On a sunny, Sunday afternoon in an unassuming house situated in a beautiful neighborhood in East Cobb, Jack Baldwin sits at his computer in his office discussing the intricacies of his lengthy career in North American motor racing. With his two dogs reverting between lazily sleeping and excitedly begging for attention at knee height, we are the only ones in the house. Surrounded by trophies, medallions, photographs, and memorabilia of his achievements, we discuss each at length.
Jack began as a young, up-and-coming Floridian, with not much in his pockets. Though one thing he did have was a never-dying dream to be paid to drive quickly. He asserted his strengths with a win at all costs attitude, and a champion’s ability to think on his toes. Starting out in Formula Ford, Jack became a national champion early in his career, and used this innate quickness to springboard his career into sportscar racing.
An acquaintance of Jack’s convinced him that the Atlanta area was where he needed to be if he wanted a career in motorsport. Jack took this advice and scraped together what little he had and headed north to the road racing capital of the United States. For several seasons Jack took what driving positions he could. Calling anyone and everyone he could, trying to secure a drive, Jack rang through to Jim Downing’s Atlanta based sports car shop. This call would change Jack’s future quite rapidly.
Jim had recently sold his championship winning International Motor Sport Association (IMSA) GTU Mazda RX-7 to a man named Ira Young, and Jim had personally recommended Jack as the person Ira needed to hire to drive his new car. Armed with this information, Jack immediately called Ira. Ira committed to hiring Jack as his second driver for the 1984 season. This decision proved to be a good one for both parties, as Jack now had a drive, and Ira had a winner. The Mazda won on its first outing at the 24 hours at Daytona, cementing Jack’s place as lead driver on Ira’s team. The team would win many more races, along with the series title in the GTU class in both 1984 and 1985.
After winning the GTU title for cars “under” 2.5 liters, Jack moved up to the GTO class for cars with displacements over that limit. Baldwin signed a contract with the Peerless team racing a Chevrolet Camaro in the GTO class with tobacco sponsorship. Driving the car from the 1986 season through the end of 1989, they managed a podium here and there, but the opposition was tough. The arrival of the Audi GTO Quattro’s proved too much for the aged chassis, and the car was retired. Through this period, Jack also found himself in a Grand Touring Prototype every few weeks, when his schedule allowed, co-driving a Ford Probe GTP , and later a Corvette GTP with David Hobbs.
For 1990, Jack decided that he was tired of driving for a tobacco sponsored team. Because of the restrictions on tobacco advertising, their car was not even allowed to be shown in the race programs. Jack worked to secure a more family friendly sponsor for his future racing endeavors. Having raced with IMSA for over six seasons, Jack decided to switch over to the SCCA and their burgeoning Trans-American Challenge (Trans-Am) series. Again using a Chevrolet Camaro as basis for his attack on the series, Jack lured Mattel die cast brand Hot Wheels to sponsor the car.
The Hot Wheels Camaro was a smash success, both on the track, and commercially. Jack was awarded with the Trans Am series Rookie of the Year trophy in 1990. The championship came later, in the 1992 season. Driving his Hot Wheels Camaro to victory lane was hard fought, with competition from Tommy Kendall, Scott Sharp, and Scott Pruett. This championship assisted with turning the die cast version of the car into the highest selling Mattel product of all time.
In 1993 and 1994, Jack received successive invitations to North American Motorsport’s highest honor at the time, the International race of Champions. Facing completion from the likes of Brabham, Earnhardt, Petty, Jarrett, and Fangio, Jack raced around the banking, drafting his way to a handful of podium finishes. Through the nineties, Jack continued to drive in the Trans Am series in several of General Motors best products, and won the 12 hours of Sebring in 1997 with Oldsmobile, also sponsored by Hot Wheels.
Starting off the early 2000’s with a pair of overall victories in the Grand Am Rolex Sports Racer category got Jack back in the winner’s circle. This time, Jack was in an open cockpit prototype. Baldwin drove the Robinson Racing Judd V8 powered Riley and Scott Mk. III with George Robinson.
To this day, Jack continues a busy regimen. For the last seven years, Jack has found himself driving in the 24 hours of Daytona. Now, he predominately drives Porsches on track, as he is VP of the Cayman Interseries, and a driving instructor for Porsche enthusiasts. A tight relationship with Napleton Porsche has allowed him to continue driving quickly.
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