Corey O’Connor: Carrying the Legacy of Bob O’Connor and “The Bob” to Serve as Honorary Race Director

July 18, 2025 – This year’s Honorary Race Director, Corey O’Connor, is a lifelong Pittsburgher whose story is rooted in Schenley Park—home to both the Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix and the beloved Bob O’Connor Golf Course. Named in honor of his late father, Mayor Bob O’Connor, the course has played a central role in Corey’s life and continues to serve as a symbol of his family’s deep commitment to public service and the city.

Affectionately known as “The Bob,” the course was established in the late 1890s and renamed in 2006 following Mayor O’Connor’s passing. It remains the city’s only public golf course and has been the home of the PVGP since 1983. Today, the course is operated by First Tee – Pittsburgh, serving as a community hub with youth programs, a renovated clubhouse, and indoor simulators.

Born just a year after the PVGP began, Corey worked in the pro shop during high school at nearby Central Catholic. He served ten years on Pittsburgh City Council representing District 5, became Allegheny County Controller in 2022, and in May 2025 won the Democratic primary for Pittsburgh mayor. The day after the election, Corey held a rain-soaked “Thank You, Pittsburgh” sign—echoing a moment his father shared with the city two decades earlier.

Corey’s motorsport roots also run deep. His great uncle, Buddy O’Connor, was a local racing legend who won the Heidelberg Championship in the 1950s. Corey often joined Buddy and his father for trips to the Indianapolis 500—memories that helped shape his love of racing.

Now living in Point Breeze with Katie and their children, Molly and Emmett, Corey brings a spirit of service, tradition, and community to his role as Honorary Race Director. His leadership reflects the enduring values that the O’Connor family has long shared with the people and places that define Pittsburgh.

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