SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Paul Tracy, the 2003 IndyCar Series champion, confirmed the death of his father, Tony.
Tony Tracy was 92 years old and died on Oct. 23, with his wife of 56 years, Vivienne, and other family members at his side..
The patriarch of the family achieved notoriety of his own as a painter in Toronto. Tony was the president of Trabur Painting Ltd., when he famously climbed over 1,815-feet above the earth to apply vinyl paint to the CN Tower in Toronto on June 26, 1976.
Known for his tireless work ethic, Tony invested financially in Paul’s early racing career and they spent the bulk of their time together at racetracks around Canada.
When Paul reached the highest ranks of auto racing, Tony remained by his side and enjoyed firsthand his son’s championship success.
“My dad was truly amazing and he worked hard every day doing some very dangerous work to provide for all of our family,” Paul Tracy said. “He was 100 percent committed to making sure that I had the best opportunity to succeed in my career. In both triumph and defeat, his support never wavered. Thank you, dad, for all of the memories.”