I was checking the site before turning in for the night and saw this. My heart is broken. Jack had sent me an e-mail about his upcoming surgery and asked for prayers. I wrote him back and said I would be praying, which I did. I had just sent an e-mail this morning to him hoping to hear he was doing well. I am devastated by this news.
Let me tell you a little about Jack that I know about personally. When we started Team SC Midlands, as a part of RacersReunion (which is still active by the way), we were wanting to get a banner made to use at events when we set up a tent. I checked prices around here and what we wanted ran between $300 to $450.00. I don't recall exactly how Jack got involved but he asked that we send him an e-mail with an attachment of what we wanted. Devin did that. Just a few days later I got a call from Jack saying the banner was on the way to me. I asked what we owed him as we had not discussed that. It was my understanding he was going to look at what we sent him and quote us a price. A couple days later the banner arrived. It was everything we had envisioned and more. It was an absolutely fantastic job. I called Jack and asked him how much so we could send the check. He said it was his contribution to what we were doing. I did send him a check for the shipping charges but that check was never cashed.
Now, going further, I found out long after the fact that Jack had to contract out to get our emblem on the banner as he did not have that capability. He never told us that so not only had he contributed his talents to our banner but had also paid someone to put the emblem on it.
Later that same year, 2010 I think, I was at Occoneechee for the Celebration of the Automobile and this guy walks up and says to me "it's great to meet the Legend face-to-face finally". I didn't even have to ask. I knew it was Jack from having talked with him on the phone. That afternoon we spent probably two hours talking and the subject was mostly about racing. What a great time we had.
We have truly lost a great member of our racing family. I will miss Jack and the daily e-mails he always sent to me. Not a day went by that I didn't hear from him, many times just forwarded e-mails he thought were funny, and he was most always right. But he also added little notes to many of them. Most of all,I will miss the opportunity to have more great conversations with Jack.
I just took the TSCM banner out of the "tube" in which it was shipped, which remains in The Lair at all times, and rolled it out on the floor. Looking at all the effort that went into that banner reflects the effort Jack put into life and his friends. Rest in peace my friend. I will miss you so much.
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What a change! It's been awhile since I've checked in and I'm quite surprised. It may take me awhile to figure it our but first look it's really great.