TOLEDO, Ohio — Jerry Makara, who gained races within the Nineteen Sixties and Seventies in ARCA Determine-8 and Late Mannequin, NASCAR Modified, NASCAR Canada Sequence and ASA Late Mannequin Nationwide Sequence competitors, died Feb. 4.
Makara, a longtime resident of Pinckney Michigan, was 81.
Nicknamed “The Bear” at an early age, Makara watched his first race at Flat Rock Speedway and shortly befriended ARCA Determine-8 driver John Anderson. Early on, the duo helped one another construct and preserve their race automobiles, earlier than taking totally different however generally intersecting paths to nice success in motorsports.
Makara drove his first race in 1967 at Flat Rock, and by 1968 was ARCA Determine-8 observe champion at Flat Rock and Spartan Speedways. He completed second to Joe Ruttman within the Glass Metropolis 200 in 1968 second in factors to Pleasure Honest at Toledo Speedway and was named Rookie of the 12 months in ARCA Late Fashions in addition to by the MARC Instances Racing Information.
Racing weekly at Cayuga Speedway in Ontario Canada, Makara was observe champion in 1972-1973-1974, and was the winner of the Oktoberfest Traditional at LaCrosse Speedway in Wisconsin.
Makara gained back-to-back NASCAR Canada Export A Sequence championships in 1974-1975 and gained ASA Late Mannequin Nationwide Tour races at Louisville, Anderson and Salem along with main late mannequin occasions at Queen Metropolis Speedway in Cincinnati Ohio, I-70 Speedway in Missouri and the Maple Leaf 250 at Cayuga.
In NASCAR Modified competitors in 1977, he gained at Trenton N.J., and completed second to Harry Gant at Charlotte. His greatest end in ARCA Menards Sequence competitors was fourth at Flat Rock in 1981. Makara drove his ultimate race in 1992 at Toledo Speedway.
