Former racing champion Jim Pace dies from COVID-19 at age 59

Jim Pace, the overall winner of the 1996 24 Hours of Daytona, has died due to the infection of COVID-19. He was 59 years old.

Pace’s family said he died Friday in Memphis.

“Racer, teacher, and loyal friend,” said IMSA President John Doonan. “These are three simple words to describe Jim Pace. All of us at IMSA are devastated by losing such a great champion.”

Born in 1961 in Monticello, Mississippi, Pace started his racing career in the Barber Saab Pro Series in 1988. He soon moved to sports car racing and attained the GTU class at the 1990 24 Hours of Daytona.

After six years at Daytona, Pace won with fellow drivers Scott Sharp and Wayne Taylor in a Riley & Scott Mk III, and he was also the victor of the 12 Hours of Sebring that year in the same car, with Taylor and Eric Van de Poele. He gained his third victory of that season at Texas World Speedway, co-driving with Taylor.