IndianaOpenWheel.com Sprint Car & Midget Racing Forum
Forgot Password?

Reply  Indiana Open Wheel > Indiana Open Wheel Forum > Walt James
Thread Tools
9/9/09, 3:19 PM   #1
Walt James
mac miller
mac miller is offline
Member

Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 240
 

Just got word from the west coast that CRA roadster and sprint car racer, Walt James has died.
I believe he was 86 years old..............
RIP racer

Walt was also the brother of AAA driver, Joe James, who died in a sprint car at San Jose Speedway in 1952.
_________________________________________________
Last edited by mac miller; 9/9/09 at 3:29 PM.
 
9/9/09, 4:12 PM   #2
Re: Walt James
Gasman fan 50
Gasman fan 50 is offline
Senior Member

Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 461
 

Oh my, RIP! We gave him a special thought this last weekend at Calistoga. We missed the 15 sprinter! Saw him last year at All American Speedway doing his thing! Full throttle!
Joe
 
9/9/09, 7:24 PM   #3
Re: Walt James
SUPERDUKE
SUPERDUKE is offline
Banned

Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 2,256
 

Walt was a neat guy who loved racing and love to tell stories about the 40 50 60s also his brother was joe james! Rip walt
 
9/9/09, 7:54 PM   #4
Re: Walt James
Fisher79
Posts: n/a
 

Father of Lee James, as well.
 
9/9/09, 8:52 PM   #5
Re: Walt James
psullivan
Posts: n/a
 

Walt was a great guy - Joe died in a championship race at San Jose - not a sprint car
 
9/10/09, 1:32 PM   #6
Re: Walt James
ColoradoFan
ColoradoFan is offline
Member

Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 197
 

Sad news. I got to spend some time with Walt a couple of years at Knoxville during induction weekend and after an IRL race at Pike's Peak. He was definitely interesting to talk with. I also remember the night he took the Bromme vintage sprint car, with the Moser 4 cam Chevy in it, on the half mile at Las Vegas when they were supposed be going around the liitle track in front of the grandstand. Once a racer always a racer. RIP friend

Vern Plotts
 
9/10/09, 7:38 PM   #7
Re: Walt James
Scott Daloisio
Scott Daloisio is offline
Senior Member

Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 1,429
 

Never had the pleasure to see Walt race in person during his prime. However, he had a photographic memory and the ability to tell a story that made you think you were actually at a race 50 years ago. I did have the pleasure to announce him many times over the years in the Oldtimers deal. He still enjoyed standing on the gas.

Another thing about Walt. You hear many people refer to someone having a twinkle in their eye. Not always true. In Walt's case, he truly had a twinkle in his eye! He is will be sadly missed and there will never be another quite like him.
 
9/10/09, 8:43 PM   #8
Re: Walt James
psullivan
Posts: n/a
 

funny enough - my old friend the late Dave Cassady said the exact same thing about Joe- "he had eyes that twinkled"
 
Reply Indiana Open Wheel > Indiana Open Wheel Forum > Walt James





All times are GMT -4. The time now is 8:39 AM.


Make IndianaOpenWheel.com your homepage
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2025, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
© 2005-2025 IndianaOpenWheel.com
Mobile VersionLinks: Dave Merritt - Chris Pedersen - Carey Fox - Carey Akin - Joe Bennett - Brandon Murray - Dave Roach - John DaDalt - Racin; With D.O. - Jackslash Media