Some of you may not realize who Jim Fitzgerald was. Jim raced with the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) from the 1960s into the '80s. He also ran with the IMSA organization. During his driving career he also worked for Western Electric. He was a Nation Karting champion in 1959. Soon after that he moved up to an Alfa Romeo and road racing. After a brief stint with his wife Mary Lou's Morgan he found a lasting home with Datsun.

By 1966 he was in a Datsun 1500 Roadster. The factory gave him this as a result of him out running them with the Morgan. Not long after this he was transferred to North Carolina for his job. Very shortly after that he was at Virginia International Raceway (VIR) setting about winning on the very demanding track. During the next 20 years he would win over 300 National SCCA events at tracks all over the Southeast, as well as some other parts of the US. Think about that for a moment. He won more races than Richard Petty. The SCCA did not run every week like NASCAR either. His overall winning percentage had to be over 80%. All of this while holding a full-time job and raising a family.

In 1970 he won the SCCA National Championship with a 2000 Roadster. This was another turning point for Jim.

When the 240 Z came out he was given the chassis #006 240 Z to run along with his 2000 Roadster. The Z Car came from Bob Sharp. Bob got it from Datsun after the New York Auto Show where a model sat on the roof for a photo opportunity. A bad move on the part of "good idea at the time" proved to be history making for Jim.

At this point he and Keith Hege his Crew Chief were running two cars at the National events. Sometimes Jim would also run a 510 from the Bob Sharp stable also. I know how I feel after just running my Z Car for one weekend by itself, much less two or three cars.

As the wins mounted up that second National Championship eluded Jim for 14 years. During that interval he had the help of numerous folks. One of these people was Rock Vest. In 1976 Rock was Jim's Crew Chief while Keith was taking a break. During this season Jim and Rock won all five of their Southeast Divisional races. With BOTH cars. Ten events in total. Rock was a full-time …… high school senior at the time. Rock won the SCCA Mechanic of The Year Award that season. That was a National award for him.

The Cup that stays with the club as "The Fitzy Cup" and will have all of the winners' names on a new base is made from the Divisional C Production Trophy Cup from that year. This trophy came to The Triad Z Club from the Fitzgerald collection. The collection his now held by Rock. We as a club are extremely proud that he would let the club be caretakers of such a valuable piece of his and Jim's personal history. Thanks goes to Jim's daughter MJ Fitzgerald Busa for the fine idea.

Moving along in time ….. By the end of the '70s Jim obtained the new 280 ZX. Keith Hege was back in the shop. The ZX brought Jim's first real sponsor. Performax. This company is now known as Pro Blend. Up until this time the help had really been just some parts and services. Now he would have an enclosed trailer to keep more parts and equipment in. Even though the Performax relationship ended with a small spat over who owned the trailer it really helped both parties get exposure. In the end Jim got the trailer too.

Up until the new trailer Jim and company would take both cars and tools on a small two car trailer behind a Catalina station wagon. Getting the new car and trailer was a true step up in the operation. The whole time Jim ran his own cars they were prepared in his basement garage at his home in Clemmons. With help from friends and scrounging parts and services the operation was a true study in desire. In the early days up to this point the SCCA really frowned on any real sponsorship or direct factory involvement. There was a back door, but not like today.

Jim ran the ZX through 1983. It came out of the box with a ton of development and preparation from the start. The car was always a bit heavy due to being later in the Z generation. I was fortunate to work with Jim and Keith during the 1982 season. By the time I was there the car was pretty much as it would be power and weight wise. The engines would get right at 333hp and need rings and rod bearings every five to seven hours of operation. When we went to the SCCA Runoffs at Road Atlanta that year the car was on the event poster and the cover of the program. Jim was also picked by Sportscar the official SCCA magazine to win his class. Just a bit of pressure. It didn't happen that season either. Morris Clement from Illinois in another ZX got second over Jim and our team in third place. A Mazda won the class.

Starting in 1984 Jim parked the ZX for a chance to drive with his very good friend Paul Newman at Bob Sharp Racing. This would mean he would be able to devote time to driving. He also commuted to Road Atlanta to run the driving school. By this time he was living eating and sleeping his dream.

When the runoffs came this time he was ready. He had the weapon in the form of a 300ZX Turbo with an engine not far off of the Nissan GTP in power. These cars had enough power that control of them required the use of 2+2 wheelbase and body work. He had the knowledge. This gained with over 300 National wins to this point. Many of those were at Road Atlanta. As the race started the sun was shining over the front of the 2.52 mile Road Atlanta track. I think on the 11th lap of 18 a sudden downpour came at turns six and seven. Turn six is after a blind crest. As Jim came over the crest he was in the lead running a very strong race. Going from dry pavement and a sunny October day he dropped into the haze of a torrential downpour. Upon applying the brakes on the 700 + hp beast he slid right into the woods off of turn six. Not far behind was the rest of the field. Even as he was getting out of the car and standing there in the rain soaked woods….the cars kept coming. The race was Red flagged with him in the lead. Finally the long sought after second National Championship was won in the woods…

My wife Karen and I watched the news report from home. You could really see the concern and good bit of wide eye in his face just as he got back to the paddock. Not even when he got his thumb cut of in the shop right beside me did he have that kind of look. It was great to get the win. It was better to survive.

Over the next couple of years Jim ran the 300ZX Turbos with Paul. They entered the Trans Am series with some success. The cars were gaining in power. Paul won the runoffs in 1985 and 1986 with Jim right on his bumper for the whole race. Times were good for the old school guys.

1987 came with more of the same. Until the St. Petersburg Grand Prix in November. Jim lost his life in that event. He went out just as he lived….full throttle. The inscription on a statue of Jim in "Fitzy Park" at Road Atlanta kind of sums that up.

"To boldly grasp the wheel and drive the course,
Mastering each turn,
Racing full speed until the very end,
Is to know what many seek and few achieve,
Mourn me not, for I chose the path."

That gets the track part. To me there were many other lessons learned from Jim and his life. Meeting and getting people to rise to the occasion in support of his dream of getting the most out of himself and the car. In the process getting the most out of themselves. Watching him be a true ambassador of the art of sports car racing. Learning that the whole process was on large problem solving exercise. Also was the art of loyalty. To his friends and the Datsun Marque. Doing all of this from a basement garage in Clemmons North Carolina.