Tue, 19 Oct 2004, 06:47 PM Fred Hahn Retires

Courtesy of Jeff Burk Photo by Jeff Burk

BUFFALO, N.Y. --

Fred Hahn

Driver Fred Hahn and team owner, engine builder and tuner Jim Oddy have been the most dominant team in Pro Modified since the inception of the class in 1990. During the following years the Buffalo, New York-based Hahn and Oddy became the only Pro Mod team in the class's history to win a championship for every sanctioning body that sanctioned the class: NHRA, IHRA, Super Chevy (both as a Pro Mod and a Nitro Coupe), USSC and the Canadian Pro Mod Championship.

As the driver for Jim Oddy, Hahn became a charter member of the Sonny's Automotive 200-mph Club, the first Pro Mod driver in the Sixes and two-time recipient of the prestigious Car Craft Magazine All-Star Team award as Pro Mod Driver of the Year.

Fred Hahn has accomplished all this while holding down a full time job as a maintenance supervisor in an upstate New York foundry. Unfortunately for the team, the uncertain economy has led to changes at Hahn's place of work that simply will no longer allow him to take the time off required for him to work on the car during the week and compete at 15 or more national events.

"This is the most difficult decision I have ever had to make in my driving career, but I really had no choice in the matter," Hahn said. "My real job simply won't allow me to take the time off to work with the team on the car and drive. I had no option. I have to retire from driving the best car in Pro Modified.

"Jim Oddy, his sons Dave and Dan, and car chief Billy Leverentz constantly gave me the best prepared, most powerful race car a driver could ask for, every time I went to the starting line." Hahn continued. "As a driver I couldn't have asked for anything better."

Jim Oddy commented on his long-time driver and life-long friend's departure.

"He's simply the best driver I've ever seen and he has proven that over and over during the past 16 years we've been racing as a team. He has won me more races and kept more cars from crashing than I can count. He's simply the best.

"The sad fact is that he had to do what was best for him and his family -- to keep the job that pays the bills," Oddy said. "We will all miss him."

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