The Hall Welcomes a Black Pioneer

The West Coast Stock Car Hall of Fame honored Rajo Jack last week by inducting him into a group that includes Hershel McGriff, Ray Elder, Dan Gurney and Indianapolis 500 winners Parnelli Jones, Troy Ruttman and Rodger Ward.

Many of Jack’s racing exploits have been lost because he raced in the 1930s, when black drivers were not welcome. To pursue his love of racing, he often masqueraded as Jack DeSoto, calling himself Portugese to get accepted.

Rajo Jack was not his name, either. Born Dewey Gatson in Tyler, Tex., in 1905, he became known as Rajo Jack because he sold so many of the Rajo High Performance engine kits that were made for the Model-T Ford. Before becoming a racer, Jack worked as a roustabout, setting up and tearing down the Doc Marcell Medicine Show as it barnstormed around the country from its home in St. Johns, Ore.

Once Jack earned enough for his own Model T, he moved to Los Angeles and raced it as often as he could. He also drove midgets and raced motorcycles, but his main suit was stock cars. His biggest win came Oct. 25, 1936, when he drove a stock Ford two-seater to victory in a 200-mile national championship race at Los Angeles Speedway. His margin over the second car was two laps.

The race was the top story in The Times sports section, with writer Charles Curtis noting that the race, shortened from 250 miles because of the dangerous condition of the track, was witnessed by “15,000 bloodthirsty spectators.”

Curtis went on: “Grim Death, ever-present auto race spectator, waved his claw-like finger at half a dozen drivers and their aides in a warning gesture as a series of spectacular crashes and spills highlighted the program.”

Three drivers and one riding mechanic were hospitalized, but none was seriously injured.

Although 24 cars started, no manufacturer was permitted more than six entries. The first three finishers were in Fords, with Willys, Plymouth and Chevrolet the other makes.

Frank Phillips of San Francisco, who like Jack was inducted into the hall of fame last week, finished second. Other drivers included Duane Carter, who would later drive in 11 Indy 500s, and Wally Pankratz, whose nephew Wally is now racing sprint cars in the U.S. Auto Club’s western regional series.

Jack continued to race and work as a mechanic in Watts into the 1950s until his death on Feb. 27, 1956. He was on a driving trip with his brother Warren when he died of heart failure in Kern County.

He was buried in the Lincoln Memorial Cemetery in Carson. On his death certificate the name reads Rajo Jack.

Jack’s award was accepted by Walt James, who raced against him in Western Racing Assn. sprint car races after World War II. The ceremony was held at the Sheraton Four Points Hotel in Monrovia.

The inclusion of Jack, the first black driver elected into the hall, is a reminder of how things have changed. Instead of keeping blacks out, nearly every racing series today is searching for one in hopes of attracting a new fan base. Only Wendell Scott, the only black to win a NASCAR Winston Cup race, and versatile Willy T. Ribbs, who was the first to qualify for the Indy 500, have reached the highest levels.

George Mack drove in the Indy 500 last year, but lack of sponsorship -- the bugaboo for many drivers -- kept him sidelined this year. Benny Scott was a successful Formula 5000 driver in the 1970s and Cheryl Glass made a splash as a black female driver in sprint cars and Silver Crown races before injuries cut short her career.

Bill Lester, a University of California electrical engineering graduate, is the latest. He was selected to drive in Dodge’s Diversity Program in NASCAR’s Craftsman Truck series for Bob Hamilton Racing. After 13 races this year, Lester is 13th in the standings with a best finish of 10th at Kansas City on July 5.

Despite a not overwhelming record, Lester is being trumpeted by General Mills with his picture on 14-ounce packages of Honey Nut Cheerios.

“It pretty much exceeded my wildest dreams with being on the cover of a cereal box,” he said during a teleconference. “I don’t really think [being a role model] is difficult. I am not trying to be anybody that I am not. I know that ethnic youth are seeking positive role models and fortunately I am in a position where I guess I am one.

“There are a lot of sports stars who squander away the qualities that make them a role model. I am very aware of the things that are out there that can trip you up.”

According to NASCAR, its African-American fan base has increased 18% -- approximately 2 million people -- since 1995.

Lester, second to Brendan Gaughan for rookie of the year in 2002, came from a Northern California sports car background before being tabbed by Dodge to drive one of its trucks.

“Last year was totally new to me,” Lester said. “I come from a sports car racing background and I didn’t know the tracks and I didn’t really know what I should feel in a stock car. Every race was an experience to me and I was wide-eyed and bushy-tailed and now that I know the drivers I am racing against it’s a whole new level of confidence that I come into every race with. I’m optimistic about the second half of the season.”

Lester will be in the Power Stroke Diesel 200 Saturday night at Indianapolis Raceway Park.

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Southland Scene

With the Sprint Car Racing Assn. on its annual Midwestern junket, Perris Auto Speedway will keep its sprint car fans entertained Saturday night with a visit from the Ventura Racing Assn. Its regular venue, Ventura Raceway, is shut down for a county fair. The SCRA will open its trip Aug. 9 at Albuquerque, N.M.

Chris Wakim of Simi Valley is the VRA points leader, but he and challengers Bob Kershaw of Agoura and third-generation driver Tom Stansberry of Bakersfield will face threats in SCRA regulars Mike Kirby of Torrance and Steve Ostling of Corona, who choose not to barnstorm.

Rip Michels of Mission Hills has taken the lead in standings of the Sunbelt region of NASCAR’s Dodge Weekly Series. Michels, who will be in Saturday night’s super late model race at Irwindale Speedway, has won six of 12 races this year and his win last week enabled him to pass Brian Richardson of Bakersfield for the lead. Richardson has won six of 13 at Mesa Marin.

Also on Irwindale’s program will be a SupermotoTT, in which motorcycle riders race on both asphalt and dirt.

Volkswagens will be on display Sunday at Irwindale for the second of three VW Drag Days. There will be seven classes, all using VW power. Racing will start at 10 a.m.

The Vintage Automobile Racing Assn. will hold its Golden State Classic this weekend at California Speedway as the sixth round of a 10-race VARA championship series. More than 340 historic race cars are expected to compete. After a day of practice today, racing will start at 8 a.m. Saturday and Sunday.

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Last Laps

J.J. Yeley of Phoenix equaled the USAC record of 19 main event wins in a single season when he won a sprint car race last week at Bloomington, Ind. He drove Tony Stewart’s car to the win. Yeley is leading all three USAC national series -- midgets, sprint cars and Silver Crown -- and hopes to join Stewart as the only driver to win all three in the same year.

Jojo Callos of Long Beach and Erick Aguilar of Torrance were winners in the NOPI Race Wars sport compact drag racing event last Sunday in St. Louis. Callos won the Pro 4 Cylinder class and Aguilar the AEM pro stock class.