Newsmaker of the Week // John “Grandpa” Blewett, Sr.

John “Grandpa” Blewett, Sr, patriarch of the Blewett racing family, died Friday night at his home at the age of 90.

He was a self-made man who built his life around the creation of an auto salvage yard that branched into many other facets.

John became involved in auto racing with his namesake son in the early 1970s, adopting what became a succession of red, white and blue No. 76 cars. Subsequently his two grandsons, John, III and Jimmy and his two great-grandsons, John, IV and James, raced family cars. Beyond his fierce loyalty to his son and grandsons in their racing efforts, John helped, through sponsorship and support, scores of other regional racers, many of whom worked for him.

He was shaken to his core when his grandson JB III lost his life in a racing crash in 2007, yet remained undiminished in his resolve to compete in and contribute to the sport of auto racing.

John Blewett, Sr. will be dearly missed and forever remembered.

It is through his life well lived that he is a Newsmaker!