My first race was at Oswego Speedway, I am guessing in 1953. Oswego openned in August of 1951 as a dirt track an ran seven races that year, by June of 1952 there had been so many complaints about the dust that the track was closed down for paving, I don't remember Oswego as a dirt track which is why I think it was 1953 before Dad took me to the races. Of course I was only four at the time, I do remember the coupes that dominated the fifties and the drivers that wrote the history of the Speedway back then, Nolan Swift in the 10 Pins, Irish Jack Murphy's Shamrock 6, Eddie Bellinger Sr.'s #3, Lee Bliss's #151 and Billy Blum's #51. While I don't remember which one of those five won the first race I ever attended it is a safe bet it was one of them, they dominated the fiftes at Oswego.

My first dirt track race was the Moody Mile at the Syracuse Fairgrounds, back in the day the fair always closed on Labor Day with the coupes running. Today they use the race track as a parking lot for the fair vendors,kind of sad if you ask me. Anyhow I remember Irish JacK Murphy winning at the fairgrounds.

My Dad introduced me to the sport I love and in turn my daughter attended her first race in my womb, her first race as a spectator was May 1971 at nine monhs old, a supermodified race in Canada and her son attended his first International Classic at Oswego Sept. '08 at six months old and first Indy car race at Watkins Glen July '09 at sixteen months old. Dad started a love for a sport that has lasted fifty plus years, made numerous long lasting friendships and spanned four generations. Miss you Dad!

Patti