Donlavey made his debut as an owner in 1950 at Martinsville Speedway, where Runt Harris drove Donlavey's Oldsmobile to a nineteenth-place finish after suffering mechanical failures. Donlavey's next race as an owner came in 1952 Southern 500, fielding the No. 53 Hudson Hornet for Joe Weatherly. He started 38th and finished 16th. He did not field a car again until 1957, when Emanuel Zervakis drove Donlavey's No. 90 Ford at Raleigh Speedway, finishing 24th. Zervakis ran two more races for Donlavey that year, at Langhorne Speedway and Martinsville, finishing 26th and 22nd respectively. Harris ran another race for Donlavey as well, finishing 39th at the Southern 500. Zervakis returned to run Donlavey's Chevys the next season, but did not a finish a race all season. Donlavey only ran one race in 1959, at the Capital City 200. Harris had a fifth-place finish in that race.