| Jay Frank | |||||||||||
| Birth Name: | Jack Vincent Frank | ||||||||||
| Birth Date: | 20 August 1918 | ||||||||||
| Birth Place: | Chicago, Illinois, U.S. | ||||||||||
| Death Place: | Los Angeles, California, U.S. | ||||||||||
| Titles: | AAA Stock Car (1950) | ||||||||||
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Jack Vincent "Jay" Frank (August 20, 1918 – April 4, 1965) was an American racing driver. He won the American Automobile Association (AAA) sanctioned Stock Car National Championship in 1950.
Frank was born in Chicago, Illinois on August 20, 1918.
Frank served in the United States Army Air Forces during the Second World War.[1]
After returning home following the war, Frank relocated to California. In 1946 he began racing in California Roadster Association (CRA) sanctioned events, where he competed against others such as Troy Ruttman and Jim Rathmann. Frank achieved his first feature-race victory during the 1948 CRA season, at Carrell Speedway.
Frank switched between various West Coast racing bodies before returning to Chicago in 1949 to compete in Andy Granatelli's Hurricane Racing Association (HRA). He also competed in International Motor Contest Association (IMCA) sanctioned events during the 1949 racing season.
Frank started and finished fifth in the inaugural race of the AAA Stock Car National Championship. Myron Fohr won the event, held at the Milwaukee Mile on July 9, 1950.[2]
The following race of the season also took place at Milwaukee. On August 24, Frank started on the pole. He lost the lead during the initial lap, and developed mechanical issues. Dropping out with hub failure on the 46th lap of the 100-mile event, he finished 22nd, as Norm Nelson went on to win the race.[3]
Frank dominated the third race of the season, on September 4. Starting second alongside Fohr at the Du Quoin Fairgrounds, Frank took the lead on the opening lap; by the 25th lap he had lapped the entire field excluding Fohr, who soon had to pit. Frank held the lead for remainder of the 100-lap event.[4]
At the fourth event, a 200-miler held at Lakewood Speedway in Atlanta on September 10, Frank held the lead with 18 laps to go when he blew a tire, sending him into the pits. Billy Carden passed him, going on to win. Frank was able to finish the event in fourth, immediately behind third placed finisher Nelson, setting the two drivers in contention for the championship heading into the final event of the season.[5] Nelson led in points, and Frank needed to win the final event to have a chance at winning the title.
On September 17, at the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield, Frank won the race and the AAA National championship. Starting on pole after setting a new record time during qualifying, Frank finished a lap ahead of second-placed Walt Faulkner.[6] Nelson proved unable to provide a challenge, blowing an engine.
Returning the following season, truncated and taking place exclusively on the Milwaukee Mile, Frank entered an Oldsmobile 88 into the season opening event, held July 15. He won the pole for the event, and finished third, leading six laps.[7]
The final two events took place on back-to-back days, August 23 and 24. Frank finished eighth in the season-ending event, unable to challenge the leaders.
After his retirement from driving, Frank owned and operated a series of car-washes.[8]
Frank was killed the night of April 4, 1965, after being hit by a passing truck while attempting to help a motorist whose car had caught fire on the Hollywood Freeway.