Today's South Bend Tribune:
MISHAWAKA - Oscar K. Fay departed this world to go to the big track in the sky on October 8, 2012. He was born to the late Oscar K. Fay and Gertrude Fay in Osceola. He attended Mishawaka High School. Oscar served in WW II in the U.S. Army Air Force as a gunner on a B25 flying missions out of China to Burma Road. After WW II, Oscar raced airplanes and, in the late 1940s, began racing automobiles at Playland Park, South Bend. Oscar raced in the early years of NASCAR on the beach at Daytona. He raced Midgets and was teammates with Bob McLean and Doc Shane Brook. In 2003, Oscar and Bob were inducted into the Michiana Motor Sports Hall of Fame. In super modifieds and sprint cars, he won many races throughout the Midwest, including being Track Champion at Hartford and Kalamazoo, MI and Speed Drome in Grand Rapids, all in the same year. Oscar also won many races at South Bend Speedway, including the first sprint race ever run there. He also won sprint car races with I.M.C.A. and broke A.J. Foyt's track record at the Minnesota State Fair in the same week. A few years back, the late Chris Economaki, famed racing announcer and editor of N.S.S.N. racing paper, referred to Oscar as the "folk hero of sprint car racing in his day." After Oscar retired from driving, he traveled the Midwest helping his racing protégé, John Witter. Many thanks to John for all the love and support he gave my dad through the years. Oscar died peacefully in his residence in Mishawaka under the care of his loving companion Jackie Pletcher and Hospice. Oscar is survived by his daughter, Cindy Fay; grandson, Cory Fay; granddaughter, Kacie Suetkamp; and great-grandkids, Bronson Fay, Gage, Gavin and Bella Suetkamp. A memorial service will be held at a later date. Arrangements are by McGann Hay Funeral Home, where condolences may be left at McGannHay.com.