"Smilin’ JACK ELSEA" found in Florida

This topic has 20 replies, 7 voices, and was last updated December 17, 2014 at 12:54 am by rocco.

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November 11, 2008 at 10:18 pm #8966
dino
Keymaster
…….Jack’s nephew C.J. just contacted us ,having found us through the NHRA site Article link. He’s in Bristol,Tn ,and was calling Jack in florida to get him on the Forum ! Remembers when he was 13 and went with Uncle Jack to Dover. Jack was quite a guy…could see him coming from the Tower ,always wearing his 4 ft. wide straw sombraro. Many more photos of his Dragster crash at Dover in big ODF Gallery. He ran a number of rails, blown or injected, and later did some open wheel modified circle track stuff. ‘C.J.’ races a rail and wins a lot !

C J sent this………
“My name is CJ Elsea, my dad and uncle raced at dover. CJ Elsea sr. and Jack Elsea of danbury. I have a lot of pictures from 68 and jacks first rail 61. I have spoke to Bobby Lagana t/f in darlington sc. I can make copys and send them to you. I have been on the tower stairs when the fuelers ran. dover was a great race track..I live in Bristol Tn. and race nhra at thunder valley & ihra at several tracts in the area. thanks C.J.”

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June 15, 2009 at 12:22 am #17559
frdfrst
i helped jack for a while when he was on rt 7 in the gas station.there was marty,ralph and myself.remember we built an enclosed trailer out of an old frame and plywood.had a lot of good times.
June 15, 2009 at 12:28 am #17560
dino
Keymaster
Hoped you’de find this….STILL waiting to hear back from C.J.
June 15, 2009 at 1:51 am #17565
frdfrst
thanks,i’ll keep an eye on this.its good to know he’s still around.i remember the accident at epping.i don’t remember the one at dover.it was fun back then as we went around with the east coast fuelers to all the meets.
July 1, 2009 at 1:24 am #17911
gino
I believe the below photo is of Jack Elsea’s car and Jack is standing in the foreground. Does anyone have a different opinion?

Gene Elsea (Jack’s nephew and CJ’s brother…)

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July 1, 2009 at 3:17 am #17914
dino
Keymaster
Yeah Gino…Hey rhimes with Dino …Any way yup thats Jack…this is the car that literally blew up and crashed .Many shots of day of crash In our ODF Premium Members Galleries (T.O’Shea collection….when I get a chance ,I’ll extract a few more )…Knew Jack right up through his stock car racin days At Danbury Racarena…Quite A character…..lettered his Troyer Pinto and then his cool coupe stock car.This a great shot you posted …If ya got any more show the boys !
July 1, 2009 at 12:54 pm #17915
dino
Keymaster
Gino….in another post you said your Dad ran the “Family Project” junior Fueler…We’re always looking for info,history & photos .Any More like This ? If ya got any …please share AND Where Is JACK ? —CJ “WAS” going to get on here ….But no show so far. Need more info on CJ’s dragster AND Maybe you guys can show at our Nostalgia Drags ! Second Generation Dover Guys !
July 1, 2009 at 2:49 pm #17918
anthony-r-terenzio
Did the driver servive that crash that car is a mess
July 1, 2009 at 3:04 pm #17919
dino
Keymaster
He’s fine…living now in Florida the nephews say…He got taken in Ambulance for check-up…Real mess to clean-up…In first Photo …you can see concerned owner Chet in background with his signature cigarette hanging out of his mouth NOT LOOKIN TOO HAPPY. Heres the Start AND finish of the run…(ODF Galleries –MORE in T.O’Shea Collection gallery #7)

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August 17, 2010 at 3:01 pm #26100
leeann
Hello Everyone,
I am looking for Jack Elsea he is my father. I was the little girl with him when he raced in Danbury Racearena. Any information would be greatly appreciated.
thanks
Lee Ann

Jack Did Race a Stock Car at Danbury after Dover …Lets get together and FIND JACK for Her! [Dino-edit]
August 18, 2010 at 2:50 am #26105
dino
Keymaster
LeeAnn!…Just in at “Homebase “here!…hang tight we’ve got some progtress:

Dino,
Let me call my brother tomorrow and get him to send you an email. I’ll get back to you.
Gino
August 18, 2010 at 10:28 am #26106
leeann
Gino and Dino,
Thank you for taking the time to help me find my dad Jack Elsea.. I appreciate any and all information.
Thanks
Lee Ann
August 19, 2010 at 10:56 pm #26124
dino
Keymaster
Found Jack !…C.J just called…He’s somewhere in Florida…Not computer savvy. hey–he’s 70 ! . But C.J. filled me in on the familys racing history. C.J.’s Dad is Charlie Joe-Jack’s Brother …they ran the the fueler ,then Charlie ran the Family Project rail at Dover And Island. C.J ran a Don Long front motor rail for 6 years around Bristol and now runs a Footbrake 11 second 340 Dart.Watch for him at the Bristol Pinks-All Out. Outside chance ,if work doesn’t conflict….He’ll bring it to Island ! Then ther’es C.J.’s brother John , who lives about 10 minutes from Island ,and attended our first Nostalgia race. Lot of racing in this family .Expect C.J. to hop on the forum any day …so LeeAnn and him can hook-up after all these years. C.J. is also sending me a ton of his Dover Photos—-Oh Boy !
August 20, 2010 at 8:08 pm #26128
leeann
Dino, Gino and CJ (when he joins the forum)
Thank you for all you help, can not wait to touch base with CJ…

Dino- thank you for having post my request…

Looking forward to hopefully meeting “smilin Jack” my father… sure hope he want to reunite with me….

Any way this turns out I will post the results…Everyone has been so great to me…oh, by the way I spoke to my mom, and she said my dad use to take me to DOVER too…so some of you might have seen me…way back then.

Thanks
Lee Ann
August 31, 2010 at 1:21 am #26267
dino
Keymaster
The Man Himself “Smilin Jack” called me today ! …he was racing stock cars until a few years ago and says you’ll see him ‘maybe’ next year at Island with a Front Motor Car ! he’s been ‘shopping’ and wants to get back racing in a straight line again.
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