Sad News: former Grand National (now Winston Cup) driver Jack Smith died Wednesday. He was 78. A winner of 21 NASCAR races over a 15-year career and member of the National Motorsports Press Hall of Fame in Darlington, Smith was a native of Illinois. Smith is survived by his wife, Betty DeLay, three sons and two daughters. Smith won his first race at Martinsville Speedway in 1956, won the Most Popular Driver Award in 1959 and moved to Spartanburg in 1960 to work with legendary team owner Bud Moore. His 21 wins are 24th all-time. Smith was also known as an innovator. In a race at Charlotte in 1960, he became the first driver to use a two-way radio with Moore. Smith’s son said his father was going to be inducted into the Daytona Beach Hall of Fame in February.(GoUpstate)(10-20-2001)
