Jim Pace Wiki – Biography
Jim Pace was an American racing driver, has died.
Pace was born on February 1, 1961 in Monticello, Mississippi. He began his career in the Barber Saab Pro Series in 1988. He soon moved to sports car racing and won the GTU class at the 1990 24 Hours of Daytona. Pace along with co-drivers Scott Sharp and Wayne Taylor drove their Riley & Scott Mk III to victory in the 1996 24 Hours of Daytona race. Later that season he was a race driver for the same team in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. After years of only driving at Daytona, Pace returned to regular drives in the Rolex Sports Car Series GT class in 2007. In 2008 he drove a Porsche 911 for The Racer’s Group and in 2009 drove for Farnbacher Loles Racing.
Pace attended Mississippi State University and resided in Ridgeland, Mississippi.
Born in in 1961 in Monticello, Mississippi, Pace began his racing career in the Barber Saab Pro Series in 1988. He soon moved to sports car racing and won the GTU class at the 1990 24 Hours of Daytona.
Jim Pace Age
Jim Pace has died at the age of 59-years-old.
Family & Siblings
Pace’s family said he died on Friday in Memphis.
“Racer, teacher, and loyal friend,” IMSA President John Doonan said. “These are three simple words to describe Jim Pace. All of us at IMSA are devastated by losing such a great champion.”
The Pace family has asked that any donations be made to Wounded Warriors or Alzheimer’s Research in his name.
Career
Pace began his racing career in Barber Saab in 1988, and quickly moved up to sportscars. He finished third in IMSA Camel Lights in 1991, winning at Road America in an Essex Racing Kudzu-Buick.
He won the 1994 IMSA Camel GTU championship, winning three races for Leitzinger Racing at Road Atlanta, Indianapolis Raceway Park and Laguna Seca. Pace took overall honors in 1996, driving with Wayne Taylor and Scott Sharp in a Doyle Racing Olds-Riley & Scott Mk III.
He followed up his 1996 Rolex 24 victory by winning the 12 Hours of Sebring in the same car with Taylor and Eric Van de Poele.
Pace took his third victory of the season at Texas World Speedway, co-driving with Taylor. He finished ninth in the championship, scoring five podium finishes. Pace also participated with the team in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, co-driving with Taylor and Sharp.
Pace helped to sow the seeds of motorsport through his decades-long contributions at the Skip Barber Racing School, including providing coaching and advice to top talents on their way to IndyCar and sports car careers.
In recent years, he was part of 50-Plus Racing/Highway to Help, competing to raise funds for Alzheimer’s awareness. In the 50th anniversary of the event in 2012, he co-drove with AC/DC lead singer Brian Johnson (with whom he is pictured, above) to a 12th-place finish. He finished eighth in the Prototype class in 2015 and 2016.
Pace had grown his role with Historic Sportscar Racing (HSR) in recent years, acquiring an ownership stake in 2015 as well as continuing to foster the paddock experience as a coach and mentor.
John Doonan, President of IMSA, said: “Racer, teacher and loyal friend. These are three simple words to describe Jim Pace and the loss our sport feels today due to his passing. When it comes to racing and driving, Jim did it all and saw it all.
“From a beginner to a champion… Jim counseled drivers on the path to the top after he himself rode that same journey. All of us at IMSA are devastated by losing such a great champion and friend.”
In lieu of flowers, the Pace family has asked that donations be made to Wounded Warriors or Alzheimer’s Research in his name. Arrangements for a service have not been made yet but a celebration of life service will be announced at a later date.
Cause of Death
Jim Pace, an 18-time starter in the Rolex 24 and an overall winner in 1996, is dead after contracting COVID-19, according to his family. Pace died Nov. 13 in Memphis, Tennessee.
Pace, 59, won the 1996 Rolex 24 at Daytona International Speedway in an Oldsmobile with Scott Sharp and Wayne Taylor (whose No. 10 Cadillac has won the past two Rolex 24s and was vying Saturday for the DPi title in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship at Sebring International Raceway).
“It’s very, very sad news,” Taylor said in a tweet from Wayne Taylor Racing. “Hard to believe. Jim and I drove together and won at Daytona and Sebring in 1996. My condolences to his family. I always said he was one of the nicest people and one of the best teammates I ever had.”
“It’s very, very sad news. Hard to believe. Jim and I drove together and won at Daytona and Sebring in 1996. My condolences to his family. I always said he was one of the nicest people and one of the best teammates I ever had.” – Wayne Taylor on Jim Pace’s passing. pic.twitter.com/W82LGozu2N
— Wayne Taylor Racing (@WayneTaylorRcng) November 14, 2020
