Billy Osmun Explained

Billy Osmun
Birth Date:1943 12, mf=yes
Birth Place:Asbury, New Jersey, U.S.
First Year:1965
Championships:1
Last Finish:1993
Titles:1978 National Dirt Track Champion
1978, 1979, 1980 New York State Fair Champion

Billy Osmun (born December 6, 1943) is a retired American Dirt Modified racing driver. He focused his career on the Mid-Atlantic states, and won 59 feature events just in New Jersey.[1]

Racing career

From the Asbury section of Franklin Township, Warren County, New Jersey, Osmun began racing Gassers and Altereds on the drag strip before selling his equipment and purchasing a stock car.[1] He entered his first Modified race at Flemington Speedway in New Jersey in late 1965 and promptly hit the first turn fence, flipping three times. It was not until 1969 at East Windsor Speedway, New Jersey, that he scored his first Modified victory with this original car. Soon there-after Osmun purchased a former Bob Rossell car and began more frequent visits to Victory Lane.[1]

Despite Osmun's success at New Jersey and Pennsylvania racing venues, it was in 1978 in New York at Orange County Fair Speedway that Osmun earned his only track title.[2] [3] [4] A resident of Bridgewater Township, New Jersey, he was particularly successful at the Syracuse Mile, winning the Super Dirt Week main event in 1974, and in 1978 taking the first of three consecutive New York State Fair championship events at the track.[5]

Billy Osmun was inducted into the Eastern Motorsports Press Association Hall of Fame and the Northeast Dirt Modified Hall of Fame.[1] [6]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: EMPA Hall of Fame-Billy Osmun. Eastern Motorsport Press Association . February 18, 2024.
  2. News: Osmun winner . September 22, 1975. Reading Eagle. 21 . Google Books. February 18, 2024.
  3. News: Osmun wins . . October 20, 1975 . 32 . . February 18, 2024.
  4. News: Taylor . David . Billy Osmun wins . The Evening News . March 28, 1978 . 2D . . February 18, 2024.
  5. News: Hill . John . Fair s stock car ruled by New Jerseyan again . . September 2, 1980 . B1 . . February 18, 2024.
  6. News: Yasinsac-Gillespie . Robin . Veteran drivers named to Hall of Fame. August 6, 2015 . . B12. September 5, 2023.