Jack Etheridge

Jack Etheridge was an early competitor in both open wheel and later stock car racing.

Jack Etheridge was born in Atlanta, Georgia on April 24, 1912.  He began racing early on, running open wheel “big cars” in the early 1930s.  He raced a Crager at Lakewood Speedway in Atlanta, then later drove a Miller, which was a forerunner to the famed Offenhausers, finishing third in open wheel “big car” standings three years in a row.

He switched to stock cars in 1938, finishing second in his first stock car start to the legendary Lloyd Seay at Lakewood.  Etheridge would go on to race across the nation, setting a world record mark at the famed Langhorne Speedway in a stock car, as well as setting marks at Daytona Beach.

Etheridge won more races in 1946 than any other driver.  Among his wins that year were events at Lakewood, at Chattanooga, Tennessee and at Augusta, Georgia.

Etheridge passed away on August 9, 2000 at the age of 88.