WHAT THEY SAY ABOUT JOE GOSEK

“Joe is the type of person that will do anything for you. He doesn’t know the word ‘no’ and he is willing to help out anyone that asks for it. This applies both for normal everyday stuff and especially at the track or in the race car shop. “He is extremely easy to work around and work for. In the race shop, the crew all works together under Joe’s direction. Joe is a machinist by trade and can make just about anything to fix and maintain the car. I’ve been with Joe since the early ‘90s and have loved every minute of it.

“I could write a book on all the fond memories over the years. ”

“It’s his drive and his passion for racing is definitely, I’d say, is the number one thing that has kept him going and made him so good.

“His desire to win. People who aren’t racers think it is just a guy going around in circles in a car. Really, it’s people who are ultra competitive — that’s what Joe is. Joe is ultra competitive and he has a passion for racing. He’s a winner — it’s just something he has in him.

“On a Saturday, he might have had a tough week in the garage, maybe making repairs on the car — Joe doesn’t like to repair race cars, no one does. But come Saturday, that racer comes out and he’s at the track ready to go — it’s that desire.

“I’ve been with Joe since 1983 (Burke’s as a sponsor). I’m on his crew — the tire guy.

“Besides sponsoring Joe, Burke’s has been the official home center sponsor of Oswego Speedway. My dad started with the speedway and the Carusos back in the ‘60s. ”

Oswego’s Joe Gosek, a 42-year supermodified racing veteran, was nominated for inclusion in the 2023 Greater Syracuse Sports Hall of Fame by Dough Caruso, a former co-owner of Oswego Speedway; former co-owner of Speedway Press, Inc.

Gosek, a lifelong resident of Oswego, lives with his wife, Vicki, a Delta Airlines flight attendant, and their two daughters, Piper and Remy. He is employed at the Constellation’s Nine Mile Point Nuclear complex in Scriba.

In the nomination, Caruso said

Gosek is “one of the most prolific and talented race car drivers in the history of Oswego Speedway and well beyond.” He has been racing competitively for more than 42 years, starting at age 18 in Motocross.

However, Gosek didn’t make the cut for the hall this year.

“We didn’t make it this year. But we’ll try again next year,” Caruso vowed. “I’m disappointed he didn’t make it — yes, I am. I did a lot of work on this. There was quite a bit involved.”

This isn’t the first time. Caruso ac- tually nominated him back in 2016. So maybe the third time will be a charm, he added.

Caruso said he had a customer and friend who was on the board of directors for GSSHOF.

“He helped me get four other drivers into the hall of fame. Unfortunately, he has passed away. I have no one now who will carry the ball forward,” he said. “So, yeah, I was disappointed. But I can’t say anything bad because the fact of the matter is everybody that got in is worthy, you know. It’s not like he could replace somebody else — it’s not like that.”

Perhaps the greatest highlight of Gosek’s career was in 1996, when he qualified and raced in The Indianapolis 500, Caruso said.

“His gutsy effort to compete in this event exemplifies Joe’s career-long determination to succeed. Failing to get his original ride up to speed during the month of May at Indy, Joe was hired by another car owner and a last-minute attempt to qualify for the biggest race in the world was played out in front of thousands of viewers on TV as Gosek put his new ride solidly into the field of 33 — with very little practice,” Caruso said.

“Joe Gosek has become a respected competitor as well as a gracious spokesperson and representative of the sport. From the beginning in 1980 when he graduated from crewman to a supermodified driver, Joe has been dedicated to giving his very best effort each time he has wheeled a race car onto a speedway — in Oswego, Indianapolis or anywhere else in the United States and Canada. Most important, he has never lost sight of who he is or where he came from,” Caruso said.