7/4/2018
RacinBoys
Two-Time Badger Midget Champion Owen Snyder dies at 88-years old
By Bryan Gapinski (Janesville, WI) -- Two-time Badger Midget Auto Racing Association Champion Owen Snyder Jr. died June 29 at the age of 88-years old at SSM Health St. Mary's Hospital (Janesville). Snyder also raced for many years under the alias name Todd Barton.
Snyder made his Badger Midget debut in 1953, finishing 20th in points. Three years later Snyder scored his first feature victory at Angell Park Speedway (Sun Prairie, Wis.) on July 8, 1956. Snyder would tally 31 career midget feature victories at the track, seventh place on the all-time feature victory list.
PHOTO: Owen Snyder racing under the alias of Todd Barton won the 1972 Badger Midget Series title driving for car owner Mike Cascio.--CREDIT: Gapinski Collection
Snyder ran off three consecutive years (1960-62), as Badger points runner-up before capturing his first Badger title in the 29-race 1963 season. Snyder won three features and had eight second place feature finishes during the year driving for car owner Walter Whitehorse. Snyder fell nine points short of the 1965 Badger crown, finishing second to Keith Thomas.
Snyder's final year of racing in 1972 netted Badger Title number two. Driving the Tammy's Offy owned by car owner Mike Cascio, the pair won four features, including three at Angell Park, winning the title by a whopping 264-point margin.
Snyder won 49 Badger Midget feature events at nine different tracks. Snyder also won midget and sprint car events with several other racing series, and open competition events. Like many drivers during his era, less than ideal race records management by series and tracks, have prevented a complete chronicle of his racing career.
Snyder was employed at the General Motors/Chevrolet Assembly facility in Janesville for 48-years. Moving up the corporate chain in management, Snyder began racing under the name of "Todd Barton from Vinton, Iowa" from the mid-60 until his retirement, to make "things easier at his regular employment".
Snyder also worked with several IndyCar teams headed by his son Owen III. He was a member of two Indianapolis 500 winning teams, in 1992 at Galles Racing with driver Al Unser Jr., and six years later with Team Cheever, and driver Eddie Cheever Jr., both times he was the sign board man for the race. He also worked several seasons with Dreyer Reinbold Racing.
Snyder was a 50+ year member of the Janesville Masonic Western Star Lodge #55, as well as a member of the Zor Shrine - Madison. He was an avid hunter and long-time skier.
Owen Jr. is survived by his children, Owen III (Linda), Dana (Steve) Kinser, Todd (Elizabeth), and Joel (Shannon); his grandchildren, Stevie, Kraig, Christy, Steffi, Kurt, Caroline, Noah, Nathanael, and Sophia; his great grandchildren, Kash, Hailee, and Andrew; his first wife, Helen Whitehorse; and his sister, Julia (Richard) Meredith. Owen Jr. also leaves behind many close friends. Owen Jr. was preceded in death by his second wife, Phyllis (Bleisch) Snyder; his brother, Edwin (Ed) Snyder; and his nephew, Marshall Erdman.
Services will be held on Monday July 9 at the Newcomer-Silverthorn Chapel on the Hill, at 3008 South Coon Island Road (Orfordville, Wis.). Friends may call from 11:00 a.m. until the beginning of the service at 1:30 p.m. Burial will be in the Grove Cemetery (Town of Center, Wis.).
Submitted By: Kirk Elliott