Longtime motorsports supporter Jack Housby passes away at 80
Former NASCAR and IndyCar Series team owner Jack Dan "JD" Housby passed away Thursday at the age of 80.
The Des Moines, Iowa, resident was a lifelong motorsports supporter.
Housby's cars competed in 12 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races from 1972 until 1980 with drivers Pete Hamilton, Ramo Stott and Kevin Housby behind the wheel. His career-best finish came with Hamilton, finishing fifth at Rockingham Speedway in 1972.
In addition to his owning cars, Housby also served on NASCAR's National Motorsports Appeal Panel and was on the board of directors and past president of the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame & Museum Foundation.
He also founded Housby Mack, which branched off into other Housby Companies. Housby Mack remains one of the largest Mack Truck dealerships in the country. In 1978, Housby and Bill France Sr. made a handshake deal to supply tractors for NASCAR.
In 2015, Housby and longtime friend A.J. Foyt reconnected at the Indianapolis 500.
Housby is survived by his wife of 60 years, Shirley; sons Kevin, Kelly and Mike; daughter-in-law Patty Housby, Paula Tursi and four grandchildren, Mickey, Max, Jake and Cody Housby, all from Des Moines.
Memorial contributions in Jack's name can be made to Youth Homes of Mid America (7805 NW Beaver Drive, Johnston, Iowa 50131 -- www.yhma.org); or to the Knoxville Hall of Fame Museum (1 Sprint Capital Place, Knoxville, Iowa 50138 -- www.sprintcarhof.com).
