Jack Werst (Mr. 5 and 50) won't be down for breakfast.

[themechanic]

http://blog.hemmings.com/index.php/2014/12/26/jack-werst-mopars-mr-5-and-50-passes-at-75/?refer=news

 

[Brandy]

RIP Jack, I remember him as being tough to beat on the track. As a kid I thought the 5and 50 referred to the speed limit at the time like he was thumbing his nose at it. lol.

 

[Budnicks]

RIP Jack you will be missed

 

[mmissile]

RIP. Another legend passes...........

 

[Car Nut]

RIP Jack!

 

[HEMI-ITIS]

Met him at the York reunion some years back. Lost another legend!

 

[32PB]

RIP Jack. Life long fan of his Cool cars.

 

[moparsteve636]

R.I.P. Mr. 5 & 50 You will be missed!

 

[eldubb440]

found this program in a car a few years ago....... thought it was cool enough to scan and share

check out the bottom page

 

[Cranky]

Pretty cool running in the 130's and still in the 10's back then.....may he rest in peace.

 

[dvw]

I think there is some confusion.Tom Orlando who drove the 5/50 replica passed 12-24-14. Unless he and Jack passed the same day, this is incorrect.
Doug

 

[Endangered Species]

Doug,

Where did you hear Tom died? Dad got a call today from John Buhler today and he told him Tom died but I can't find any obituary.
Tom was diagnosed with Liver Cancer this summer. I saw him at Norwalk in September briefly. I know he wasn't doing when then. But the last I had heard was he had just finished up his last Chemo treatment and was doing well.

It looks like Jack died the 23rd and if this is true Tom died the 24th. That is too ironic, they were good friends. After Tom bought the 5&50 car off of Jack, Tom would take the car to special shows for Jack like the York reunion.

 

[dvw]

Doug,

Where did you hear Tom died? Dad got a call today from John Buhler today and he told him Tom died but I can't find any obituary.
Tom was diagnosed with Liver Cancer this summer. I saw him at Norwalk in September briefly. I know he wasn't doing when then. But the last I had heard was he had just finished up his last Chemo treatment and was doing well.

It looks like Jack died the 23rd and if this is true Tom died the 24th. That is too ironic, they were good friends. After Tom bought the 5&50 car off of Jack, Tom would take the car to special shows for Jack like the York reunion.

John Rendes posted it on facebook in the Mopar Collectors Guide page. Both Great guys. Jack pulled me aside when I started racing N/SS. He told me to hold my head up high and don't look back, that I would go on to win races. That was pretty special to a young racer coming from an experienced pro. Tom always had time to come over and see how things were going. I will miss them both.
Doug

 

[65 Plymouth Satellite 426]

One Of The Toughest Campaigners In The NHRA, Mr. 5 and 50 (5 Years 50,000 Miles) Drove One Of The Most Potent Super Stock Mopars In Racing History! Today , Racing Mourns Two Of The Finest Racers To Buckle Up An A990 Plymouth, Jack Werst And Tom Orlando. I Knew Jack Personally, Was Beaten By Him Back in The Day, But Never Knew Tom! RIP!

 

[Endangered Species]

Tom is the guy standing in the picture next to the car. Tom was a great racer and a class act, he never had a bad word to say about anyone, and always had a mile on his face. We missed him when he sold the car and retired from racing and now we'll really miss him.

May both Tom and Jack be with God.

 

[Pistol Pete]

Rest in Peace gentlemen.

 

[Endangered Species]

:angel7:

- - - Updated - - -

:angel7::angel7:

Tom flew the Mr. 50 & 50 colors with class.

God Speed My Friend. You'll be missed.

 

[Jim Wenmoth]

:angel7:

- - - Updated - - -

:angel7::angel7:

Tom flew the Mr. 50 & 50 colors with class.

God Speed My Friend. You'll be missed.

THE FIRST PHOTO OF THE GUY INSIDE THE OPENED DRIVER'S DOOR IS NOT Tom

 

[Chip440]

A friend of mine sent me a link to this site because he saw that my brother was mentioned here. Tom is my brother and I know that these posts were from 12/2014. My brother passed away on 12/24/2014. Jack passed away 12/26/2014 two days after Tom. Tom bought the 5 and 50 car rolling. We saw it at the Chrysler Classic in Columbus and I knew at that moment Tom would be purchasing it soon after. At the time Tom and I were partners on a 64 Dodge 330 post car as seen in the picture. It ran 9:60's which was pretty quick for a 3500lb car. Later that year my wife divorced me and I needed cash so Tom bought me out of my half of the 64. He then traded the 64 for a Ray Barton Hemi which went in to the Belvedere that he bought shortly after seeing it at the Classic in Columbus. Funny side story.... My mother went with Tom when he made the trade. She saw Tom pull the 64 off the trailer and then saw a motor go on the trailer. When he got back in the truck, my mother asked him what he had just done. He told her that he traded the car for the motor. Her exact words were; "I don't think that was a very good deal Tom". I still love telling that story! Subsequently Tom raced the 5 and 50 car for many years and had it running in the 9 teens. He sold the car to a gentleman by the name of Chris Leeder from Canada who is still racing the car.
Tom and I took a motorcycle trip in Arizona in April of 2014. It took some persuading on my part to get him to go. We had a great trip and he was feeling fine. In July he was diagnosed with lung cancer. He never smoked so I don't really get that but the cancer spread and on Christmas Eve 2014 he passed away.
Tom and I started with go karts and mini bikes as kids and then of course to muscle cars in our teen age years and eventually to race cars. We worked together for 22 years at a Dodge store. We were very close. Also enclosed is a picture of Tom and I at Norwalk 9/2014. His last time at the track.

 

[Photon440]

Hi Chip440, thanks for the additional info, though it was sad about your brother. I hope you stick around and stay with this place.