Jack Doyle

Competitor, Car Builder, Track Operator
CLASS OF 2019

A lifelong career has rightfully earned Jack Doyle the reputation as ‘The Godfather of New England Drag Racing’. He was a standout driver, car builder & team owner dating back to the 1950’s. As a car owner, he achieved success with drivers like Don Roberts, Mark Connelly as well as with himself behind the year.

Doyle formed the New England Hot Rod Council in the mid-1950’s which began holding drag events at the Sanford Airport in Sanford, ME, with a long-term goal to build a permanent facility dedicated to drag racing. That was realized when they broke ground on construction of the New England Dragway in Epping, NH in 1965. Doyle would serve as the track manager/general manager from its opening until 1982.

Jack was a pioneer in New England drag racing who not only helped build the sport, but helped preserved its history as well. He was honored by the NHRA with a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2011 and inducted into the International Drag Racing Hall of Fame in 2016. Doyle was on the Board of Directors for the New England Racing Museum and, along with his wife Mabel, was a frequent volunteer there. He owned his original stock that he purchased to help raise the funds to build New England Dragway for the rest of his life.