thebajarunner - 4-16-2009 at 08:31 AM
Sad to report, my close friend, Baja 1000 competitor, West Coast NASCAR Hall of Fame, NASCAR West two time champion, land speed record holder, race
car tire dealer,
you name it,
he passed away yesterday from complications after knee surgery.
I know that BajaNomad and his dad had a longtime relationship with Jack, and he was not only a racing competitor, but actually had a part time home in
San Felipe for several years.
He was particularly close to Parnelli and to Marvin Porter, Marvin raced everything with wheels, was Parnelli's partner and lived next to Jack in SF.
Great guy, we will miss him,
here is a link to the story in today's Modesto Bee
http://www.modbee.com/local/story/668047.html
woody with a view - 4-16-2009 at 09:33 AM
sorry to hear. dead from a knee operation? that's gotta pee you off.
RIP, amigo!
BajaNomad - 4-16-2009 at 11:29 AM
Dag nab it. Sad day indeed. The motorsports community - especially that of the Western U.S. - has lost one of its (somewhat few) icons.
-
Doug
David K - 4-16-2009 at 09:25 PM
Dick, I am very sorry for the loss of your good friend... I have enjoyed the book you sent me 'Racing's Real McCoy' about his life and the people
around him!
thebajarunner - 4-16-2009 at 10:23 PM
Thanks guys,
Been a tough one to swallow,
Supposed to be a routine knee replacement, and three days later with some complications he is gone.
What a champion!
Won 54 races on the top Western NASCAR circuit, two championships, 57 track record qualifying.
And he was humble enough to pit for Chuck and me in the 1072 1000.
Later he ran a half dozen 500's and 1000's.
A great competitor and a good friend.
We took his vintage 1949 Plymouth Southern 500 winning car down to Fontana last month and he and I drove it around the track before the big NASCAR
500.
What a great memory!
I think that Doug's dad had a lot of dealings with Jack over the years, Jack was a major racing products distributor and Doug's family was big in the
"Trick Gas" biz.