Jack Ingram, known as the "Iron Man" in racing circles, was born on the 28th December, 1936 in Asheville, North Carolina, and unlike many of his counterparts, was not brought up in stock car surroundings, his mother was a school teacher and his father was a revenue agent, sheriff and a carpenter, both of whom used their influence on their son and encouraged him to work hard at whatever he choose to do.

Jack Ingram

Jack had his first race in 1965 in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, Buddy Shuman 250, at Hickory when he came in 26th place. He was to go on to win three uninterrupted victories in 1972, 1973 and 1974 in the Late Model Sportsman Championship and when the Busch Series was launched in 1982 Jack went on to win another victory gaining the edge over twice winner, Sam Ard, by only forty nine points.

He repeated this victory in 1985, with a mere twenty nine points over Jimmy Hensley. This victory was almost repeated in 1986 but his hopes were dashed when he was given a two race suspension later in the season for a contentious rough driving episode at New Asheville Speedway, North Carolina. Jack’s career was firmly established in the Busch Series Grand National Division and during this time on most occasions he drove the Skoal Bandit car, bearing the #11, he had won thirty one races that stood as a record until Mark Martin won his 32nd series event at North Carolina Speedway in October, 1997. Of his thirty one wins, twenty nine were won on short tracks. Jack competed in 275 Busch Series races, averaging five wins a year from 1982-87.Jack’s Series titles came late to him, he was over forty five years of age when he received his first victory.

During s career in NASCAR spanning from 1965 to 1991 he made 275 starts, had thirty one victories, and had 168 Top Ten positions and 5 poles. In 1997 Jack was an inductee into the National Motorsports Press Association's Hall of Fame at Darlington, South Carolina Raceway, in 1998 was named as one of NASCAR’s 50 Greatest Drivers and Inductee into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in 2007. With his inclusion on the list of nominees under consideration for induction into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2011, Jack became the first driver from what is now known as the Nationwide Series to receive such recognition.

All but two of Ingram's thirty one wins came on short tracks so it is no surprise then that Jack has called himself, only half-jokingly, "the best short-track racer ever." During his Busch Series days, Jack Ingram was nicknamed "Iron Man." That label sticks still; Even now, at the age of 73, Jack continues to occasionally compete at the short-track Late Model Sportsman Division at Greenville-Pickens Speedway in Greenville, South Carolina.

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