JACK SMITH RECALLS RACING FROM THE 1950s AT TRI-CITY SPEEDWAY
by Brian Spaid

April 16, 2004

   [This is the first installment of a two-part story on former Tri-City Speedway champion Jack Smith]

   When county sheriff John Cunningham cut the ribbon to the front gates on July 11, 1954, he started a new tradition of auto racing in Venango County with the opening of Tri-City Speedway.

   Track owners Merwin and Leonard Tarr and John Hegedus were proud of their facility, and it attracted many local racers over the years, including Rocky Grove driver Jack Smith.

   Smith did not compete at Tri-City on opening day. Chicora’s Johnny McGinley won that NASCAR Sportsman event and the first track title. Smith did not venture to the quarter-mile until 1955. That season, he won five feature races, and became the first-ever Stock Car track champion at Tri-City.

   “Tri-City always drew a good crowd,” recalled Smith. “There was a lot of excitement. Some people looked down on it. But, those of us involved in it had a lot of fun.”

   Smith is still a well-known face at Tri-City, which is now a half-mile dirt oval. He builds engines for his son, Bruce, who competes in the Pro Stock division. Once in a while, Smith also substitutes for another former driver, Bill Wheeling, in the pace truck. Smith’s life always revolved around racing and work. He used to work at Shaw Industries and is now retired as the former owner of J&A Tool in Franklin. Smith has accomplished many things in his life, but racing is by the far his best experience.

   “I’ve tried racing, motorcycles, flying airplanes and skydiving,” said Smith, 75. “But racing is the most fun you can possibly have, especially on dirt.”

   Racing in the 1950s and 1960s was very different from today. In the modern era, safety is abundant. Firesuits and full-face helmets are mandatory. Drivers race with four-point seatbelts inside cars designed solely for auto racing.

   “Back then, you raced in a t-shirt and jeans,” noted Smith. “On my feet, I wore leather bedroom slippers because they were lightweight. We all wore old Cromwell helmets on top of our heads. I still have mine from those days.”

   Smith also fondly remembers the Stock Cars from yesteryear.

   “Most guys would find an old car. We usually raced coupes. You could find a decent car for about $10. Some fellows would put a cam in the engine. I couldn’t afford that. Usually, you just tuned up the old engine and ran it. My car number was 36, which was my time card number at Shaw Industries. It was good to me there, so I put it on the side of the car.”

   Smith’s car was affectionately known as the Nothing Special No. 36. Why?

   “Because it was a car that was nothing special,” smiled Smith.

   Even the rules of racing were different.

   “Nowadays, if a car spins, the starter throws a caution and slows the other cars down. We never saw a yellow flag. If you spun, you sat on the track in your car until the race was over.  Looking back, it was dangerous racing. But it’s all we ever knew.”

   Smith started his racing career at Pine Grove Speedway in Shippenville. Then, he raced at Tri-City and occasional events at Clarion Speedway, which is now the site of the Clarion University football stadium.

   “At that time, you could race as much as seven times a week. Most everyone owned a NASCAR license. You could race every day but Monday, and twice on Sundays.  I usually raced at Pine Grove, which ran against Clarion. I disagreed with the promoter at Clarion for running against Pine Grove. I also raced at Glendrive Speedway on Bully Hill in Franklin. Other tracks were in Warren, Erie and Brockway. They were all over.”

   Records of Tri-City’s early years are incomplete. From those records available, it is clear that Smith earned over a dozen feature wins in the track’s Stock Car division. His most successful ventures occurred from 1956-58 in the 150-lap team races. Smith won all three events. In 1956, he shared the win with Franklin favorite Henry Jacoby. The next two years, he won it with George Eakin of Franklin.

   “Every driver used their own car,” recalled Smith. “One driver would start the race while the other driver waited for him to pit. In those days, Tri-City’s pit entrance and exit was off the backstretch. Your teammate would race until he stuck his arm out the window. Then, he’d race off the track, and you’d race onto the track as he exited. Some guys would get confused and have two cars on the track at once, which was a penalty.”

   Smith’s career slowed in the 1960s when he decided to focus more of his attention on his new business venture. As he states it, he needed to ensure he had a retirement. Racing was fun, but work came first.

   “I think if we could have raced full-time, there were some of us that could have made it into big time racing. Henry Jacoby could have done it. Mike Klapak, Mike Little, Dick Bailey and Dick Linder all would have been great drivers on national circuits.”

   Smith last competed on a regular basis at Tri-City in the Late Model division during the 1970s. His unsuccessful venture caused him to hang up his helmet for good, expect for a special 1999 win in a Pittsburgh Circle Track Club Senior Series race at Tri-City.

   “I remember Merwin Tarr’s wife was there that night,” said Smith. “She was as happy as I was to win that race. It is just so much fun to race. As Henry always said though, ‘when you win, it just puts the frosting on the cake.’”