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 Don Collins of Concordia,
Kansas started his racing career in 1959 with the Soap Box Derby.
From 1961-1964 he raced go-carts and had 45 feature wins. Don
changed to Drag Racing in 1965 and raced until 1967. In 1970 and
1971 he started oval dirt track racing with a Semi-Late 62
chevy. 
In 1973 Greg Holbert drove for Collins Racing driving a 1963
Chevy II on a 1955 Chevy frame. They used a red and white Nova in
1974 with Greg Holbert at the wheel.
Brian Fry of Potwin, Kansas started his
"real" racing career in 1984 with Tony Steenson while
he and Tony were both attending Butler County Community College.
Tony was driving the 59s Late Model sportsman that his dad Shelby
Steenson owned. During this time period, Shelby had been hired to
pilot the 7c Late Model owned by Collins Racing. Tony and Brian
raced together until approximately 1991 with Brian working on the
Pit Crew for Tony.
While Shelby was driving for Collins Racing,
Brian also started helping Dennis Collins build the engines used
by Collins Racing. This led to the natural progression of working
with Don and Dennis Collins on their Late Model. Shelby brought a
lot of success to Collins Racing-15 features alone in 1984.
During 1988, Brian became a full time member of Collins Racing
and continued to help Tony whenever he could.
In 1991 Don and Dennis Collins hired Lonnie
Smith to drive for them. With Lonnie, Collins Brothers Racing won
a track title at Fun Valley Speedway in Hutchinson, Ks. along
with numerous feature wins.
In 1992 Lonnie was hired as the driver for Steve
Hamlin and Deen Woods was hired as Collins Brothers new driver.
Deen drove for us till 1996. During this time, Brian started to
build the bodies and interiors and do the lettering touch-ups for
the team. Deen won the team a track title at Saline County
Speedway along with numerous features. During Deen's time
with the team, Collins Brothers Racing became a two-car team.
There was one car exclusively for Late Model events, (a Bullitt
chassis first, then a GRT chassis) and one car for Late Model
Sportsman shows, built on a Feger's chassis.
Late in 1996 Deen left Collins Racing and
Collins Brothers Race Team worked with Frank McGhee and Don
Renfro to end out the year.
1997 Ted Martin came on board the team to pilot
the Collins Racing Late Model and Late Model Sportsman cars. We
still maintained the two car stable switching between the GRT and
the Fegers depending on the track. In 1997 Ted rewarded us with a
track championship at 81 Speedway and a runner-up finish in NCRA.
Somewhere around 1998, Brain was officially dubbed "Crew
Chief". He still feels it is a honary title because everyone
shares in the daily operations of the racing team.
In 1999 Dennis built a new building to house the
racecars and we moved the daily operations to his home in Benton,
Kansas, where he and Brian do the weekly preparations for the
team. In 2000, Brian started doing the layout and lettering for
Collins Racing when a graphics system was purchased.
"Throughout the last 25 years I feel very
privileged to have been associated with Don and Dennis Collins,
Collins Racing, the crew, and the pilots of their cars".-
Brian Fry
Engines by:
Dennis Collins - Benton, Kansas
Crew Members:
Don Collins
Dennis Collins
Brian Fry
Different drivers that have driven for Collins
Racing:
1973 - Greg Holbert (Concordia,
Kansas)
click on photos to view
1981 - Howard Spitler (Republic, Kansas)
1984 - Shelby Steensen (Salina, Kansas)
1991 - Lonnie Smith (Wichita, Kansas)
1992 - 1996 Deen Woods (Beloit, Kansas)
1997 - Current - Ted Martin (Bennington, Kansas)
2010 - Gary Gorby (Caney, Kansas)
![Gary Gorby photo]()
Most wins in 1984 (15) with:
Shelby Steensen
Current Chassis: Rocket & Fegers
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