1) Bobby East, a 37-year-old NASCAR driver, was stabbed to death at a gas station in California this week, Fox News reported. Police in Westminster, California, say Bobby East, who competed in the United States Auto Club division, was attacked at a gas station Wednesday evening after he stopped to fill up. East was a renowned driver in his division, having won 56 career races in USAC, which called him “one of the most prolific drivers in his era.” He was a three-time USAC national champion driver, per the AP. He also had 11 career starts in what is now known as NASCAR’s Xfinity Series, and he logged two top-10 finishes in Truck Series races. “He was one heck of a wheelman,” said two-time NASCAR champ Todd Bodine. East’s father, Bob East, is a Hall of Fame USAC car builder.
2) This is to let you know that Jack Underwood peacefully passed away on July 14, 2022, at about 10 in the morning. I am doing well. There will be no funeral or memorial. Thank you for the years of friendship. Love you all, Nita Underwood
Dear Nita: I am so sorry to hear the news. Jack was the person who directed and helped me on my way to learning more about the car culture. Without Jack’s guidance, I wouldn’t have helped others write over 200 biographies or completed my father’s story (35 volumes). He was my mentor and inspiration. I will miss him dearly, but no matter what, I will always remember him. Epi and I send our best wishes to you and your boys. Richard Parks
Thanks for sharing this excellent description of Jack’d Garage and the people he attracted. I was at Bonneville in 1958, 59, and 60 with Tommy Thompson and his Original Golden Rod streamliner. I was very involved in my career and raising our four sons after that. I exposed all of them to drag racing, and my young brother Dave Settles with the hope that at least one of them would show some interest in jumping into drag racing or land speed racing. My involvement in Jack’s garage came right after the excellent summary that you sent. From 1994 to 2015, I was a professor of industrial & systems engineering at USC. In 2006 I met up with two people from the Phoenix area who were about my same age and were talking about going to Bonneville. From that discussion and my wife’s approval, I decided to go for it. I ended up buying Bill Summers’ lakester and modifying it to race at Bonneville in 2007. I ended up talking with Bob Webb, who was the president of the Gear Grinders. In looking to join the club, Bob suggested that I should go to Jack’s garage. I followed that advice and met a number of the people you mentioned in the 2006 article. Neil Thompson was extremely helpful and became my crew chief. Neil’s last ride at Bonneville was in my lakester. Later on, when he had passed away, his son Neil Jr. put half of Neil’s ashes in my parachute. Thanks again for this background. Stan Settles
Jack’s Garage was a nice part of my life. Always enjoyed visiting with you and Jack, along with the cast of thousands that would show up to bench race, BS, and solve all of the world’s problems. We had people from all around the world show up. Most everyone that came through learned some history and enriched others. Prayers sent for Jack and you and the family. Love you. X’s and O’s. Stewart and Christine Van Dyne.
UNDERWOOD, JACK
Gone Racin’… Jack’s Garage. Story by Richard Parks. Revised October 6, 2006.
Jack’s Garage is located in Fountain Valley, California, and is just a car garage, like yours or mine, but considerably more cluttered. What makes it unique is that it is a throwback to an earlier time, some seven decades ago, when young men gathered in a garage, clubhouse, or diner, to form their own hot rod car clubs. The very birth of hot rodding can be traced to the 1920s and ’30s when high school teens formed their own groups, broadly centered on a neighborhood or street. In those days, few people had garages, and many cars were parked in driveways, under carports, or on the street. The typical hot rodders and shade tree mechanics would work on their cars in the open or throw a rope or chain over a sturdy tree branch to make a usable hoist. Some families could afford a garage, though they discouraged their sons from turning it into a work area for fear of disturbing the neighbors. Every so often, one of the young men would have a parent who would allow them to use it and equally tolerant neighbors. That young man would usually be voted in as the club president for as long as he provided the garage. Over the years, the car clubs, which numbered in the thousands, began to disappear, though the hot rod fervor only grew in strength and numbers.
Jack’s Garage is a modern-day garage on an unassuming cul-de-sac that attracts men who remember those old days and who show up every morning, seven days a week. They talk about cars, racing, and the same sort of things that men of all ages have been talking about since the dawn of the automotive age. Jack Underwood is the unofficial club president, and he invites everyone to come, have a donut, a cup of coffee and talk about cars. The first order of business is to remove two Ford Roadsters, with un-primered metal and stripped to the bare necessities, from the garage. His wife, Nita, and the other regulars assist ‘Big Jack,’ with his white hair, large Norwegian stature, and good nature. The garage is a museum to engines, land speed racing, hot rodding, and American car culture in particular. ‘Viking Jack,’ as he is sometimes called, is a member of the Dry Lakes Hall of Fame, located in Buellton, California, at the Gas Pump Museum, made famous by Jack Mendenhall. Underwood was inducted for his efforts to preserve the history and heritage of dry lakes, Bonneville, and land speed racing. The garage has filing cabinets and bookcases filled with original and copied material that trace the history of land speed racing and other forms of American car culture.
Researchers are welcome to look at programs, books, photos, parts, and records that Jack and his “car club” friends have accumulated. Henry Astor and Jim Miller from the American Hot Rod Foundation (AHRF) draw upon Jack’s Garage for additional material for the museum and archives back in New York City, New York. There is more to Jack’s Garage than paper, books, and programs. The garage is filled with people of interesting backgrounds who show up throughout the week. Bill Davis, Dan Hart, Steve McElroy, Joe Barnett, Ed Newett, Will Moore, Billy Jordan, George Steele, Jack Plymell, Vic King, Ron Phelps, John Swanson, Bob Schmidt, Norm Morrison, and Creighton Hunter are some of the regulars to the garage. The wealth of experience that they possess in the automotive world is impressive. Many have raced at the dry lakes or Bonneville, built their own cars, or have participated in oval track or other types of racing. Warren Bullis is the long-time Secretary/Treasurer for the Southern California Timing Association (SCTA). Stan Chersky has a world-class car club plaque collection with 4000 varieties. Gene and Alan Barbee, Ted Bowen, Bob Snook, and many others have deep roots in land speed racing. Other knowledgeable hot rodders that come on a regular basis are Roger and Jimmy Underwood, Bob Anderson, Dave Gorges, Ted Loffler, Mikey Spacek, Roger Brophy, Leo Dempsey, Charlie Reno, Steve Rini, Ron Bell, Doug Wilson, Jim Duff, Ed Farrell, and Chuck Embry.
Ken Hillberg builds and restores classic sprint cars and midgets. Ron Henderson built the “Lady Dragon,” a self-designed, classic boat-tailed Speedster. JD Tone, Neil Thompson, and Keith Allen are also dry lakes Hall of Famers and regulars to the garage. JD makes the dashboard plaques for those racing in the SCTA. Yoder, who goes only by name, is one of the country’s best painters, pin-stripers, glass workers, and designers. Indian “Red” (Bob) Nichols, Stewart Van Dyne, Jay Cotting, Bob Webb, and Max Kranz are also Gear Grinders SCTA car club members. Ed Beck flew P51s in WWII. Also on hand at the garage are Jim Loving, Don Stevens, Terry Haines, John Drake, Larry McKinney, Matt Treis, Kevin and Don Stegen, Norman Grant, “Big John” Hunt, Kent Cowgur, Patrick Tone, and Gary Rycraft. No one is as outrageous as the Reverend Scrub Hansen or Bob Martin, who regales people with his stories of J.J. Junkin. The group that shows up each day is different, but the knowledge they possess is beyond measure. Jack’s Garage is a magical place. A car culture setting that transports us back in time, surrounded by the men who lived during the golden age of hot rodding.
Gone Racin’ is at Rnparks1@juno.com
