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Beavercreek grad solid on race track

Former Beavers football player Jones has gone from gridiron to checkered flags.

Jack Jones, a former Beavercreek High School running back, has won four of the seven modified features this year at Kil-Kare Speedway.

Contributed photo by Earl Isaacs Jack Jones, a former Beavercreek High School running back, has won four of the seven modified features this year at Kil-Kare Speedway.

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By Greg Billing, Staff Writer 12:01 AM Friday, June 26, 2009

Not long ago, Beavercreek’s Jack Jones was being chased by aggressive 200-pound linebackers with motors that didn’t stop. These days, Jones’ pursuers weigh more than 2,400 pounds and close in much faster with those powerful V8 engines.

Jones, a former Beavercreek High School running back, continues to find the open holes at Kil-Kare Speedway. He’s won four of the seven modified features this year and holds a 10-point lead over Mike Carroll entering tonight, June 26.

“Driving this car you don’t take quite as much abuse on the body, but you have to be pretty focused to do both,” Jones said of his football and racing background. “You have to have quick reflexes. I think racing helped me out with football and football helped me out with the racing.”

Jones started running quarter midgets at age 5, soon after seeing a QM display at the Carl Casper Custom Car Show.

“My dad asked if I’d like to drive one. I was like yeah, I’ll give it shot,” Jones said. “Ever since then it’s been in my blood. Eat, sleep and walk this kind of stuff.”

After graduating from Beavercreek in 2006, Jones attended the University of North Carolina at Charlotte for mechanical engineering and worked for a team on the United Speed Alliance Racing Pro Cup series. He returned home after receiving advice from one of the team owners during a talk in his office.

“He asked me if I really loved to race. I said, ‘Yeah.’ He pointed and said, ‘Look out that window. There’s a driver behind every fence pole. If you don’t have a million dollars or don’t know somebody then go home, race and have fun,’ ” said Jones, who also runs in the Super Cup Stock Car Series and has car-owner Tom Jackowski’s ride in fifth place. “I’m just out here racing and having fun.”

With limited funding — Jackowski’s Automotive Parts and Machine Shop in Beavercreek is his lone sponsor — and a pit crew consisting of his dad John, Brian Conover and Shawn Phillips, Jones has managed to hold off fellow drivers like Carroll, Jerry Stapleton, Greg Stapleton and Dick Dunlevy Jr. in the points battle.

“At the beginning of the season you say if we win so many races it’ll be a good season,” Jones said. “I think we started out saying three or four. When you’re racing against all those guys, it’s a tight field.”

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2400, ext. 6991, or gbilling@DaytonDailyNews.com.

Weekend Schedule

Today

Kil-Kare Speedway: NASCAR Whelen All-American Series late models, modifieds, sports stocks, compacts, IKO Mini Cups. Gates open at 6 p.m., racing at 7:30.

Saturday

Kil-Kare Dragway: NHRA-sanctioned racing. Gates open at 10 a.m.

Shady Bowl Speedway: American Modified Series Firecracker 50, sport stocks, dwarfs, compacts. Gates open at 3 p.m., qualifying at 5, racing at 8.

Eldora Speedway: Ohio State Tractor Pullers Association, Lucas Oil Pro Pulling League. Gates open at 4:30 p.m., pulling at 7.

Waynesfield Raceway Park: UMP modifieds, mini sprints, tuff trucks, compacts. Gates open at 4 p.m., practice at 6:15, racing at 7.

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