Jack Smith (racing driver)
| Jack Smith | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Born |
May 24, 1924 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 Inducted in the Georgia Racing Hall of Fame in 2002 | ||||||
| NASCAR Sprint Cup Series career | |||||||
| 264 races run over 15 years | |||||||
| Best finish | 4th - 1962 Grand National season | ||||||
| First race | 1949 Race No. 1 (Charlotte) | ||||||
| Last race | 1964 Sunshine 200 (Savannah) | ||||||
| First win | 1956 Old Dominion 400 (Martinsville) | ||||||
| Last win | 1962 untitled race (New Ashville) | ||||||
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Jack Smith (May 24, 1924 in Metropolis, Illinois – October 17, 2001 in Spartanburg, South Carolina), was an American stock car racer. He raced in the very first NASCAR race ever in 1949, and is a member of the NMPA Hall of Fame in Darlington, South Carolina.
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 times and rolling into the parking lot at a 1958 race at Darlington. He won the NASCAR's Most Popular Driver Award in 1959. He went to win 21 races over the next 14 years. He died from congestive heart failure in 2001.