LaVerne Smith reported to us that her dear husband & friend Jack (John L.) Smith passed away suddenly at their home in Troy, Michigan on September 15th at age 94. Jack was active with Studebaker in their winning Mobil Gas Economy Runs. Jack did a program for the SDC in SB in June 2007 telling about the "tricks" used to help win the Mobil Gas Economy Runs for Studebaker. Jack was active in the Western Lake Erie Chapter of the SDC. In recent times, Jack is known as the Father of the Plymouth Road Runner. He worked for Chrysler Engineering 1962-64 and in Product Planning 1968-75. He was the man who worked with Warner Brothers for their approval of use of the Road Runner graphic and tied it in with the intro of the 1968 Plymouth Road Runner. Doing so, with his slight-of-hand "tricks" almost cost him his job at Chrysler. But, the car's introduction & sales were a success and Jack became the hero. R.I.P. Dear Friend.
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