[Fot] My favorite memory of Jack...

[Tim Murphy]

We're just getting started so were only at a couple of races with Jack.  Last year at the MOTRAH race at Elkhart Lake we were fortunate to be paddocked next to Jack and Tony.  I think it was Friday afternoon and I asked Tony where Jack was.  I had another of my inumerable questions.  Tony said, "Oh, he broke his diff and went back home to get his spare axle."  Sure enough, we get to the track next morning and there's Jack just finishing up installing the new axle.  Ryan and I were in awe.  Talk about doin' whatever it takes to get the job done!

My brother was crewing for Ryan at the Elkhart Lake Vintage Festival last year when I was laid up with some medical problems.  I asked him this week if he had met Jack Drews there.  "Sure", he said.  "When Ryan wanted to take me around the track during the touring session, it was Jack who rounded up a helmet for me so I could go."  How typical of Uncle Jack.  My brother still talks about his rides around Elkhart Lake.

When we were building the car I asked Jack, via e-mail as usual, which type of gauges were better, mechanical or electrical.  He said it was pretty much a matter of preference, some favored mechanical as more reliable but he thought the electrical ones were just as reliable.  I asked what he used and he said mechanical because the electrical ones were an awful lot of wires.  Well, being an electrical engineer I thought, what the heck, I can do that.  Well, I did it, but, like Jack said, there are an awful lot of wires!!!   Seems like it took me weeks to make up the wires and get everything wired in.  When I got done, I really understood what he meant.

It if wasn't for all of Jack's help, we wouldn't have near the car we have now nor would it run near as good.  Not only that, but we'd probably still be fixing and sorting out all the things that we wouldn't have done right the first time if not for his advice.  He was our "chief mechanic" in absentia!!  Plus, we've got all the good stuff, thanks to Uncle Jack, like the Southwick axle and front hubs, the front axles that don't flex and that gorgeous lightweight steel flywheel that was almost too pretty to put in the car, etc.

Tim Murphy
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: N197TR4 at cs.com 
  To: tony at tonydrews.com ; fot at autox.team.net 
  Sent: Tuesday, August 19, 2008 7:54 PM
  Subject: [Fot] My favorite memory of Jack...


  #3 

  My engine was down on power after two seasons on those rings and I discovered this in my lap times at the Chicago Historics. 

  For the feature Jack said, "what the heck, let's put on a show".  We passed and re-passed about three times a lap,  and each time at Turn Five. The spectators on the bleachers started standing and cheering, we heard later. 

  On the last lap, at the last turn, I was ahead and did not want to be first at the chequered flag. I waved him up, but he did not respond. So I came off of the gas and then onto the brakes.      So did Jack. 

  Tony was watching. and said,  "that was first time he ever saw two cars cross the finish line with their noses in the 'down' attitude and brakes lights on". 


  (I am sure it was a point of discussion in the tower, too)



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