Jack Deren

By John R. Wright
Photos from the Jack Deren collection

We remember John J. “Jack” Deren of Carbondale, PA, 92, who died November 6, 2026: From the VeloceToday Archives, March 2023

Jack Deren has packed more restorations, race prepared cars and time at race tracks all over the country than anyone I can think of off the top of my head. Over the years I have been going to the vintage weekend at the Glen I have talked with Jack off and on but he’s always been too busy to sit down for long. However, on a Glen vintage weekend in September of 2022, I sat down with Jack at breakfast. Our breakfast turned into lunch, and while he talked I took notes. What an interesting racing career he’s had with ups and downs but mostly interesting times.

He’s done every car from hot rods to CanAm cars and he’s worked with so many drivers it took him about fifteen minutes to list them all and he would be the first to admit that there would be more if he could remember them all. [Read more…] about Jack Deren: From Hot Rods to Can Am

By John R. Wright

JW: Tell us of Oscar and your involvement in the CanAm years.

Deren: I was Oscar’s chief mechanic for the team from 1969 to 1971, when he decided he could no longer afford the time and expense of the CanAm season. Because Oscar knew Teddy Mayer – they both lived in the same area – he bought a 1969 McLaren M6B, right off the floor at the London Race Car Show. It was Oscar’s first CanAm car after the Cooper. [Read more…] about Jack Deren, from Hot Rods to Can Am, P2