Fred White passed away on June 7 at 86 years old.
White began a racing career that spanned three decades in 1958 in a 1952 Ford flathead at Spencer Speedway near Rochester, N.Y. When he moved up to the modified class, he adopted the No. 4x and stayed true to his Ford roots — although he worked for the Delphi Division of General Motors.
White and his gold Ford coupes were regulars at Spencer, Fulton, Lancaster and the Monroe County Fairgrounds, to name a few. He was a perennial top-10 runner wherever he competed.
Len Kasper, author of “Spencer Speedway Legends 1957-1977” recalls a function a few years back when some big-name drivers (including Bill Rafter and Ed Ortiz) got together to reminisce about the good old days.
Len reminded White about him winding up in a cast at the beginning of the 1966 racing season at Lancaster Speedway. White chuckled, “Yeah, he did it!” pointing to Rafter. The pair wrecked on the track and White suffered a broken ankle.
White and his wife, Nancy (who passed away in 2020) were married on New Year’s Eve 1955 and lived and worked in the Rochester area their entire lives.
After they retired, they became snowbirds, alternating between N.Y. and Florida. He is survived by a daughter, Catherine, and three grandchildren. A visitation has been scheduled for Friday, June 21, from 5-7:30 p.m. at the Harris Funeral Home at 570 Kings Highway South in Rochester, N.Y.
In lieu of flowers, fans are asked to donate in Fred’s name to Keller’s Kats Rescue in Hilton, N.Y.