Jackie McLaughlin

John “Jackie” McLaughlin (October 11, 1933 – August 23, 1964) was an American racing driver from the Thorofare section of West Deptford Township, New Jersey. Although best remembered for his exploits in a dirt-track Modified, he won several United Racing Club Sprint car races and was their 1954 “Rookie of the Year”.

Racing career
Jackie McLaughlin started his racing career in 1950 at age 17 on the dirt at New Jersey's Atco Speedway and Alcyon Speedway in Pitman. By 1955 his brother-in-law, Budd Olsen, convinced him to try the Modifieds, and McLaughlin immediately won at the Nazareth Speedway PA. He went on to compete successfully at the renowned tracks of the Mid-Atlantic, including Georgetown Speedway DE, Kent-Sussex Raceway DE, Reading Fairgrounds Speedway PA, and Vineland Speedway NJ. McLaughlin entered the Daytona 300 in both 1959 and 1960, and claimed the 1962 track championship at the Flemington Speedway NJ.

Jackie McLaughlin sustained a fatal injury in a racing accident at Nazareth in August 1964. He was inducted into the Eastern Motorsports Press Association and the Northeast Dirt Modified Halls of Fame.