Jim jeffords race car driver

Jan 23, 2017 jim halls chaparral built some of the wildest and most creative race cars ever seen. It was owned by chip miller and corvette repair just completed its restoration. Race drivers whose names begin with j, k, l barcboys. Jim jeffords kicked off his racing career in 1954 at the age of 27, married with four young boys and living in milwaukee. In 1957, jeffords was named as a corvette racing team driver, although he would occasionally drive corvettes for other teams during the 1957 season. Bob bondurant interview and profile sports car digest. Jeffords racing career spanned nearly half a century and due to his many victories in chevrolet corvettes he was inducted to the corvette hall of fame in 2002. Mar 26, 2014 our thoughts and prayers are with jims family and friends. Purple people eater corvette racer heading to barrettjackson. Jimmie johnson nascar driver page stats, results, bio. Photos from meadowdale, the ghost track of motorsports. Sworn into the senate in 1989, he served as a republican until 2001, when he left the party to become an independent and began caucusing with the democrats. Kaplan was crew chief, and peter revson and george folmer were the drivers. By the end of 1960, he was a respected champion truly on the ascendancy when a mysterious allergy hospitalized him for nine months and ended his career.

Flying monster the legendary purple people eater race car. Hickman was a driver in the 1982 cart indycar series and raced in 3 cart contests that year as well as the indianapolis 500, which, that year, was not a cart event. In 1957, jeffords was named as a corvette racing team driver. That performance led to jeffords being asked to race. Sep 03, 2019 see all 28 photos the purple people eater won the 1959 bproduction championship with driver jim jeffords. Mar 03, 2016 originally built in 1992 for race car driver jim jeffords, the theme throughout is sharp angles. In addition to the scarab, nickey was also campaining a fleet of corvettes and the cost of running both caused them to put the car up for sale. Tom rizzo gets into john orr bp 1970 row 3 jim sanborn and bob kern bp 1976. Jim jeffords, corvette racing legend and motorsport. Nickey chevrolet buys the famous chuck daigh scarab the. Jim jeffords racing career profile driver database. That would be the only sports car race open to other nations ever allowed in cuba under castros rule and ranked as one of jeffords favorite victories. Former corvette racing icon jim jeffords passes away corvette.

Mar 25, 2014 jeffords drove the wheels off that little jag and was leading the race with one lap to go when, on a downshift, the engine popped a freeze plug, and the car limped to a less than first place finish. Born in brookfield, a suburb of milwaukee, on december 6, 1926, he started. Jim jeffords, corvette racing legend and motorsport entrep. Aug 05, 2016 ou left out the part where jim jeffords 58 and 59 national champion corvette driver and jack stephani nickey chevrolet corvette racing team owner went to california and bought one of the 3 scarabs from lance. Jim jeffords corvette racing legend vette vues magazine. Jim drove it successfully until the end of 59 when the team was sold to dan blocker and the scarab was sold to augie. Jim jeffords was the definitive example of a gentlemen racer with a heart of gold. Mar 28, 2014 jim jeffords, who won national sports car championships in 1958 and 1959 while at the wheel of the famous purple people eater chevrolet corvettes, has died.

Jeffords drove the wheels off that little jag and was leading the race with one lap to go, when on a downshift, the engine, popped a freeze plug and the car limped to a lesser than 1st finish. Jeffords began racing cars in 1954, starting with a jaguar xk120 m. Purple people eater corvette racer heading to barrett. James jeffords racing 2002 corvette hall of fame national.

Jim clark, the former world motor racing champion was killed when his lotuscosworth skidded off the track and somersaulted into a wood at about 170mph during a formula two race here today. Jim jeffords pilots the purple people eater at the montgomery, ny. The scarab is the most beautiful race car youve never heard. One of the most successful corvette race car drivers from the 1950s passed away on march 6, 2014. Obe 4 march 1936 7 april 1968 was a british formula one racing driver from scotland, who won two world championships, in 1963 and 1965. History shows that jeffords sold the car to indianapolis chevrolet dealer and racer bud gates. Jeffords died on march 6, but his death was publicly announced on march 25 in a statement from the road america race track in elkhart lake, wisconsin. Jim hall left after one full season in formula 1 and returned to america and his chaparral sports cars.

Executive joel laufer driver gil radtkesafety specialist dan sorce driver dick trickle driver bob wondra driver car ownercar. At nassau, dick thompson drove one car to a class win and 7th overall in the 20lap governors trophy race. Wearing his familiar dayglo red helmet, jim jeffords in action with the meister brauser scarab. Casner motor racing division also known as america camoradi casner motor racing division, camoradi usa or camoradi international was an american racing team of the 1960s known for racing maserati birdcage sports cars, and a porsche and cooper in formula one. It was founded by lloyd lucky casner in 1960, after he gained interest in the maserati tipo 61 in august 1959, and was created. We visited hall to see the amazing 2j and witness his first drive in it in 30 years. He finished 3 of his 4 races in the top ten and was named indy 500 rookie of the year, where he finished 7th. Jim jeffords raced this car to scca bp national championship in 1958. Oct 10, 2011 during the inaugural race, the two scarabs came to meadowdale, and chuck daigh was the winner. Jeffords drove the wheels off that little jag and was leading the race with one lap to go when on a downshift, the engine, popped a freeze plug and the car limped to a dnf. Actress, model build house shaped like a boat on the. Purple people eater corvette heads for barrettjackson. Apr 23, 2014 the jim jeffords, william wuesthoff corvette caught fire in the pits as mechanics were working on the car.

Jim jeffords has passed corvetteforum chevrolet corvette forum. The nassau cars had only fuel injection, and 3 speed and the 56 race brake option drivers. I invited jim hall to be my co driver in this race and frank harrison brought three maseratis. Camoradi works maseratis, led every world sports car championship race of 1960, and won only. He won 29 class victories and consecutive scca national championships in 1958 and 1959.

Clark, 32, was at the wheel of his lotuscosworth which left the track at 170mph 274kmh, somersaulted through the air and collided with a tree on a remote part of the german track. Jim clark a few weeks from now, 1 may will assume a significance in motor sport that means as much as todays date does to an older generation of f1 fans. Official jimmie johnson nascar driver page with latest stats, race results, videos, news, photo galleries, team information, bio and more. This last car was quite a handful, very fast on the straightaway but very heavy. Chip and his painter friend, ken eckhert bought it. The fire was quickly extinguished and they were able to finish the race in 26th position. Jeffords briefly returned to the racing scene in 68 as manager of the amc javelin trans am race cars. Jim jeffords, corvette racing legend obituary vette magazine. Tv actress edna skinner and new york fashion model jean fish converted a 1922 house in. Corvette racing tribute corvettes at the petersen museum. Jim was on the board of directors for road america at elkhart lake since 58 and was still vice president at his death. He loved racing for the thrill of competition, not for the money. Ed cole was among those who mobbed and praised jim when he returned to the pits.

Jim cossman driver mike frost driver brian gilles driver richard hed driver terry jeffordsp. Our thoughts and prayers are with jim s family and friends. Longlost purple people eater corvette race car heads to. Dec 31, 2014 jim jeffords purchased the car in 1958 and campaigned it with sponsorship from nickey chevrolet in chicago.

The scarab is the most beautiful race car youve never. Casner motor racing division also known as america camoradi casner motor racing. Jim mcwithey, one of the better race drivers of the late fifties and early sixties, has also brought recognition to anderson. Mar 06, 2014 jim jeffords nationality american born december 6, 1926 hometown brookfield, milwaukee died march 6, 2014 place of death palm desert, california racing career summary. A year earlier at the same track on june 22nd, jim set a new track record of 24. Jeffords gained his fame driving the famous purple people eater corvette for nickey chevrolet. Aug 31, 2015 one of the most famous corvette race cars in history will go on the auction block at barrettjackson scottsdale 2016 set for jan. Mar 25, 2014 james jeffords racing 2002 corvette hall of fame racing category 2002 induction. Nickey chevrolet buys the famous chuck daigh scarab the old.

Next they continued winning when they bought a scarab from lance reventlow and painted it purple. Jeffords began his sports car racing career in late 1954, driving a jaguar xk120. Jim jeffords, who won national sports car championships in 1958 and 1959 while at the wheel of the famous purple people eater chevrolet corvettes, has died. He followed that success in 1968 with a victory in the race for attorney general of vermont. Scca club racing 1956 1983 photo captions l to r row 1 don yenko bp 1964. The good luck continued in early 1957 where paul goldsmith drove one car to production class. In 1968, he managed the amc transam team for peter revson and george follmer.

Jim hall was a founder and charter member of the west texas region of the scca in the 1950s. Over the course of his sixdecade career, jim jeffords contributed much to motorsports in america in a number of different roles, including scca national championshipwinning driver, transam team manager, and vice president of road america. Jim jeffords nationality american born december 6, 1926 hometown brookfield, milwaukee died march 6, 2014 place of death palm desert, california racing career summary. Jim jeffords, corvette racing legend obituary vette. One of jims victories that stands out in this writers mind came at terre haute s half mile dirt oval on august 16, 19 59, when mcwithey won the feature, beating out seventime sprint car champion tommy hinnershitz. Mar 25, 2014 one of the most successful corvette race car drivers from the 1950s passed away on march 6, 2014. Corvette hall of fame inductee, james jim jeffords was a twotime national driving champion, recognized for his exciting racing mark in legendary race cars. In the mid 1950s, a young sports car driver by the name of jim jeffords began shakingup the sports car club of america racing scene. Jim clark killed in car smash motor racing world champion jim clark has been killed in a car crash during a formula two race at hockenheim. Born on july 4, 19 27, this natural firecracker started his brilliant career in 1949 with the roaring roadsters of the mutual racing association here in anderson.

Jan 15, 20 jim jeffords and road america posted in historical research, in memory of david mckinney. The car was called the nickey nouse and after some early problems, driver jim jeffords did quite well winning several races. Mar 01, 2009 jim jeffords was the driver of the famous nickey chevrolet purple people eater corvettes. Actress, model build house shaped like a boat on the oregon.

Former corvette racing icon jim jeffords passes away. Corvette hall of fame inductee, james jim jeffords was a twotime national driving champion, recognized for his exciting racing mark in legendary race cars and automobiles such as the nickey chevrolets purple people eater, and chevrolet powered specials like jerry earls. He got his first ride in a racing corvette in 1956, and in 1958 he. Aug 28, 2011 the new car was unloaded today and is on display. Jim jeffords was close behind, finishing second in class and ninth overall. Jeffords won a seat in the vermont state senate in 1966.

Gt corvette jeffords, under 2 liter gt cuevas porsche carrera. James jeffords racing 2002 corvette hall of fame racing category 2002 induction. After driving for the chevrolet corvette racing team, jeffords was invited. Jim jeffords, corvette racing legend and motorsport entrepreneur. Jim jeffords started his career as a chevy racer after impressing ed cole with his driving behind the wheel of a jaguar 140 on memorial day weekend 1956. Jan 09, 2019 oregonians are familiar with houseboats but a home shaped like a boat on land is a rare and different story. James merrill jim jeffords may 11, 1934 august 18, 2014 was an american politician who served as a u. Auggie pabst was his relief driver for the 12 hour race. Prior to serving in the senate, he served as the u.

John mckarnsartgo race series co founder larry ninneman driver engine builder. Jeffords appeared in the very first road america race at elkhart lake in 1955 racing in the scca c production class driving a jaguar. Hall was never one to dwell on what could have been, he looked at his time in formula 1 as a valuable experience but now it was time to get serious. Purple people eater, 4 vettes for sale business insider. In 1957, jeffords was named as a corvette racing team driver, although he would occasionally drive corvettes for. In his first time behind the wheel, jeffords delivered a fourthplace finish, and the race signified the start of a longterm relationship between chevrolet and jeffords.

Augie pabst usas cars photo gallery racing sports cars. Ken took the car back to his paint shop in philadelphia. The fans and ed cole mobbed and praised jim when he returned to the pits for his great driving ability. Unfortunately his car broke a rear constant velocity joint and hit the 4th turn wall at the end of the pace lap, putting himself out of the race even before the start. For other people with the same name, see james clark disambiguation. Later, one of the scarabs was purchased for jim jeffords to drive for nickey chevrolet of chicago. Cf3015jaguarredcorvetteblack tams old race car site. He was a presidential elector for vermont in 1972, and voted for reelection of the nixonagnew ticket jeffords sought the republican party nomination for governor in 1972, but was defeated in the primary by luther. Racing driver jim jeffords drove his purple people eater corvettes, sponsored by a chicago car dealership, to an incredible 29 victories in 42. Clark was a versatile driver who competed in sports cars, touring cars and in the indianapolis 500, which he won in 1965.