J.C. "Jake" Elder was a retired NASCAR

NASCAR

The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...

 Grand National/Winston Cup (now Sprint Cup Series) crew chief. He was the championship crew chief for two years and for part of a third season. Elder had these successes despite never passing through third grade

Third grade

In the United States, third grade is a year of primary education. It is the third school year after kindergarten. Students are usually 8 – 9 years old, depending on when their birthday occurs....

.

Elder was known as "Suitcase Jake" because he could never settle down at one organization for long period of time, hopping from one organization to the next. Elder was known for being a great chassis man and had great knowledge of car setups. When asked a question, he frequently answered "Huh?"

Racing career

Elder starting working for Petty Enterprises

Petty Enterprises

Petty Enterprises was a NASCAR racing team based in Randleman, North Carolina, USA. The team was owned by Richard Petty, his son Kyle Petty, and Boston Ventures. At the time of its folding the team operated the #43 and #45 Dodge Chargers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Petty Enterprises ran from...

 in 1960s as a fabricator. Richard Petty

Richard Petty

Richard Lee Petty is a former NASCAR driver who raced in the Strictly Stock/Grand National Era and the NASCAR Winston Cup Series...

 said that Elder did not engineer the cars, it was all off the cuff. Petty said:

He'd put something on the car and say, ‘OK, now it's right. Here, you go drive it. And don't come back in complaining to me, because I got the car fixed. You go learn how to drive it.' Elder was certainly a leader. He might not always be right, but he was never wrong. One thing about Jake – he was always the same. When you saw him coming, you knew what you were going to get. He was good enough and forceful enough that when he said he'd fixed something, they had confidence in the car and could go out and get something done.

Elder was the crew chief for David Pearson championship winning car for Holman Moody

Holman Moody

Holman Moody was an auto racing team, racecar manufacturer, and marine engine manufacturer. The team built virtually all of the factory Ford racecars of the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s. It owned racecars that competed in NASCAR, drag racing, ocean boat racing, rallys, and sports car racing. The team...

 in 1968 and 1969. Elder worked for Darrell Waltrip

Darrell Waltrip

Darrell Lee Waltrip is a 3-time NASCAR Cup Series champion , 3-time runner-up , winner of the 1989 Daytona 500 and 5-time winner of the prestigeous Coca-Cola 600 ,...

 when he was a young driver in the mid 1970s and he was Waltrip's crew chief for his first and last victories. Stories circulate that Elder grabbed Waltrip by his driver's suit to tell him how to race the car. Edler was hired by Rod Osterlund

Rod Osterlund

Rod Osterlund was a NASCAR Winston Cup Series car owner spanning from 1977–1981, and then again from 1989 - 1991. He earned his money off rental property in California.-Team history:...

 in 1979 to work with rookie Dale Earnhardt

Dale Earnhardt

Ralph Dale Earnhardt, Sr. was an American race car driver, best known for his involvement in stock car racing for NASCAR...

. Earnhardt won the rookie of the year award that season. After Earnhardt won his first race, Elder said to him "Stick with me, kid, and we’ll win diamonds as big as horse turds

Manure

Manure is organic matter used as organic fertilizer in agriculture. Manures contribute to the fertility of the soil by adding organic matter and nutrients, such as nitrogen, that are trapped by bacteria in the soil...

". Elder left the team in May 1980, which was Earnhardt's first championship season. Elder later worked for Yates Racing

Yates Racing

Yates Racing was an American stock car racing racing team that competed in NASCAR until the 2009 season when it merged with Richard Petty Motorsports. Previously known as Robert Yates Racing, the team was owned by Doug Yates, who has officially owned the team since his father Robert's retirement on...

 until he was fired in 1991 and replaced by Larry McReynolds

Larry McReynolds

Lawrence Joseph McReynolds III is a former NASCAR crew chief and currently serves as a racing analyst on Fox Sports, TNT and a columnist on Foxsports.com. He currently lives in Mooresville, North Carolina...

. He served as crew chief for many additional seasons for different teams before he retired.

One day at North Wilkesboro Speedway

North Wilkesboro Speedway

North Wilkesboro Speedway was a short track that held races in NASCAR's top three series from NASCAR's inception in 1949 until its closure in 1996...

, Elder was disappointed with his perception that other teams were illegally soaking their tires to gain additional speed. So he applied a gallon of rubber softener to his team's qualifying tires in plain view of the other teams and NASCAR officials to protest what he deemed the other teams were doing secretly. In May 2008, Rusty Wallace

Rusty Wallace

Russell William Wallace, Jr. is a past NASCAR Winston Cup Champion, currently a broadcaster on ESPN, car owner in the Nationwide Series, and a co-host of NASCAR Angels.-Early racing career:...

 talked about his experiences with Elder early in his career:

Jake was old-old school. He worked for soooo many teams. But he was the guy you would call when you needed some help. If your old car wasn't running right, and you were confused, you'd want to call Jake and say, ‘Hey, can you come bail me out?' And he could help you fix it. I called him once, when my car wasn't running right, and asked, ‘Jake, can you come over and crew chief this car for me?' And he said, ‘All right, just one race.' And he came over with his tool box – which was filled with so much doggone prehistoric stuff that it was unreal. He had the string out, and the levels, and said, ‘You do this and this.…' And I took it to Charlotte and had my best run ever."

Retirement and death

His wife Debbie died from cancer. Elder suffered a stroke in 2006. In early 2008 he had a bout with pneumonia. As of May 2008, he was living with his sister who was helping care for him during his recovery.

Retired NASCAR legends decided to form the "Suitcase Jake Commemorative Fund" for Elder. These retired drivers raced in an event on July 18, 2008 at Music City Motorplex

Music City Motorplex

Fairgrounds Speedway is a NASCAR Whelen All-American Series racetrack located at the Tennessee State Fairgrounds near downtown Nashville, Tennessee. The track is one of the oldest tracks in the United States. The track held NASCAR Grand National/Winston Cup races from 1958 to 1984...

 to benefit Elder.

Elder died on February 24, 2010 of natural causes while at Autumn Care of Statesville, North Carolina

Statesville, North Carolina

Statesville is a city located in Iredell County, North Carolina, United States and was named an All-America City in 1997 and 2009. The population was 24,633 at the 2010 census...

. NASCAR released a statement "[He] was one the first crew chiefs in NASCAR to achieve celebrity status with our fans. He was a pioneer in that regard, and his celebrity was well deserved. He was truly one of the greatest crew chiefs of all time, winning two championships with David Pearson. Our sport has lost one of its legends."