MALTA, N.Y. — The Northeastern racing community suffered a severe blow Thursday, December 11 with the passing of Albany-Saratoga Speedway promoter Lyle DeVore after a four-year struggle with liver cancer.
DeVore had literally done everything at the highly regarded dirt oval, where he started picking up trash every Saturday morning at age eight, ran the water truck at both Malta and Vermont’s Devils Bowl for promoter C.J. Richards when barely a teen and became the promoter when Lebanon Valley owner Howard Commander purchased the track from the Richards family.
DeVore credited his success to the schooling he received from three very successful promoters, Alex Friesen, Richards and Commander.
After attending Syracuse’s LeMoyne College to study Business Management, DeVore signed on with the empire-building Friesen to manage the Fulton and Utica-Rome Speedways. After Friesen’s tragic death in an off-season snowmobile accident, DeVore returned to New York’s Capital District to manage Lebanon Valley until taking over Albany-Saratoga.
A track-prep master on the grader, DeVore was equally talented at promotion and dealing with potential sponsors and together with wife Marcy continually enhanced the speedway’s events, facilities and reputation. As his illness developed, Marcy and others on the A-S staff shouldered more of the load when aggressive chemotherapy sapped his energy but DeVore was always present and in charge through the end of the 2025 season.
Never afraid to buck conventional thinking, DeVore ran full programs in front of empty grandstands during the “Covid season” and was honored with the 2020 ARPY Pandemic Promoter of the Year award for his efforts. He was subsequently named the 47th Auto Racing Promoter of the Year in 2023.
Funeral arrangements are pending.
