division for the 1971 season. In the 30 years that followed, Larry had a remarkable record of 22 top-ten finishes in season championship points in Supermodified or Sprint Car divisions, with top-five finishes in 17 of those years. He won the Colorado Sprint Car title in 1988. His track record also includes 3 dozen main event wins, including 9 in one season, and victories in the prestigious Supermodified Easter Seal Classic, the CNS Sam Saur Memorial, and the Roger Mauro Mile High Classic.
In addition to his on-track success, Larry’s contributions to the Colorado Racing community included race car fabrication and the creation of memorable paint designs. He built winning cars that received Best in Class, Best Paint, and Best Engineered awards. Hall of Fame members Dick Baty, Ernie DeCroce, Tommy Frantz, and Scot Hersh all owned cars that featured Larry’s imaginative, memorable paint work.
In the mid 1980’s, Larry and John Pugh opened Paint Trends, a custom paint shop in Denver that catered to the hot rod and race communities. They painted some of the most widely recognized drag racing cars to come from the Rocky Mountain region, including Roger Guzman’s Assassination Funny car and John Abbott’s Jolly Rancher top Fuel car, as well as nationally recognized cars for John Force, Kenny Bernstein, and the Candies and Hughes Old Milwaukee Funny Car team.
After nearly 60 years in the racing business, Larry, along with his brother, Gary, and son Ron Kassel, race car partner Tom Custy, and old friend John Pugh, are still building classic street rods and race cars. In 2016, Larry acquired one of his old Supermodifieds at a swap meet, and after restoring it to the exact appearance of his Englewood Speedway car of the 1970’s, he put it back on the track and has been running it at Colorado Vintage Oval Racing events ever since. The car is a huge fan favorite whenever it appears with the club.
Larry Kassel’s career has been marked by success on multiple levels, and his contributions to Colorado racing have been substantial. He is quick to credit his family for his start and for providing years of support for his career. Larry Kassel was inducted into the Colorado Motorsports Hall of Fame in 2025.
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