Technical Director and Chief Mechanic, Beckley was on the Indy winning crew twice source: irl.racing-live.com Jack Beckley, the former Indianapolis 500 technical director and one of racing's most respected chief mechanics, died yesterday in Glendale, Ariz. He was 87. Beckley prepared front-running cars at Indianapolis for more than 25 years before turning to officiating, at the United States Auto Club (USAC), in May 1976. He spent two years there as assistant to Technical Chairman Frank DelRoy until DelRoy, along with seven other USAC officials, perished in a private aircraft accident while returning home from the Trenton 200 on April 23, 1978. With the Indianapolis Motor Speedway due to open for practice only a few days later, Beckley immediately assumed DelRoy's role. He retired in July 1991 but continued to return as a consultant in May for many years thereafter. Beckley was the winning chief mechanic in 12 National Championship events (four under AAA sanction and eight under USAC) between 1950- 68, with drivers Jim Rathmann, Jack McGrath, Roger McCluskey, Tony Bettenhausen, Bobby Marshman and George Amick. His second- and third- place finishes were numerous, including a pair of seconds, plus a couple of pole positions with A. J. Foyt during the summer of 1962.
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