Jim Garner Takes His Final Checkered Flag
20 07 14 - 17:35Jim Garner passed away yesterday @ 86 years of age. He spent the last 40 years of his life as an avid motorsports fan & tough participant at many events. After he made the movie Grand Prix in the mid-60's, he found that the racing bug was firmly entrenched in his psyche. His friends & family knew that Jim would often be found at various race events, hanging out with his pal Paul Newman & other like minded guys.
In the late 60's Garner started his own race team, "American International Racers". AIR fielded cars at Le Mans, Daytona, and Sebring, & competed in the 1969 Baja 500 flying the AMC colors. His team built ten 1969 SC/Ramblers for the Baja 500 race, finishing with 3 cars in the top 5 spots for the Sedan Class!
Garner proudly paced the Indy 500 multiple times. He drove a Buick in 1975, an Olds in '77, & again in '85.
GodSpeed Jim, we loved your passion for life, all types of racing, & we dug you movies too.
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