Richard Jackson
March 31, 1937 ~ May 31, 2010
Resided in:
Asheville, NC
Former NASCAR team owner Richard Jackson passed away Monday evening. Jackson, who fielded cars from 1975 to 2001 in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series and NASCAR Busch Grand National Series, was 74.
Richard Jackson was born on March 31, 1937 in Asheville, NC. Racing and race cars were always a passion of Richard’s, and he and brother Leo Jackson Jr. built their first racer when Richard was 18. They raced the car through the mid-1950’s at the McCormick Field baseball stadium in Asheville, NC.
Jackson graduated in 1960 from Georgia Tech University with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. In 1964, Jackson, along with father Leo Jackson Sr., and brother Leo Jackson Jr., formed Precision Products of Asheville. Though they did not own a race team through the 60’s the Precision Products Company built specialized parts for many racers in NASCAR.
In the fall of 1974, brothers Richard, and Leo Jr., formed Precision Products Racing. The team competed in the NASCAR Late Model Sportsman Division, which later became the NASCAR Busch Series, and then the NASCAR Nationwide Series. The team’s first season of racing was in 1975 with driver Bob Pressley (father of former NASCAR driver Robert Pressley and grandfather to NASCAR Nationwide Series driver Coleman Pressley) behind the wheel. The team won its first race, and went on to win an astounding 34 of 53 races that season. Drivers Tommy Ellis and Dave Marcis also drove for the PPR Late Model Sportsman Team.
In 1981 Precision Products Racing made its NASCAR Winston Cup debut
(now the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series) at Darlington Raceway with driver Dave Marcis, and sponsorship from Asheville businessman Paul Young.
At the start of the 1985 Winston Cup Season, Richard and Leo Jr. acquired the U.S. Tobacco team and sponsorship, competing in Winston Cup with a two car team driven by brothers Phil and Benny Parsons.
In 1988, the team scored its first Winston Cup victory, with driver Phil Parsons taking the No. 55 Copenhagen Oldsmobile to victory lane in the Winston 500 at Talladega.
In 1990, Jackson went on to form his own team, Richard Jackson Motorsports. The 1994 season was highlighted when Jackson and driver Rick Mast won the pole position for the inaugural Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Drivers for the Richard Jackson Motorsports team include two-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Champion Terry Labonte, Rick Mast, Morgan Shepard, Jerry Nadeau, and Lance Hooper.
In 1995, Jackson was the recipient of the Bobby Isaac Memorial Award, given to Richard in recognition of his contributions to short track racing.
Richard Jackson married his high school sweetheart, Karen Fox, on August 27th, 1956. They have one daughter, Lisa Jackson, who also drove for her dad from 1979 to 1982 at Hickory Motor Speedway, and Asheville Speedway, in the NASCAR Late Model Sportsman, and BGN divisions.
Richard Jackson is survived by his wife Karen of 53 years, brother Leo Jackson Jr., sisters Patricia Marshall and Gail Morgan, daughter Lisa Jackson, and grandchildren Jackson T. Young (21) and Emily S. Young (18).
A Celebration of Life for Richard Jackson will be held on Wednesday evening, June 2nd at Abernethy United Methodist Church, 1418 Patton Avenue, Asheville, NC. Friends of Richard Jackson and the Jackson family will be received beginning at 6pm, and the service will begin at 7:00pm. Funeral arrangements will be assisted by Groce Funeral Home, 1401 Patton Avenue.
The Jackson family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Make-A-Wish Foundation of Central and Western North Carolina, www.ncwish.org 1293 Hendersonville Road, #1, Asheville, NC 28803, phone number (828) 274-9474, or to the Abernethy United Methodist Church Children and Youth Fund 1418 Patton Avenue, Asheville, NC 28806, phone number (828) 254-2612.
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MY THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS ARE WITH YOU GAIL AND THE REST OF THE FAMILY.
my thoughts and prays are with your family
Our Thoughts and Prayers are With You During This Very Difficult Time
Tommy Ellis and Family
He was a great man. I will miss him dearly
Pat and family, my thoughts and prayers are with each of you in the loss of your brother.
We are filled with sorrow on hearing of Richard’s passing. We remember him as a gentle, soft spoken gentleman and friend . Our thoughts and prayers will be with all family and friends effected by his passing.
To the entire Jackson Family we send our deepest condolunces . it will be hard for all . Richard was a great help to me and my business thanks for all . We pray that God will give you strength ,comfort and peace .With Deepest Sympathy Linda & Ben Barnes
I will remember Richard as a kind man that treated you as an equal,even though he was someone to look up to.He helped me in many ways and will be missed dearly by his friends and family.
I am so sorry to hear about Richard, My Thoughts and Prayers are with you.
Lisa & Family:
Our prayers and thoughts are with you and your family. God Bless you all.
Love you all.
Steve & Mary
Our love and condolences to Gail Morgan and family for your loss. You are in our prayers and thoughts. Barbara and Glenn Thompson, Morristown, TN
I was very privileged to have called Richard Jackson my boss, confidant and friend. I’ve never met a man more compassionate or generous than Richard. Our world’s loss is heaven’s gain. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Karen, Lisa and the gang.
To Gail Morgan and family, we share in your loss of Richard, a life taken too quick. Our love and support are with you and the family always.
We share in your loss at this time and send our love to Gail Morgan and family from Ireland. Know that you are in our prayers.
My thoughts and prayers are with the family. Richard will truly be missed.
Jackson family is in our thoughts and prayers.
To Lisa and the Jackson family, Please accept my heartfelt sympathies after learning of Richard’s passing. He was such a great guy and was always so friendly to all. May God bless you during this time.
Thoughts and prayers to Richards’s family.
Richard was a true down to earth pioneer to the NASCAR community.
It was a privilege to meet someone like him.
Lisa and family, I am sorry to learn of the passing of Richard. He was a great man and will be missed!
Richard’s ready smile and soft-spoken strength are great memories but also a reminder of how small things can have a great impact on others. Richard used those qualities to make others feel welcome and loved. What a challenge to us all! Our deepest sympathies to y’all.
Love, Sagos
I am Richard’s nefue. Susan’s son. I workedfor Richard for a wile. I was young and dum. My aunt hated my mom so I am lucky I was even there. I learned all I could and worked for roush for a wile and then was set up. They can’t put it in u and can’t take it away. I wish he would have Seen that a real driver that can fix the car and make the parts for the car will always win over others. I would have kept ppr on the map . Realy sad now . I don’t forget things he told me and what I learned
Lisa,
I am so sorry to hear about your dad and wish I was there to help out in some way like you helped us when mom died. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.
Jodi
Our thoughts and prayers are with the family at this most difficult time. Richard was a wonderful man who was a great help to me over the years.
I will sincerely miss him.
Leo and Family, We are sorry to hear about your brother. You are in our prayers. Christine Hensley, Rita Oxendine (Fletcher Cleaners)
Our warmest sympathies to the Jackson family. What a true gentleman Richard was. We have many fond memories of the Time Warner association with the racing team. Richard and Lisa always made our children feel special and now as young aduts they still tell stories about Mr. Jackson.
May God richly bless you all, we are all fortunate to be a part of the legacy Richard leaves us with.
Terrell, Alexander & Caitlin Mayton
Dear Leo and the Jackson family –
I hope you accept my sincerest condolences and warmest thoughts and prayers in this most difficut time.
May God give You strength and peace in the knowledge that Richard has gone on to a better place.
The world is much richer for having counted Richard (as brother/uncle/father and to many, a best friend), among its most distinguished and exemplary citizens.
Our thoughts and prayers are with your family.
Dearest Lisa, Karen and family-
We are so saddened to hear of your dad’s passing. He will be remembered as a gentle man with a kind heart. His legacy will live on in all of you. Our prayers are with you and your family.
Dear Lisa —
So sorry to hear of your Dad’s passing. Praying God’s peace and comfort for you and your family during this difficult time.
Lisa-
Words cannot express what you and your father have meant to me over the years. Richard was a most generous and compassionate person and a man we could all use as an example of how to treat people. Please let me know if there is anything I can do for your family during this difficult time. May God Bless you and your entire family in the coming days.
Tony
Dear Karen and family, so very sorry to learn of your great loss. Richard was a kind and giving man and it was my pleasure to have known him. God bless you. TATA
Dear Leo and family, My condolences to all of the Jackson family. I knew of Richard since I worked with Leo in 1979 with Dave Marcis. No words will take away the heavy heart your family has now. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family at this time.
Someone just called me from asheville and told me about Richard. I will keep you in my prayers. My own son bobby has the same smile as Richard. Love to all of you Phyllis
I HAD THE GREATEST PRIVLIDGE TO WORK FOR RICHARD ON THE ’55’ RACE TEAM. THE MOST MILD MANNERED, SOFT SPOKEN PERSON I HAVE EVERY KNOWN. BE ASSURED HE IS WITH OUR LORD. MY DEEPEST SYMPATHY GOES OUT TO LISA AND THE ENTIRE JACKSON FAMILY
I have only personally known Richard for a few years, though I had heard of his race teams for many, yet I came to respect him not just for those accomplishments, but for the fine daughter he and Karen raised and mentored.
My deepest sympathies are extended to Karen, Lisa, and all the family and friends of this truly kind soul. Richard will always be remembered as a gentleman and a gentle person. May God Bless and keep you in His Care.
I am saddend to learn of the passing of Richard. My thoughts and prayers are with the entire Jackson family.
Thank you for the many years of Racing History you have brought to me and many others like me.You are a true racer and a part of our Racing History. We will miss you!
My thought and prayers are with the familey. I got to know Richard in my years working with Detroit Gasket. He was truly a great mind in racing.
Richard was a good Man to a lot of people. Never once had a bad thing to say and was full of jokes and storys and a hard worker at that RIP papa.
Lots of good memories of the fun times we had with Richard and the Jackson family. Our thoughts are with you all during this sad time.
Dear Papa,
I cannot even begin to tell you how important you were and still are to me. My life would not have been the same without you. I love you sooo much and i am going to have to try to keep being strong with out you here to go to bat for me. All the years staying with you at the shop were the best child could have. I was lucky so lucky to have you. Not only a good grandpa, but you were an all around good person. The rest of my years will be spent with your heart in mine always. I will forever try to be as good of a person as you showed me through example. Im so glad that you got to live the live you loved through racing. It was your passion and i know you wouldn’t have changed a thing. Rest in peace pop. You will truly be missed by our family, as well as, all the lucky lives you touched.
with my deepest sympathy
Our thoughts and prayers are with you.
KAREN & LISA,
A LOT OF PEOPLE DON’T REMEMBER THAT RICHARD WAS THE FIRST PERSON TO GIVE ME A CHANCE AS A CREW CHIEF, I WILL FOREVER BE INDEBTED TO HIM FOR THE CHANCE HE GAVE ME.THE WORLD IS AT A GREAT LOSS FROM LOSING RICHARD.I WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER HIM FOR BEING HONEST,TRUE AND CARING. HE PUT HIS HEART INTO EVERYTHING HE DID; RACING,BUSINESS,FAMILY,LIFE. HE LOVED HIS FAMILY ALOT! GOD BLESS YOU ALL!
My sincere condolences to Karen, Lisa and family. Richard was a really good person. We all had a lot of fun back in the good old UST days.
Dearest Karen, Lisa, Jackson and Emily,
May you take comfort in knowing that an angel is watching over you.
Peace, prayers and blessings,
David & Ginny
My prayers to Karen, Lisa, Leo, and family. It was my pleasure to know and work with Richard Jackson. He was a great example in my opinion, of how a man should handle himself, and how you should treat others. I had not seen Richard in quiet a while, but have always respected and admired his character and abilities. What a great guy. He will be truly missed.
Karen…All my love to you and your family. We have alot of good memories for the last 55 years. I have e-mailed our classmates of Sand Hill High. Frank (aka Frankie)
Karen,Lisa and the entire Jackson family,My prayers and deepest sympathy are with you during this very difficult time. Richard was a very good man.I am proud to be able to call him a friend.God bless all of you.
We were so sorry to hear of Richard’s passing. He is leaving a void that cannot be filled. Our thoughts and prayers are with Leo and family.
I am so pleased to have had some
fun talking to Richard last year
at our class reunion.
May God be with all of the Jackson
family.
Sincerely
Pat McMahan
I am so pleased to have had some
fun talking to Richard last year
at our class reunion.
May God be with all of the Jackson
family.
Sincerely
Pat McMahan
Our prayers with Karen and the family. Richard will truly be missed.
James (and Jan) Williams
Graduation Class of 1955
Karen, Lisa, Jackson and Emily
We are so sorry to hear about the loss of Richard we were so glad we had a chance to be with him at your home. You guys are in our prayers please bring Jackson and Emily by to see us.
Dear Lisa and family,
Our hearts are with you as you mourn the death of your father. I used to wonder why it had to hurt so much to lose someone we loved, if loving is a good thing, and if we beleve in heaven. Finally I came to view the pain of parting as the glue that holds us together with our loved ones in the invisible, something somewhat akin, though in reverse, to the pain of childbirth building a bond between mother and child.
The love you gave your father while he was here will give you peace and be returned to you.
Sue and Lou Kibler
WE ARE VERY SADDENED BY THE PASSING OF RICHARD. OUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS
GO OUT TO THE ENTIRE JACKSON FAMILY.
GOD BLESS
CHUCK & KARLA CUSICK
FORMER EMPLOYEES OF PPPC
Dear Jackson family, I was very saddened to hear today of your loss. I first met Richard when I was working as a design engineer at Banjo Mathews shop. My first memory and impression of Richard was that he was first and foremost a quite, soft spoken but strong and self assured “gentleman“. He was always quick to help, advise and lend his expertise to a situation. I remember that we also shared a technical bond as fellow engineers and as natives of WNC as well. Richard was the kind of man that you looked forward to doing business with, or just running into and talking and joking with. There is an old Irish saying: Death leaves a heartache no one can heal, love leaves a memory no one can steal. My wish for all of you is that your memories of this very special man will bring you great comfort and joy as time passes. May God’s blessings and peace be yours.
Sorry for your loss. Our thoughts and prayers go with all of you. Bud and Betty King
Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Jackson family. Richard touched many lives. He will surely be missed.
Karen.I am so sorry to here of Richards passing.I will miss him very much.I have a lot of wonderful memories of both of you in high school.
We are so sorry for your great loss. We remember hearing many stories of the good times he had with Ken when they were children. We were always so proud of his great accomplishments in Nascar. Our thoughts and prayers are with you.
To my Aunt Karen and Lisa(Cuz), I Love both of you very much. Uncle Richard was a kind hearted & easy to love man, I will miss him terribly. I have reminisced of all the times I had spent with you guys when I was young. I cherish those times and the love You and Uncle Richard expressed towards me especially after my Mom and Dad split up. Thank you so much for that and I Love You Uncle Richard.
Uncle Richard was a great man. He was kind, soft-spoken and always had a smile for everyone.
As a kid, I always used to say that Richard and my father (Leo) acted like twins. Where you saw one, you saw the other. It was a wonderful relationship these two brothers shared.
I will always have very fond memories of our lives together (2 families) in racing over the years.
My sincerest condolences and love to all.
God bless you, Uncle Richard.
Debbie
My Thoughts and Prayers are with the family. Throughout the years my dad, Wayne Winkler, has told many stories and so did my Grandmother, Marie Honeycutt. Richard will be missed by all.
Love and Prayers.
My thoughts and prayers go out to all of Richard’s family and friends.
This breaks my heart. Richard had a great influence in my life,and did alot for me. Those are things that stay with a person forever. I loved Richard,and will always miss him.
what a wonderful man. a true pioneer in racing world. most of all, a person i always looked forward to seeing and being around. always a smile, calm encouragement. my prayers go out to his entire family.
Richard Jackson was a true gentleman and terrific competitor in NASCAR for a quarter century.
He was exceedingly happy and proud–and justifiably so–when his car driven by Rick Mast won the pole for the inaugural Brickyard 400 at Indianpolis Motor Speedway, a fabulous feat. The same when Phil Parsons won the 1987 Winston 500 at Talladega Superspeedway in Richard’s car.
I fished for salmon with Richard in 1986 on Michigan’s Muskegon River. I’ve seldom shared a boat with a nicer man.
Tom Higgins
We were sorry to hear of your loss and want you to know that you are in our thoughts and prayers. Mike & David Messer (Mike’s Heating & Cooling
My condolences to the entire family. Richard was a great man. I know he will be sadly missed.
I was sorry to hear of Richard’s passing I would like to send the family my condolences. I worked with Richard from 1985 to 1993 and he was a great guy.
Dear Lisa & Karen,
Wow–what memories! I will never forget the many Christmas’ we shared together at your house. Richard will be missed by many people who knew his gentle nature and kind heart. The outings Richard and I spent together tromping through the fields and woods behind Pierre and Richard’s bird dogs will forever hold a special place in my heart. I wish for the family that very ‘special peace that passes all understanding’ as you begin life without him.
Love to each of you…Rex
I am sorry to hear of Mr. Jackson’s passing. He will be missed in the community and in the racing community as well. Yet again, I send my condolences to the Jackson family.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family. I have such warm memories from US Tobacco and the relationship with the Jacksons. It was an honor to have known Richard. God bless you.
There are so few absolutes anymore, Richard was an absolute fine gentleman. He left the world a better place. My condolences to his family.
My thoughts and prayers go to the Jackson family . I have many good memories of a good friend, always ‘cool’ under pressure, always a pleasure to be around. God bless you all during this time of sadness and healing. Paul Young
Mom, Emily and Jackson….
We all were so blessed to have been given to the care of ‘PAPA’.
He took very seriously the fact that is was him we would look to for food and shelter. He was a great provider…… But much more than that, he loved us unconditionally. Actions as well as his caring thoughtful words…
He was our rock, steadfast,he lead by example.
He made others feel special and taught us that every person, living creature, deserved to be loved and treated with dignity.
Thank you, Daddy, and may we do our best to continue carrying the light forward as brightly in our lives, as you did, by allowing God’s light to shine through you all of your days!!
You will always be my hero…..
Karen, Lisa, Leo & family,
My thoughts and Prayers for each of you. God bless you always!
I had the honor of meeting Mr. Jackson in the NASCAR garage area at several tracks. He was a true gentleman but pationate competitor. I never put it together until today that we are both Georgia Tech grads. I know he will be missed by friends and family. He was truly a great man!
Richard was an awesome guy. I wish I had gotten to know him better even though I worked for him for 13 years. If I could do things over I would have taken him to some Saturday night races after he retired. I think he would have enjoyed this. I regret not doing things with him and getting to know him better.