Dick O'Brien

Dublin

Fought in both wars, was decorated for Christmas.

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Articles

ISMA Tour will make only Oswego Speedway appearance of 2025 Saturday

1 day ago | syracuse.com | Dick O'Brien

The International Super Modified Association Tour has the fastest cars to ever compete at the Oswego Speedway. On July 9, 2022, Mike Ordway Jr. ran a qualifying lap of 14.611 seconds for the ISMA program, and it was the fastest lap ever recorded in the 74–year history of the Oswego Speedway. This Saturday night, current ISMA point leader, Mike Ordway Jr., leads the tour to Oswego Speedway for their only appearance of the 2025 season.
Logan Rayvals wins first Oswego Speedway supermodified main event

4 days ago | syracuse.com | Dick O'Brien

There’s nothing like the joy of seeing the smiling face of a young racer rolling his car into victory lane for the first time. That was the scene Saturday night at the Oswego Speedway when second-generation driver, Logan Rayvals, rolled his supermodified into victory lane after a dominating performance in the 50-lap feature race. The 28-year-old Brockville, Ontario driver started on the outside pole and quickly grabbed the lead that he never gave up.
Jason Makarewicz brings new life into Owego speedway project

1 week ago | syracuse.com | Dick O'Brien

Race promoter Jason Makarewicz brought the struggling Evergreen Speedway in Drums, Pennsylvania, back to life and now he’s trying to do the same thing with the Shangri-La II Speedway in Owego. Makarewicz’s new project is located on Route 17C, just west of Owego in Tioga Center. The track has been dormant for the past decade, but his team has already made numerous improvements to the grounds and the roomy, half-mile concrete racing surface.
Otto Sitterly wins Jim Shampine Memorial for a record ninth time

1 week ago | syracuse.com | Dick O'Brien

It took three attempts, but the Oswego Speedway finally got its 2025 season started Saturday, and Otto Sitterly put on a flawless driving performance to win the featured Jim Shampine Memorial main event for a record ninth time. Sitterly, a nine-time Oswego track champion, was behind the wheel of a brand new Hawk-built supermodified for the first time and he rolled from his sixth starting position to the lead in just five laps.
Shampine was winner on and off the Oswego Speedway; memorial race Saturday

2 weeks ago | syracuse.com | Dick O'Brien

Jimmy Shampine’s racing career at the Oswego Speedway ran from 1962 to 1982. During this period, this Cicero racer set numerous track records, some of which may never be broken. Many people feel he is the greatest supermodified driver to ever compete at this 73 year old facility. Other people, however, feel his accomplishments as a designer and builder of supermodified chassis’ exceeded his Hall of Fame driving career. On Saturday, the Jim Shampine Memorial race is set at the Oswego Speedway.
Trent Stephens and Mike Ordway Jr. win ISMA supermodified openers

2 weeks ago | syracuse.com | Dick O'Brien

The ISMA winged supermodified tour opened their 2025 season this weekend with a pair of races that produced two new track records, two capacity crowds and plenty of high-speed15.383-second short-track racing. Things got off to a fast start Friday night at the Delaware, Ontario Speedway when seven drivers broke the old track record in pre-race time trials. Ohio’s Tyler Shullick is the new record holder with a 15.383-second trip around the half-mile Delaware oval.
Super DIRTcar Series rolls into its 53rd season

3 weeks ago | syracuse.com | Dick O'Brien

Back in 1972, Glenn Donnelly rented the one-mile dirt oval at the New York State fairgrounds in Geddes to run a 100-mile feature race for modified stock cars. To help promote this initial Super DIRT Week main event, Donnelly ran a series of qualifing races, with the winners’ getting a guaranteed starting spot in the Fairgrounds 100 miler. Over the years, this qualifing series has developed into today’s Super DIRTcar Series.
Amy Holland wins second DIRT big-block modified feature at Brewerton Speedway

3 weeks ago | syracuse.com | Dick O'Brien

Back on July 28, 2023, Amy Holland became the first female driver to win a DIRT big-block modified feature race at the Brewerton Speedway. Friday night, this Fulton racer did it again, winning the 35-lap, big-block feature using a small-block Chevrolet engine in her modified. Despite giving up over 100 cubic inches in engine displacement to her big-block competitors, Holland had her modified handling perfectly on the 3/8th-mile Brewerton oval.
Joe Gosek preps for 46th and final supermodified season at Oswego Speedway

4 weeks ago | syracuse.com | Dick O'Brien

Back in 1980, a 24-year-old crewman jumped behind the wheel of a supermodified and took his first laps around the Oswego Speedway.. Over the next 45 seasons, Joe Gosek has developed into one of the finest drivers to ever compete at this 5/8th-mile oval, and when Oswego opens its 74th season Saturday night, the 69-year-old racer will be starting his 46th and final season behind the wheel of a supermod. Gosek’s Hall of Fame driving career at Oswego is an impressive one.
Stewart Friesen dodges rain to win two dirt modified main events

1 month ago | syracuse.com | Dick O'Brien

Although the weatherman threw another wet blanket over local short-track racing this weekend, Stewart Friesen managed managed to dodge the wet stuff long enough to pick up pair of modified feature wins and $10,000. The long weekend for this Sprakers driver started at the Charlotte Speedway NASCAR Truck Series race Saturday afternoon. Stewart ran into problems in qualifying and started 32nd in the Lottery 200.