Jack "Little John" Conely

Brighton, Michigan
27.Feb.1930 - 10.May.2017

Age 87, a lifetime resident of Livingston County, passed away of natural causes surrounded by family on May 10, 2017. He was born on February 27, 1930 a son of Charles and Mary Irene (Comisky) Conely in Brighton, MI. A man of many talents and gifts, he is most remembered for his racing and engine building career. A Motor Sports Hall of Fame inductee, he was nationally recognized for his work with Ford and Chevrolet as well as for his contributions to well-known Indy, IMSA, ARCA, USAC, and NASCAR race teams. His passion for helping others overshadowed anything else he ever did. Those who knew Jack knew that he was quick to lend a hand to anyone in need. Jack was an Air Force Veteran, serving when he was a very young man. He overcame many obstacles in his youth and credited much of his success to the time he spent at Father Flannigan’s Boys’ Town in Nebraska.

In 1969, Jack Conely won a rained out feature the week before the Classic, then closed the season with a feature win. Conely was a real character, he had a charming personality and a line of "bullshit" that wouldn't stop. Fellow Michigander, Nick Rowe, said of Conely, "He would rather spin a tale, even if telling the truth were easier". But everybody loved him anyways. And then there was that "ratty" looking car of his. I think he went out of his way to make it look bad, like painting fake sutures on cuts in the sheet metal body. But it was all good equipment under the ugly sheet metal and it ran with the best competition of the day. Besides his two wins, Conely had a third place in the Classic that year.
. . . from "Oswego Speedway The First Fifty Years" by George Caruso, Jr.

1954	1955
1955	1955
1960 Sandusky win	1960 Sandusky
1965 Sandusky Classic	1965
1966 Oswego Classic	September 7th 1968
1968	Sep 13th, 1969
Sep 20 1969, Jack got second behind Bentley in this 75 lapper	Jack was proud of his long locks, but then...
1971
1972	-
-	-
HOF story, part 1	HOF story, part 2