GRHOF member Jack Smith honored at Talladega


Jack Smith – By The Numbers

Jack Smith and the spoils of a successfull season.

Jack Smith and the spoils of a successfull season.

Here’s a look at some of Jack’s racing accomplishments, as recognized by the Talladega-Texaco Walk of Fame:

-Smith ran in 266 races, collecting 21 wins, 19 second place finishes, 19 thirds, 24 pole position and 117 top ten finishes.

-Jack recorded 575 wins in Modified and Sportsman events

-He’s tied for 28th on the all-time NASCAR wins list with Jeff Burton, Bobby Labonte and Benny Parsons.

-Jack was the 1951 NSCRA champion after finishing as runner up in the points in 1949 and 1950.

-Jack was voted NASCAR’s “Most Popular Driver” by the fans in 1958.

-Jack was also a promoter in 1958 and 1959 at Boyd’s Speedway.

-Smith won the 1960 Firecracker 250 at Daytona setting new speed records for the 5-mile qualifying run, the 25-mile race, the 100-mile race, and the 250-mile race.  In 1960, he was labeled by a group of sportswriters as the “World’s Fastest Stock Car Driver.”

-Smith was a NASCAR owner from 1957 – 1964.

-He’s a member of the National Motorsports Press Association Stock Car Racing Hall of Fame.

Smith in victory lane after winning the 1960 Firecracker 250 at Daytona International Speedway.

Smith in victory lane after winning the 1960 Firecracker 250 at Daytona International Speedway.

-In 1999 he was the recipient of the Smokey Yunick Racing Pioneer Award.

-In 1999, Sports Illustrated Panel selected Smith as one of the 10 best drivers of the 20th century.

-In 2001 he was selected 42nd on the list of Stock Car Racing’s Greatest Drivers by the Sporting News.

-In 2002, Smith received the Living Legends of Auto Racing, Inc. Driver Lifetime Achievement Award.

-He is also a member of the Georgia Racing Hall of Fame (2003) and the Jacksonville Raceway Hall of Fame.

For more on Jack’s career, be sure to read Eddie Samples’ great story on him here.

Jack was one of the great Georgia racers, and it’s a pleasure to see him recognized in a way that many of our legends and pioneers should be.  The real thanks has to go to you, the fans, who supported Jack when he was a driver and who diligently voted for him to be in the Walk of Fame.

Brandon Reed is the webmaster and editor for Georgia Racing History.com.


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