Building the Future: Jack Line Proves to Be a Chip Off the Old Block
It would seem that the engine builder’s apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. Fresh out of high school, young Jack Line isn’t just following in dad Jason Line’s footsteps, he’s walking beside him in the family trade and taking notes as he goes.
[Editor’s Note: This story originally appeared in DI #190, the State of Drag Issue, in September/ October of 2024.]
In his 18 years of life, Jack has been front and center for his engine-obsessed father’s most accomplished years in racing. He was born just in time to experience his dad’s first Pro Stock championship season (2006), and he’s been along for the ride ever since. In 2017, Jack joined the Pro Stock ranks himself – as a very young crew member on Bo Butner’s team. They won the championship that season together, with Jack attending as many races as his school schedule would permit. At Butner’s urging, Jack returned to crew for the team through the next two seasons.
“I was just trying my best to learn everything I could,” Jack recalls. “I wanted to be part of something, especially a Pro Stock team, and it was really cool. People dream of doing that, so I tried to make the most of it.”
When Butner retired – however temporarily – from Pro Stock racing, Jack turned his focus to a new task he was learning: CAD and CAM design.
In a February 2020 interview, Jack spoke of having recently acquired a 3-D printer and dipping into building carburetor stands and things of that nature.
“I think that machining can be a good business,” said the young man who was just beginning to envision his future. “If you’re good at it, there are a lot of things you could do.”
Over the years, Jack has dialed more and more into CAD and CAM work in support of the family business that his father started as he was hanging up his Pro Stock driving gloves in 2020. These days, Jack spends much of his time in the JLine Performance shop focusing on billet parts and R&D, something for which he has found a true passion.
As much as he enjoys working on engines and related components, Jack has the heart of a racer.
He’s continued to work with his dad on building a race car of his own, a 1968 Chevrolet Camaro that he bought at 13 years of age with money he earned himself. He’s also added a 1968 Pontiac Firebird to the garage.
He’s a busy young man, and one of the most intriguing facets to his story is his role with the Jesel Land Speed Team. Last year, Jack drove the team’s Dodge truck at the Bonneville Salt Flats SCTA Speed Week for the first time, going as fast as 190 MPH. It was just short of what the team intended – a run that would get Jack into the coveted 200-MPH Club alongside his father, who accomplished the feat in 2012 in the Jesel entry.
Jack’s first attempt was powered by a Dodge R5 engine, but this year, the team traveled once more to famed Bonneville – this time with a Jesel Equal 8 under the hood. Although the team didn’t reach all of their goals, Jack acquired his A license and hit 200 MPH for the first time – 203.185 at the 2-1/4 mile, to be exact.
After the Bonneville trip, Jack went right back to work, both in the shop and at the racetrack. This season, when Butner and wife Randi Lyn transitioned to racing a pair of JHG-backed Mountain Motor Pro Stock cars, there was one person they knew without a doubt they wanted on their crew. Now graduated from high school, Jack was able to commit to the full Mountain Motor season, and the team was off and running with immediate success, just like old times.
Jack embraced the opportunity to learn in a slightly different arena, and at the track he is focused on engine maintenance, valve springs, carburetors and jetting, and anything else crew chief Frank Gugliotta is willing to let him work on.
As for the future, Jack intends to continue along the path of high-performance engines and racing.
“I like to make parts, especially for race cars, but I’d like to try Pro Stock – I may not be the best at it, but I’d really enjoy trying it,” he says. “I’d like to bracket race a little bit, maybe [more] land speed. With the Mountain Motor cars, I hope we can win some more races this year, get some No. 1 qualifiers. I have faith in all of us. I think there are a lot of good things ahead.”
This story was originally published on October 3, 2024.
The post Building the Future: Jack Line Proves to Be a Chip Off the Old Block first appeared on Drag Illustrated.
