Jack Smith (NASCAR)

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Jack Smith
Born: May 24, 1924
Birthplace: Flag of United States Metropolis, Illinois
Died: October 17, 2001 (aged 77)
Cause of Death: congestive heart failure
Awards: inducted in the National Motorsports Press Hall of Fame

inducted in the Daytona Beach Hall of Fame

1959 NASCAR's Most Popular Driver Award

NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Statistics
264 races run over 15 years.
Best Cup Position: 4th - 1962 (Grand National)
First Race: 1949 (Charlotte Speedway) (NASCAR's first race)
Last Race: 1964 Sunshine 200 (Savannah)
First Win: 1959 Old Dominion 400 (Martinsville)
Last Win: 1962 (New Ashville)
Wins Top Tens Poles
21 142 23
Jack Smith beside his racecar in 1952, courtesy of Florida Photographic Collection
Jack Smith beside his racecar in 1952, courtesy of Florida Photographic Collection

Jack Smith (May 24, 1924 in Metropolis, Illinois - October 17, 2001), was a NASCAR driver.

[edit] Racing career

Jack Smith moved to Georgia when he was two years old. He worked at a service station in the 1940s near Roswell. He began racing against local bootleggers on rough dirt tracks and asphalt superspeedways, and across fields.

He made his debut in NASCAR's first race in 1949 at the Charlotte Speedway and finished 13th. He is remembered for flipping his car five time and rolling into the parking lot at a 1954 race at Darlington. He won the NASCAR's Most Popular Driver Award in 1959 [1]. He went to win 21 races over the next 14 years. He died from congestive heart failure in 2001.

[edit] External links

Jack Smith and Curtis Turner at Daytona Beach in 1952, courtesy Florida Photographic Collection
Jack Smith and Curtis Turner at Daytona Beach in 1952, courtesy Florida Photographic Collection