Former NASCAR driver Jack Ingram has passed away at the age of 84. WLOS ABC 13 reported the news on Friday, June 25, but did not provide a cause of death. According to SF Gate, the Ashville native had been hospitalized in May.
Known as the Iron Man, Ingram spent the early days of his career finding success in the NASCAR Sportsman competition. He won three championships from 1972 to 1974 and later added two more when the series changed to become the Busch Series and later the Xfinity Series. Ingram won the inaugural championship in 1982 at the age of 45 and then captured his fifth title in 1985.
The NASCAR world mourns the loss of Hall of Famer Jack Ingram, who has passed at the age of 84: t.co/BWDYOWrFUA.
“There is no better way to describe Jack Ingram than ‘Iron Man.’ Jack was a fixture at short tracks across the Southeast most days of the week, racing anywhere and everywhere,” said Jim France, chairman and CEO of NASCAR. “He dominated the Late Model Sportsman division like few others. He set the bar for excellence in the Xfinity Series as its Most Popular Driver in 1982 and champion in 1985.
“Jack was an ‘old school racer’ and his work on his own car helped propel him to Victory Lane hundreds of times. Of our current 58 NASCAR Hall of Fame members, he is one of only six that was elected based on his career and contributions in the grassroots level of our sport. On behalf of the France family and NASCAR, I offer my condolences to the friends and family of NASCAR Hall of Famer Jack Ingram.”
Ingram Made History With His Hall of Fame Induction
GettyJack Ingram poses with fellow NASCAR Hall of Fame members.
While Ingram made 19 starts in the Cup Series and posted one top-five finish, he primarily spent his NASCAR career in the Busch Series. He racked up 31 wins and 164 top-10 finishes in 275 Busch Series starts. His 31 wins remained as a series record until Mark Martin broke it in 1997 en route to 49 overall.
When Ingram retired from NASCAR he made motorsports. He became the first Busch Series driver to become a Hall of Famer after his career came to an end. His induction ceremony took place in 2014 and featured fellow legendary drivers such as Richard Petty, Rusty Wallace, and Bobby Allison among others.
“First and foremost on behalf of the NASCAR Hall of Fame team, I want to offer our most sincere condolences to Jack’s wife Aline and the entire Ingram family on the passing of Jack Ingram,” said Winston Kelley, the NASCAR Hall of Fame executive director.
“Jack’s contributions, accomplishments and tenacity in NASCAR are legendary. A dominant short track racer and five-time series champion are among the reasons this 2014 NASCAR Hall of Fame Inductee was the first inductee whose career was predominately in what is now NASCAR’s Xfinity Series. He literally stockpiled wins by the bucket with a record 31 wins in the NASCAR Busch (now Xfinity) Series, a record that stood until 1997 as well as 286 wins in the predecessor division, the NASCAR Late Model Sportsman Division, along with 12 track championships.”
Ingram Faced off With NASCAR Legends During his Busch Career
GettyJack Ingram prepares for a NASCAR Legends race at Bristol.
The Hall of Famer won his first Busch Series race in 1982. He took the checkered flag at Hickory Speedway in North Carolina after leading 151 laps. He held off Sam Ard, Geoffrey Bodine, and Phil Parsons to achieve this goal. This win was his first of eight at Hickory, and it was one of many featuring fellow all-star drivers.
Throughout his Busch Series career, Ingram faced off with some true heavy hitters. He raced against Martin, Bodine, Dale Jarrett, Darrell Waltrip, and Dale Earnhardt among others. Ingram found varying levels of success during his career but still managed to win 31 races in a very stacked field.
“NASCAR has lost a true racer’s racer and the NASCAR Hall of Fame team and I have lost a dedicated supporter and cherished friend,” Kelley added in the statement from the Hall of Fame. “Jack’s legacy and incredible accomplishments and contributions in NASCAR will live in our minds, our hearts and our archives at the NASCAR Hall of Fame forever.”
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NASCAR Hall of Famer Jack Ingram Passes Away at 84