Fanfare with Larry Keller

Larry Keller Jr.’s first trip to Riverhead Raceway was an eye-opening experience. Keller said he was thrilled by the power of the NASCAR Modifieds and the rumble in his stomach as they roared by.

Keller left his home in Montauk not knowing a thing about racing. But he left Riverhead a fan.

“My friend Jay was running in the enduro race,” said Keller. “I had nothing to do so I figured I’d come check it out.”

While the racing piqued Keller’s interest, it was his wheelchair that caught the eye of many others around the facility.

Keller’s wheelchair resembles a tank. It has tracks instead of wheels. It just appears rugged. And Keller said it is exactly that.

“It’s called the Action TrackChair,” said Keller. “It is an electric mobility chair for all-terrain purposes. It’s only an outdoor chair. I’ve actually climbed a mountain up in New Hampshire with it.”

In 2009 Keller was in a bad car accident. He said he was paralyzed from the neck down.

“They told me I may never walk again,” said Keller. “I said don’t ever say that to me. I’m walking out of here.”

Amazingly Keller has mostly gotten back the ability to walk. He said his left side came back, but the right side of his body is still paralyzed.

“I just have problems with long distances,” He said. “I get fatigued really easily.”

But he hasn’t let that accident stop him. He still goes surf fishing at Montauk. And that mountain that he climbed in New Hampshire? I walked up part of that.

He said that his chair is an awesome piece of equipment. He also said that about being at Riverhead Raceway.

” It was a lot of fun,” said Keller. “It was awesome.”

Source: Rob Blount/LongIslandJam.com