Jerry Dolliver

The late Jerry Dolliver’s career began at the former Pines Speedway in 1950. Graduating from the Jalopy division within a few seasons he became a big winner in the Super Modifieds, eventually recording over 100 feature victories. An Atlantic Auto Racing Association champion, he claimed track titles at the The Pines and West Peabody among others. He also competed on the NASCAR Modified trail and with the Northeastern Midget Association.
  . . . from the New England Auto Racer’s Hall of Fame

On September 1, 1989, Jerry Dolliver warmed up a NEMA midget at Star Speedway in Epping, New Hampshire. At 61 years of age he knew what he was doing. He was a huge, though undocumented, winner in Northern New England. It is said that he amassed fully 100 features with one single flathead motor, often embarrassing the fast-invading overheads. Although the bulk of his wins were in coupes and cutdowns, in his heart he was a sprint car guy. He loved the open air.
Jerry had survived a horrible garage explosion in the mid-fifties that flung him across a lift and into a concrete wall. He had endured pain ever since. Then in the mid-sixties he underwent innovative surgery to repair a congenitally defective heart valve. The operation was a success but left him easily tired, so his busy life and the rigors of racing required unusual determination.
As he warmed up the midget that night at Star, a suspension part broke and Jerry ended up pushing the car back to the pits. No one really noticed that he immediately sat down on the edge of the trailer. He often did. But this time it was different. His heart finally gave up, and the ultra-popular racing role model was gone.
Jerry’s two boys, Bryan and Peter, by then had formed a team, and those talented racing genes were shining again. With never any finances at all, Bryan showed all that smoothly speedy Dolliver finesse behind the wheel. Tragically, however, poor health also passed between the generations. Peter quietly endured problem after problem, finally to pass away on the operating table during a second pancreas transplant a few years ago.
  . . . from Tearoffs by Lew Boyd

I remember Jerry and that #24 at tracks in the early '50's. I was just a kid, but used to go to races with another AARA Champion, Lee Hurd (1955), # 00. Those were great days... you could race every night of the week!!
  . . . from Ron Watson

• please links, stories or images so we can all remember Jerry Dolliver.