In the rush of the summer season, we were remiss about noting the passing of one of the biggest names to fall under Hurst’s umbrella of important figures; a man who influenced a generation of Oldsmobiles; a man who was known for cutting through red tape and B.S. easily and swiftly; a racer’s friend. Jack “Doc” Watson passed away on August 2, 2015 at the age of 75, leaving behind a legacy of horsepower and thought for the fellow racer. He worked with the likes of George Hurst, Zora Arkus-Duntov, Ed Cole, Linda Vaughn. He was a tester for Pontiac’s Super Duty group, the designer of the Hurst Hairy Olds dual-engine four-wheel-drive burnout monster, and one of the men behind the Hurst/Olds series of cars, from the initial run of 1968s that effectively canned General Motors’ 400cid limit on engines in the intermediate cars through the last four 1988 G-body Hurst/Olds that he personally built .
But his two greatest achievements aren’t directly related to a car itself, or a product. It was Watson’s desire to help others that stands out the most. In the Sixties, he was the original “Shifty Doctor”, traveling around in a van with repair tools, helping racers out, be it a quick fix on their car or a repair to help them pass tech. Watson is credited with helping to create the Hurst Jaws of Life emergency extraction system that has proved invaluable in the ability to aid victims of serious accidents. And in his later years, he progressed into gearhead philanthropy, encouraging and in some cases, assisting in the creation of such events as the Woodward Dream Cruise and Flint, Michigan’s “Back to the Bricks” car show.
Rest easy, Doc, and thank you for the memories.
In 2001 I had the pleasure of meeting Doc Watson at the Hurst/Olds Nationals in Sauk Centre Minnesota. Very down to earth and fun to visit with. He will be missed.