Jack Hewitt & Charlie Swartz; Lifelong Friends, Let’s Talk

There are lots a great reasons to go to the Jack Hewitt Classic each year at Waynesfield Raceway Park...not only for the spectacular racing, but for the chance to chat it up with racing icons Jack Hewitt and Charlie Swartz, which is exactly what I did. Join me, the History Mystery Man, for my conversations with lifelong friends Jack and Charlie. This one's a keeper! Thanks for your support!

[@chuckg6039]

Hi Don. First and most important......it was really great seeing you again. This time last Thursday at Eldora. Jen and I enjoyed spending time with you. What a fun video to watch. Two greats. Was interesting to hear Jack talk about 'running the wall' at the Big E. Boy did a few of the drivers this past Kings Royal week. David Gravel said in his post Kings Royal interview that he doesn't like running the wall, but he had to .......to fend off the 15 car of Donny Schatz. Charlie is way-way too modest. That man flat out kicked butt at so many tracks in his day. And his wedge car was so darn cool. I'm in the process of educating myself more on Charlie. But it certainly hasn't taken long to learn he is a true legend and pioneer! No doubt about it Don. Once again, thanks for doing another interesting video. Your interviews really and truly help me appreciate the sport. Yes the cars are neat, and the racing exciting. But without knowing the racers, for me racing isn't complete.

[@HistoryMysteryMan]

Great to see you and Jen, Chuck; I always enjoy our conversations. Jack and Charlie are unique personalities in the sport, and I want to keep reminding everyone they're still here and worth hearing from, for their experiences for sure, but also for their non-stop entertainment value. Still considering traveling to Lernerville this Tuesday; I must be a glutton for punishment. Thanks for your support, my friend. HMM

[@robertayers9424]

Now that was just plain good to see! Two of the biggest contributors to the sport. Great too see and enjoyed listening in on the conversations.

[@HistoryMysteryMan]

Thanks...I'm thinking about sitting down with Jack again soon. He's got more stories to tell...imagine that! HMM

[@lisabobwalker9902]

Great video with 2 of my heroes . Thank you !

[@HistoryMysteryMan]

You're welcome; thanks for taking the time to watch! HMM

[@user-gg6fn5xd5p]

Happy birthday jack your a legend and I am glad to have met you in person in Australia 🇦🇺 at Avelong victory in the 80 s and you gave me advice on the set up of the Stanton and how you got the best out of it thank you 🙏🦖🇦🇺✊💪😎🦘🕊️🦜🐎🦋👍👍👋👋🍺🍺🥃🥃

[@HistoryMysteryMan]

Jack will love you for this one! Thanks for remembering an American sprint car icon; we appreciate you! HMM

[@bobsmyth9776]

That was delicious !! Smiling here in Michigan.

[@HistoryMysteryMan]

Ha! Love it! Thanks again, Bob...HMM

[@davidlambert2537]

I remember the days of Charlie and Jack Boggs racing hard against each other !!! I miss those days !!! Hope you're doing well Charlie and thanks for the memories...

[@HistoryMysteryMan]

I also remember watching those two go at it...great memories. Thanks David...HMM

[@oldjunkman4864]

Now, History Mystery Man that is two of the all time GREATEST DRIVERS. Thank you,

[@HistoryMysteryMan]

And such great men and personalities. Thanks again, oldjunkman...HMM

[@americonoffroadadventures8132]

"Do it Hewitt" One of greatest hard chargers ever to grip a steering wheel! Thanks

[@HistoryMysteryMan]

I'll buy that! Thanks again...HMM

[@greggrauscher34]

More awesome content! Never a dull moment with "Do It" Hewitt around and Charlie Swartz seems really down to earth. I don't really know too much about Charlie, other than he's a dirt lm legend and hall of famer, but what he said about the current state of racing really makes sense. I never met Jack, but I heard some good Jack Hewitt stories courtesy of his former TQ midget owner and buddy Dick Mahoney. Also, Diner With Racers did a good podcast with Jack a couple years back, you might want to check that out.

[@HistoryMysteryMan]

Thanks again, Gregg. Never heard of Diner With Racers, but I'll check it out. I may go back down to Troy to sit down with Hewitt again regarding his Australian adventures...and more. It's easy with Hewitt; you can just turn him loose and let him go. HMM

[@greggrauscher34]

No problem HMM. Dinner (not Diner, that's my typo!) With Racers is really worth listening to. They do laid back and highly entertaining conversations/ interviews with famous current and past racing people over dinner. Most of the episodes are pretty long, some even 2 parts. They've been at it for several years, so there is a quite a library of episodes. Everybody from Don Garlits to Craig Breedlove to Will Power to Mark Martin. It was a personal favorite of Robin Miller (he was a guest as well) so that's good enough for me. I enjoy listening to various racing podcasts (including Dinner With Racers) while I drive or on my lunch at work. And that would be awesome to do another interview with Jack Hewitt. Hewitt is always highly entertaining and unfiltered. I've heard so many entertaining stories from various drivers about racing in Australia. Gary Patterson's Aussie adventures as told by Larry Rice are classic. I'm sure Jack has some good tales from down under too.

[@HistoryMysteryMan]

@@greggrauscher34 Looking forward to checking out Dinner with Racers! I'm sure I will learn a thing or two. I'd love to sit down with more personalities, rather than beat myself up at the track. But...it's hard to get interviews, especially for me because no one really knows who I am or what I do. If you're a Kenny Wallace or someone famous/well-known, you can pretty much get an interview whenever you want. But if you're me, it's far more challenging. It took me two years to get Steve Kinser...and truthfully it only happened when a good friend of his talked him into it. I'll keep trying. Your support is important to me. HMM

[@greggrauscher34]

@@HistoryMysteryMan I can imagine it would be difficult to set up sit down interviews, unless you are a big name like Kenny Wallace as you said, Dale Jr. etc. But I guess you won't get any interviews if you don't ask. Believe it or not I think one that you might be able to get is Mario Andretti. He has appeared on just about every podcast I listen to incl.Stickers N' Scuffs which is a niche Canadian podcast geared towards the NASCAR Canada Series and Ontario short track racing. Mario loves real racers and if you mention your credentials and especially your Rollie Beale connection, there is a realistic chance he would do it.. I really would love to see a series of interviews done about James Hylton. As you well know, James knew just about everybody from Brad Smith to A.J. Foyt, so doing some interviews with his former crew members, his former drivers, competitors etc and getting their thoughts on James and hearing their stories would be a great tribute. Not sure this is even something you'd be interested in dong but I'm sure you could talk to a lot of the people from his ARCA days and some of the old NASCAR crew guys seem to enjoy telling stories, so it might be possible. Bill Blair Jr., who knew James fairly well actually had him scheduled on the Ghosttracks RaceTalk podcast, but James was killed the weekend before he was scheduled to be on. :(

[@HistoryMysteryMan]

@@greggrauscher34 You're absolutely right...if you don't ask, the answer is always, no. Mario and Johnny Rutherford would be two I'd love to sit down with. I did take a run at Mario through his PR gal, but it proved to be difficult with rules and guidelines that limited what we could talk about. But if the chance to talk with either became reality, I would travel to Nazareth and Fort Worth for the opportunity. Hylton is a great idea...

[@user-gn8sj6ic5i]

👍✅

[@brandtstone7744]

Two of my all time favorites!

[@HistoryMysteryMan]

You and me both, brother...thanks. HMM

[@critterscute3642]

Great discussions. It really is a shame on the money angle, but an unfortunate truth. Thanks HMM!

[@HistoryMysteryMan]

You're always welcome. I appreciate your continual support...always helps keep me inspired to keep going! HMM

[@WilliamSmith-bj8gt]

2 great drivers, 2 great interviews.

[@HistoryMysteryMan]

Thanks again, William! HMM

[@user-rh6xx8sz3x]

charlies first ride when he came to southern ohio was Louie Craigs 55 chevy late modle OLE 97 ran at southern ohio speedway 1968.

[@HistoryMysteryMan]

Now there's an awesome memory; thanks for sharing it here! HMM

[@GarryWills-cn8nn]

It would be nice to see these guys suit up again and have a good ol days of dirt racing circuit in the same type of cars that they raced, maybe like the iroc series of the old NASCAR days

[@HistoryMysteryMan]

That would be awesome for sure! I'd pay for that one! Thanks Garry...HMM

[@GarryWills-cn8nn]

@@HistoryMysteryMan these guys deserve something like that because to me, they're the real pioneers of super late model dirt racing! Thanks for the video

[@HistoryMysteryMan]

@@GarryWills-cn8nn You're welcome!

[@robertmcgee3146]

Great to see you back at the racetracks History Mystery Man

[@HistoryMysteryMan]

Great to back...thanks Robert. HMM

[@darinwinebrenner6908]

Dirt icons! Thanks for this one Don!🤙🏻

[@HistoryMysteryMan]

You got it Darin...thanks again! HMM

[@rogerozdarski2935]

Thank you HMM! Another great video, love these interviews with these older drivers and the stories they tell. Keep up the great work. Always enjoy each and every video.

[@HistoryMysteryMan]

Thank you sir. I always appreciate your feedback! HMM

[@elroyelblander6277]

🤣🤣🤣" it's like watching porn"... 🤣🤣🤣 Thanks for the interviews and all you do feller 👍👍👊

[@HistoryMysteryMan]

Only Jack Hewitt! Thanks again Elroy...HMM

[@scottbanton7928]

Jack is one of a kind, 😂😂😂

[@HistoryMysteryMan]

Man, you can say that again...thanks! HMM

[@wideslammer]

I enjoyed this pair of interesting conversations with two of the big names from the past. It's interesting to get their perspective on today's racing and race drivers. It's interesting to see how the late models have evolved over the years.

[@HistoryMysteryMan]

Thanks again...I'd like to sit down with both and get more in depth...so many stories to tell! HMM

[@markwray3905]

Another great one 😊😊

[@HistoryMysteryMan]

Thanks again, Mark. HMM

[@billmellinger1134]

I remember Charlie coming into Atomic Speedway with his wedge car. That thing was so awsome. I wish wedge late models would come back. Check out the video of Charlie pushing the official in Australia when he and Jack was racing camero stock cars there. Knocked him out sitting in the car. If I remember the video right. It's on you tube.

[@HistoryMysteryMan]

Man...I would have asked Charlie about that Australian altercation if I had known. Going straight to KZbin for that one. Thanks again, Bill...HMM

[@waynedavis8980]

Very good Don . Jack was great to watch race in the day . I was at Atomic when he smacked Joey Saldana and got banned from the All-Stars . LOL

[@HistoryMysteryMan]

Never knew that happened. I'll have to ask him about that one. Thanks again, Wayne...HMM

[@TimothyMeyers-i2s]

Don its great to watch these guys talk. Need more of the Mature Drivers. Never call them Old Timers.

[@HistoryMysteryMan]

Understood...thanks again! HMM

[@TimothyMeyers-i2s]

@@HistoryMysteryMan Don it would be awesome to do a history tour at tracks like Shadybowl Speedway thats been open 75 years or Winchester Speedway over 100 years or Toledo Speedway.

[@HistoryMysteryMan]

@@TimothyMeyers-i2s Winchester Speedway sounds the most interesting to me...since 1914...lots to work with there! Thanks again...HMM

[@TimothyMeyers-i2s]

@@HistoryMysteryMan you should go there the Saturday of the Winchester 400 normally get 30 mods and 20 sportsman and 20 some street stocks and they qualify the 400 cars.

[@HistoryMysteryMan]

@@TimothyMeyers-i2s That's a good idea; I've never been to that event, although I've been to Winchester a bunch over the years...

[@buglover-qb1dq]

From those big Ship Freighters to the Little Zippies and all your adventures in between... Very Interesting

[@HistoryMysteryMan]

Thanks...I appreciate you! HMM

[@Blrtech77]

HMM, Thanks For The Ride Along and Great Interviews and Video! Keep Up the Great Work.

[@h.e.l.l.o1010]

Yo I got a hoodie signed by jack a few days ago

[@HistoryMysteryMan]

Awesome! With fall and winter on the way, you'll be sporting that hoodie! Thanks for watching...HMM

[@bowslap]

That opening analogy 😂😂😂😂he isn’t lying! Fantastic episode, sir!

[@HistoryMysteryMan]

So many thanks! Good to hear from you again, bowslap...HMM

[@Leroy-qr9pd]

Great interview HMM!

[@HistoryMysteryMan]

Thanks again, Leroy. HMM

[@gregj831]

The first lady of country music sponsoring a sprint car. Can it get more American than that?

[@HistoryMysteryMan]

Absolutely not! Gotta love Loretta! HMM

[@genedwg6689]

Sprint cars are the most basic car for racing. Motor and tires

[@HistoryMysteryMan]

And so much fun to watch! Thanks Gene...HMM

[@Zilla23]

Did they republish "Hewitts Law "" ? Prolly not too many Jack n Jac stories from the late 70's but good read either way in that book . Great interview HMM .

[@HistoryMysteryMan]

Thanks...I believe I saw some copies of the book there, so it sound like more were published. HMM

[@Zilla23]

@@HistoryMysteryMan Thx , I know i could search myself but I figured you would know . ✌️

[@HistoryMysteryMan]

@@Zilla23 You're welcome!

[@christianmayhew2617]

Jack is 100% dead nuts on point with his opinions. Sprint Car racing is going nowhere. I am 58, born and raised in So-Cal. Ascot, Bako, Santa Maria, Ventura were staples. When I was in the Navy it was West Memphis at Riverside Speedway. My dad (1932-2007) had a car Max Sweeney drove, and they used to say "it" Sprint Car racing wouldn't be around in 40 years.....well guess what, not only do we compete, my grandkids have been to all of the aforementioned tracks (except ASCOT) and will be racing soon themselves. Sprint Cars are the last bastion of Americana and although they may change a little, they are NEVER going away.

[@HistoryMysteryMan]

I hope you're right about sprint car racing. I went to Ascot a few times...loved that track. Thanks...HMM