"Smilin’ JACK ELSEA" found in Florida

Forums Forums WHERE ARE THEY NOW ? "Smilin’ JACK ELSEA" found in Florida

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  • #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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        #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.

            #17560
            dino
            Keymaster

                Hoped you’de find this….STILL waiting to hear back from C.J.

                #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.

                    #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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                        #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 !

                            #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 !

                                #17918
                                anthony-r-terenzio

                                    Did the driver servive that crash that car is a mess

                                    #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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                                        #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]

                                            #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

                                                #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

                                                    #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 !

                                                        #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

                                                            #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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