OSWEGO, NY (March 2, 2017) – John Torrese Sr., Oswego Speedway Hall of Fame driver and the patriarch of Oswego Speedway ownership since 2011, passed away yesterday at the age of 93.
Always seen with a welcoming smile at Oswego Speedway, “Pops” was a regular fixture at the Speedway in recent years – whether surveying the pit area on the “Steel Palace” golf cart with sons John Torrese Jr. and Eric Torrese, or watching the action from his familiar seat in the Speedway’s VIP tower with family and friends – Torrese always had an eye on the action at the Port City oval.
In a relatively short Oswego driving career, Torrese was a force to be reckoned with, collecting four main event wins with two top five finishes in Speedway points in 1952 and 1953.
Always a versatile driver, Torrese was one of a select few to have won at Oswego Speedway on both the dirt and asphalt surfaces in the early 1950’s.
In recognition of these accomplishments, during the 50th anniversary celebration of the Speedway in 2000, Torrese was named one of the Speedway’s Top 50 drivers of all-time.
A 2011 inductee into Oswego Speedway’s Hall of Fame, Torrese carried a love of the Speedway that was passed to his children, in particular son John Jr. who himself would become a veteran of Supermodified action at the “Steel Palace.”
That love and passion for Oswego Speedway reached a pinnacle in 2011 as the Torrese family became the third era in ownership of the famed Oswego oval and has since returned the historic speed plant to a marquee name in motorsports across the country.
Arrangements are not set at this time but will be updated on Oswego Speedway’s website and social media accounts as they become available.
For more information on Oswego Speedway be sure to visit www.oswegospeedway.com. You can also FOLLOW on Twitter @OswegoSpeedway and LIKE on Facebook at www.facebook.com/OswegoSpeedway.
About Oswego Speedway: Oswego Speedway, a sports entertainment company, is a 5/8 mile semi-banked pavement racing oval located off the shores of Lake Ontario in scenic Oswego, NY. Oswego Speedway has been a continuously run weekly racing venue since August, 1951. The premier open-wheel pavement short track cars in the world, Supermodifieds, run weekly at Oswego Speedway making Oswego the only weekly Supermodified racing venue in the world. The Small Block Supermodifieds accompany the full blown Supers on a weekly Saturday night schedule which runs from May through September. Oswego Speedway is mentioned in racing circles as the “Indy of the East,” as no fewer than a dozen past and present competitors have competed at the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway including Mario Andretti, arguably the greatest driver of all time, two-time Indy 500 champion Gordon Johncock, along with former International Classic Champions Bentley Warren, Joe Gosek, and Davey Hamilton.
From: Dan Kapuscinski/ Public Relations Specialist- Oswego Speedway
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