I hope I'm not offending anyone but I came across some photos this weekend while I was at the Midwest Speed Expo, this being one of them. Does anyone remember this or was there this day. It was around 70-73 when Don Jackson I believe came off turn two at DuQuoin and tagged the wall, sending him into a series of flips, breaking his seat belts and ejecting him some 250 ft down the backstraight. I've seen the video footage of it and it was a very sad deal. My dad was a very good friend of his and I know that this affected him in a very big way. He retold the story that he was running second in Dizz Wilsons car I believe and as he came around the next lap, he could see Don hunched over on the track, my dad thought he was getting up from the way it looked but as he came around the next lap, he was still in the same position. Dad then proceded to go from 2nd to 11th in like 3 laps and as the race ended, ran Dizz's car up on the trailer at what he said "about 40 mph" , knocking the front axle out of it. I dont think dizz was real happy and dad took almost 3 years off following that race. He always said that at that time, although he didnt think much about it, he would look down the pit row at Plant Field every winter and think "Which one of these guys beside me is gonna get killed this year". That was just the way it was, boy have things changed!


Shane Cockrum

I know the feeling about that I quit driving my BEST ride that day Karl Kinser. Don was 100% racing pal do any to help you if they could. Your Dad was a very god racing pal also. God Bless You, Butch Wilkerson#1:checkered::checkered:

Yea, thanks Butch. I've heard many a story and alot of them involved you lol Dad said you always had alot of character or It may have been" God Dang he's a character" lol Glad to see your still keeping up with things, I'm moving to open wheel so hopefully I'll see you around


Shane

Shane,

July 9, 1972 was the date of this tragic event. When I arrived at Tri-State Speedway that night for the usual races plus the added attraction of the appearance of Evel Knievel, I noticed the flag at half staff. I soon learned that Don Jackson had been lost at DuQuoin that afternoon. His stepson was my student at Cedar Hall School. Don was not only a great racer, he could always be counted on to volunteer his time to the school.

Interestingly enough, Richard Jackson(Dons Brother) is a good friend of mine and lives just a couple houses down. Ive heard this story from him many times now, but never actually seen pics. Shane, may be of interest to you, i bought your brothers Brians last micro he had i beleive it was 1994 when we bought it and started racing it at SIR in Marion in 1995. I later sold the car to Jim Segars, the year he bought it was 1997 i beleive, thats when i bought a new car from Broderick Burke.

Too young to remember it, but I have heard the stories...

My dad was helping with a car called the Blue 2 ("Little Reject" I think?) out of Southern Illinois. Back then, they were going all over the place and I was just a real little kid. They had pics of me with drivers, including sitting in a car Amati was driving at the time.

After that race, Mom made Dad quit going, afraid I would get into a car I guess.

Damn shame his belts broke, for what little there is left of the car the cage held up really well.

Racing6, it's a small world huh. Tell The Jacksons that they were well thought of around our household and hopefully these guys wont be forgotten.

Fisher79, From what I understand and saw from the funeral card that we have in an album, Don was quite a large man which I guess put extreme stress on the belts.(not to mention it wasnt exactly of great importance then as it is now) But, Yes the cage did hold up very well for a crash on the mile.

Wow I'd never heard this story before. Very tragic.

Shane,

Your dad was the best story teller. I'm going to miss go over and seeing him at lunch. That was a bad time for racing on miles. The next year took Cliff Johns at Springfield in Johny Mac's 14. Two or three years later Doc Dawson was lost at Springfield again. I believe the car owner of Don Jackson's car was Mr. Hawthorne from Desoto, I don't think he raced after that. See you Friday