Penton (Ala.) Raceway founder Larry Edge died March 3 at his Penton home. He was 86.

Edge, a Korean War veteran, operated the 3/8-mile eastern Alabama oval for 40 years. The life-long Penton resident also owned and operated Edge's Grocery and Penton Grill.

Built beginning in 1980, the racetrack in Lafayette, Ala., opened on a Sunday afternoon in 1981. The track hosted touring events for Super, Limited and Crate Late Models, including five Southern All Star Dirt Racing Series events with Mike Head of Ellenwood, Ga., winning three.

Edge's survivors include a son, four grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. The funeral was March 7 at Penton Church of God followed by burial in the church cemetery.