PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — Indiana open-wheel great Tom York passed away here April 15 at the age of 90.
York, who originally raced out of the South Bend/Mishawaka, Ind., area and later, Parma, Mich., started his racing career in stock cars around 1957 or so, before moving on to modifieds and sprint cars being among winners in the 1960s and into the 1970s. He enjoyed a lot of success at Indiana’s South Bend Motor Speedway in both stock cars and sprinters.
In addition to South Bend, York was a winner at Indiana tracks like New Paris Speedway, Sun Valley Speedway, Illiana Motor Speedway and Indianapolis Raceway Park, to name a few. York won two 100-lap sprint car features at Sun Valley in 1970.
York competed in the Little 500 sprint car race at Sun Valley numerous times with fifth place finishes in 1964 and 1966 being his best efforts. He won the pole position for the Little 500 in 1969, wheeling the Columbus, Ohio-based, Warren Null-owned, Chevy-powered, sprint car. York would finish 25th that year.
York competed at other tracks in sprint car and modified competition, including New York’s Oswego Speedway. He raced sprint cars with IMCA, USAC, the Midwest Auto Racing Club and the American Speed Association.
York dominated IMCA sprint car action on the half-mile pavement at the Minnesota State Fair in 1968, piloting the Null roadster. He was a winner at Middle Georgia Speedway in IMCA action in 1970. York also competed in Iowa’s Knoxville Nationals in 1963. From time to time, York also raced a USAC midget.
After his driving days were over, York was involved in sprint car restoration and vintage racing. He was a member of the Little 500 Hall of Fame and the Michiana Vintage Racers group.