Otis Perry’s racing career was only about twelve years long but during those dozen years, he was one of the best dirt track drivers in Maine.

When Beech Ridge Speedway opened in May 1949, Otis was there along with fifteen other brave "rookies". It didn’t take long for Otis to learn how to broadslide a race car through the turns – some say he was a "natural".

He not only won races at Beech Ridge during that inaugural season, but when the Main State Stock Car Racing Association (MSSCRA) promoted races at the Norway Fairgrounds, Otis won there as well. When Oxford Plains Speedway opened the following year, Otis grabbed several checkered flags at the new track. In 1951, he won seven feature races at Beech Ridge alone. Simply, Otis won races wherever he raced.

In the beginning, Otis drove one of Jim McConnell’s "house" cars but later, he and brothers Del and Jack built their own #9 coupe. Several years later, he drove a Plymouth coupe built by noted car builder Charlie Thurston. Otis and Charlie traveled to California in the 1950’s only to return and continue their winning ways.

In 1959, Otis was asked to drive a brand new car built by Ray Snell and his good friend Charlie Thurston – a yellow #99 Plymouth coupe. Being an innovator, Thurston center mounted the motor – instead of a winning car, the #99 would only spin out. Otis went back to his #9 and Phil Libby was asked to drive #99 but only after Charlie repositioned the motor. The rest is racing history.