Business F1 Top 20 Petrolheads: Jack Roush, An Essential American Racer

Jack Roush, originally from Kentucky, developed his enthusiasm for cars at an early age, fueled by what he calls "mechanical curiosity." A curiosity that has made him a leading player in the Nascar Championship and and a top collector. Roush is also an entrepreneur and a terrific businessman. A combination of all these skills has rarely been seen in motorsports since the days of Colin Chapman. The Automotive Hall of Fame, which honored him in 2017, described him as "an icon of American motorsports and a distinguished automotive entrepreneur". Roush was born into a blue-collar family that gave him a strict work ethic and a determination to do good for the world. In college he studied mathematics and physics and distinguished himself by his ability to solve scientific problems, which would serve him well later on.

His passion for cars eventually led him to seek a job at Ford Motor Company, a place where talented engineers could really excel. After gaining significant experience, he left Ford and started his own automotive engineering business in Livonia Michigan with the goal of getting into racing. His first opportunity was in dragster racing with a team called "The Fastbacks." He began building chassis and engines for the team, perfecting aerodynamics in pursuit of straight-line speed. These were pretty basic things, but a very useful experience for a man taking his first steps in racing.