Jack Roush is an icon of American motorsports and a distinguished automotive entrepreneur. Roush was born in Covington, KY in 1942. He attended Berea College, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in physics, and later received a master’s degree in Scientific Mathematics from Eastern Michigan University.
Roush was hired as an engine development engineer for Ford Motor Company in 1964. He soon became acquainted with a group of employees called the “Fastbacks,” who were running a drag racing team. He was immediately hooked on racing and in 1970, formed his own team with partner Wayne Gapp. Roush and Gapp combined to win multiple championships in NHRA, IHRA and AHRA Pro Stock drag racing between 1970 and 1975. In 1976, Roush established Jack Roush Performance Engineering and began supplying racing engines and parts for drag, oval-track, and hill-climb cars as well as offshore power boats.
In 1984, Roush was asked by Ford Motor Company to develop cars for the SCCA Trans-Am and IMSA Camel GT racing series. Roush’s cars won the Trans-Am manufacturer’s championship for Lincoln-Mercury in 1985 and an unprecedented 119 races and 24 national championships between the two series. Roush further expanded his racing operations in 1988, when he established his immensely successful NASCAR team. To date, Roush-Fenway Racing has claimed two NASCAR Cup Championships, four NASCAR Nationwide championships, and one NASCAR Truck Series title. Roush has also made major safety contributions to stock car racing, including the development of roof flaps to prevent rollovers. In total, Roush has won more than 400 races and more than 30 championships across numerous disciplines of motorsport.
In addition to his racing successes, Roush is the founder and chairman of Roush Enterprises, a global supplier of automotive product development services that encompasses prototyping, testing, and manufacturing in addition to engineering. Roush also oversees Roush Performance Products, a supplier of aftermarket performance parts, and Roush CleanTech, a manufacturer of alternative fuel systems. With a winning record on and off the track, Jack Roush is one of the most successful automotive entrepreneurs of all time.
