Orphaned by the age of 10 - his father was killed by lightning, his mother died of infleunza - James overcame this and financial pressures to eventually, after serving in the US Navy in World War Two, to become a mechanic and occasional hot rod driver in California. Although he trained as a mechanic, he proved an adept driver. Killed in a Champ car race at San Jose. A dirt track regular, he raced from 1946 onwards and was particularly successful in sprint car racing. Joe's brother Walt also raced sprint cars around the same time as Joe.

Biography last updated 7 Aug 2015