Chuck Jones, designer, inventor, race team owner and patron of driving talent, has passed away at the age of 84 following an extended battle with cancer.
A native-born Southern Californian, Jones (at left in photo above) fully embraced the area’s postwar car culture, becoming a life-long enthusiast, self-taught engineer, designer and competitor who enjoyed an extremely accomplished career as a car owner and team manager in many forms of the sport including Formula One, SCCA Formula 5000, Can-Am and USRRC, even the NHRA with the famous “Sidewinder” twin-engine dragster.
Jones partnered first with Jerry Eisert (at right in photo above with driver Bob Muir) in SCCA competition, and later Morris Nunn’s Ensign team in F1. He was also part of the early days of Dan Gurney’s All American Racers, and considered himself fortunate to have discovered or worked with a wide range of talented drivers, among them Skip Hudson, Clay Regazzoni, Nelson Piquet, Al Unser, Brett Lunger, Harald Ertl and Derek Daly.
His flair for style meant he designed most of the car paint schemes, transporters and uniforms for the teams he was affiliated with—when one saw a Chuck Jones car, there was no denying its bold graphic presence.
Jones is survived by his wife Janet, daughter Stephanie and son Sean, to whom, along with his many friends in the sport, Vintage Racecar extends its deepest sympathies.
