Oklahoma: A Story Through Her People

JOHN “JACK”
SMITH ZINK
When he authored the life story of the
legendary Jack Zink in To Indy and Beyond
(2008), Dr. Bob Blackburn quoted from
remarks Jack made at his induction into the
Oklahoma Hall of Fame in 1989:
“[It] is an appropriate summary of Jack’s
life: The man who wins is the man who tries.
I hope this book will encourage others to
do the same. Jack would want it that way.”
The life work of John “Jack”
Smith Zink truly epitomizes
this concept. Jack tried a lot—
and with tremendous success.
A Tulsa native, John
“Jack” Smith Zink was born
on October 17, 1928, and
entered Oklahoma A&M
University (now Oklahoma
State University) in Stillwater
in 1946, where he received a
degree in mechanical engineering
in 1951.
His passion for racing
began in 1937 when he visited
the Detroit Motor Speedway
with an uncle, and was fueled during countless
summer nights learning the names and
styles of his favorite drivers back home
at the Tulsa Fairgrounds Speedway. He built
his first race car in 1941
and fashioned his first dirt
race track west of his father’s
industrial plant on Peoria
Avenue in Tulsa. By 1951,
Jack had become “one of the
most successful drivers on
regional dirt tracks [and] was
a regular at Taft Stadium in
Oklahoma City.” Just four
years later, Jack and his race
team would celebrate the first
of two consecutive wins at
the Indianapolis 500.
At the same time, Jack
began his career “as the
only sales engineer” for John
Zink Company, which was
founded by his father in
1929. It was a position that
he took very seriously and a
period in which the company
was flourishing with new innovations in
the combustion field. After he was named
president of John Zink Company in the
early 1960s, Jack grew the company into an
international corporation. Throughout his
entire career, he remained dedicated to the
field of manufacturing and engineering,
authoring thirty-five patents on combustion
and other equipment.
Jack was honored with a number of significant
awards throughout his life and career
in the field. His alma mater, Oklahoma State
University, inducted him into its College
of Engineering Hall of Fame and awarded
him the Henry G. Bennett Distinguished
Service Award. He was named Outstanding
Business Leader by The University of Tulsa
and was honored by the Boy Scouts of
America with the Silver Beaver Award for
service to youth.
A veteran race car driver, Jack was inducted
into the Motor Sports Hall of Fame by the
Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and served on
the board of directors and was chairman of
the engine committee of the United States
Automobile Club.
Jack’s commitment to his life’s work was
rivaled only by his dedication to the community.
A lifetime supporter of scouting, he
served five terms as president of the Indian
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