ANTIOCH, Ill. — Ray Toft, the former promoter at Wisconsin tracks Wilmot Speedway and Lake Geneva Raceway, and one of original founders of the Interstate Racing Association, passed away Tuesday, Oct. 19. He was 93 years old.
Toft was inducted into the Southeastern Wisconsin Short Track Racing Hall of Fame at the Wisconsin Automotive Museum in Hartford, Wis., in 2015. Toft attended and helped award the first IRA Founders Night Trophy at Wilmot in 2014.
A life-long resident of Antioch, Toft served as Mayor of Antioch, Ill., for 16 years, prior to that having been a village trustee, Captain of the Antioch Fire Department and Police Department, a member of the Sequoit Masonic Lodge #927, Antioch Lions Club, Antioch Rotary Club, Antioch VFW Post 4551, American Legion, and U.S. Army and Korean War Veteran. He owned and operated Ray’s Shell in Antioch for many years, along with other businesses in the Antioch area.
Survivors include his wife of 71 years, Joan; daughters Debbie (the late Andy) Calin, Kathy (Wayne) Soder; grandchildren Heidi (Troy) Mase, Savana (David) Kohler; great grandchildren Adalyn, Bennett, Carter, Brady and Reese.
Toft was preceded in death by his parents, Peder and Mary (nee Pedersen) Toft; his sister Ardis Peterson and his brother Homer Toft.
Services and internment were private at Hickory Union Cemetery in Antioch.