Monday, August 4, 2014

Jack L. Hudack (1939 - 2014)

Oct. 12, 1939 - July 25, 2014
R.I.P. (Race In Peace)



Jack was born in Santa Barbara, CA, to Alvin and Katherine Hudack. Jack grew up in Carpinteria, CA, where his love for building and racing cars began. He graduated from Carpinteria High School in 1957. Jack joined the United States Air Force and was assigned to Travis AFB as an aircraft mechanic. While working on base he met the love of his life, Leona Grace, whom he married in 1963. Jack and Leona stayed in Fairfield where they raised a son Steven, and daughter, Jackie. Jack was a proud and loving father who adored his three grandchildren, Nathan, Matthew and Skylar. All now live in Vacaville.


Jack (fourth from the right) with the No. 99 Peak Toyota Team after on a
top-five finish at Spokane County Raceway in August of 2013.

Jack turned his interest in cars into a profession in Fairfield. He worked as a mechanic and Parts Manager before he became the Fairfield City Fleet Supervisor in 1977. Jack's commitment to his community was evidenced by his tenure as the Treasurer of the Fairfield Falcon Football Boosters who funded and built the Schaefer Stadium. He retired from the City of Fairfield in 1997 and became a member of a NASCAR racing team. Jack was well known and respected and accumulated an ever growing number of friends among those with whom he worked. He will be affectionately remembered as simply "The Tire Guy."

Jack leaves behind his loving wife of 51 years Leona; son, Steven (Aileen); daughter, Jackie Dummer (David) and three grandchildren, Nathan, Matthew and Skylar. His garage is full of testimony to his mechanical excellence in the form of a 1931 Ford, he built from scratch, and a professional quality 1934 Ford Roadster.

His large family helped him through the nine month battle with cancer that took his life on July 25. He was loved by Leona's three sisters and their husbands, (Lenny and Bud Tonneson, Marianne and Roger Burton, and Frances and Kenny Rogers) and a brother, Chris and his wife, Pam Grace; numerous nieces and nephews. Jack is survived by a brother and sister-in-law Larry and Marianne Hudack who live in Southern CA, and shared his love of cars.

He will be missed by all who knew him. He was a man of high integrity who said what he meant and meant what he said and he'll be missed beyond words.

The Smith Family was honored to have worked with Jack Hudack while Moses was racing with BMR.  Jack was always cheerful and positive.   He was a true treasure.

In honor of Jack, the Bill McAnally Racing drivers all had Jack Hudack decals on their car for the July 26 NAPA Auto Parts/Toyota 150 at the Colorado National Speedway. Chris Eggleston in the BMR NAPA Filters/H20 Toyota won the race for their fallen teammate.

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