Sam Neave 1948-2026

Sam was born in Greensboro, NC, to George Reynolds Neave and Hazel Braxton Neave. He came from a long line of thinkers, dreamers, tinkerers, and fixers. He was taught the value of hard work, but perhaps more importantly, that there is always a way to get a job done. This ingenuity and can-do attitude enabled his passion for all things on wheels.

He grew up with a wrench in his hand, having built his first car by 11 in his dad’s shop. By his high school years, he was known for his skill under the hood, hot-rodding cars with his buddies at Guilford. In his 20s, he raced motocross throughout the Carolinas and opened a motorcycle shop with his cousin George. In the early ’80s, he started autocrossing with the Triad Sports Car Club, sparking a lifelong passion for grassroots autosports. He was active in all levels of the sport, from parking lot autocrosses to local ovals, to participation and wins in national road racing organizations such as IMSA and the Sports Car Club of America. After owning a number of garages focused on street cars, he opened LNA Enterprises in Franklinville in the early 2000’s, quickly developing a reputation for competitive engines and car fabrication throughout the Southeast and Midwest. He built cars and engines that brought home Mini Stock championships at Bowman Gray Stadium and Ace Speedway, plus three SCCA National Championships: GP in 2008 and EP in 2013 and 2015. He also supported cars with multiple Southeast Division SCCA championship runs over the years. In recent years, he returned to his roots, restoring vintage Triumph motorcycles, reaching the Senior level of the AMCA.

On any given weekend, he could be found at the track under the hood of a car or leaning on a fender, sharing stories, knowledge, and ideas. Anyone who came to work with Sam knew his engineering mind couldn’t be beat. He relished mentoring and sparking ideas in others–his shop doors were always open to anyone wanting to learn.

Sam was predeceased by his mother, father, two older sisters, Pearl and Gayle, and wife of 38 years, Dot. He is survived by one sister, Treedie, his partner of 8 years, Jeanne, two daughters and a son-in-law: Anna, Glenn, and Charity, four grandsons Peyton (and wife Mallory), Cameron, Sam, and Ted, and two great-grandsons: Colton and Rhett, as well as Jeanne’s daughter and son, Jessamyn and Zachariah, and granddaughter, Dorothy.

Tribute Slide Show.

A celebration of life will be held Saturday, November 7th at 2 pm at LNA Enterprises, located at 3637 Walker Store Rd, Franklinville, NC 27248.

Condolences may be mailed to the same address. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the NCR SCCA Scholarship Fund or a local astronomy club of your choosing.

NCR Scholarship Fund Donations: https://ncrsccasf.org/checkout/donate?donatePageId=6527d4c27dff9d78ac927f12