I remember during the nineties when Jim and I would have these long phone conversations about business and what Landis was doing.  One episode Jim told me about  someone he knew someone that was selling diamond tennis bracelets ----- Although I new what a tennis bracelet was, a new nothing about diamonds.  When I received the package and opened it, I expected it to be a flashy little bracelet (Zircon) but instead it wasn't flashy.  Jim called me a few days later and asked me how I liked it.  I hemmed and hawed for a second and Jim said to me "package it up and mail it back no problem".  Jim was so cool about it.  He didn't make me feel uncomfortable.  That was Jim ----- He changed the subject and we started talking about one of the GM accounts.  

Memories of a beautiful fall day: in September 2004, I went to Portland for a girlfriends’ getaway weekend. I arrived in town a couple of days early, though, so my friend Jim from the Off Camber racing forum invited me and my friend Linda to join him on a tour of the Yamhill Valley wine country. As we drove the scenic roads, Jim entertained us with stories, including anecdotes about living in a cabin where he had to chop wood to heat it, and his time spent working as a blacksmith. We talked about cars, restaurants, and life in general. Eventually we stopped at Domaine Drouhin Winery, where we sat on the deck sipping Pinot Noir and enjoying the beautiful scenery. At that point, I handed my camera over to Linda and asked her to take a photo of Jim and me. We finished the afternoon at Jim’s home, where we had a fine time visiting with Sandy.

Jim is deeply missed by his friends on offcamber.net, a racing forum that I maintain with my wife, Melissa.

Jim was widely loved and admired for his wit and wisdom among
fans of the Champcar racing series under the online names of
taildragger and oddlycalm.  Jim loved road racing and he loved talking with his friends about it.  We knew him as someone who could offer keen insight, sharp wit, or both on racing or nearly any topic.

Jim never wanted his illness to distract from all the things in life that he so enjoyed pursuing.    When he knew that his time with us was drawing to a close Jim let us know privately.  He didn't wish to announce it publicly and create what he felt might be a distraction.  But knowing how important Jim was to our community we knew that our members would want an opportunity to pay him tribute before he left us.    We encouraged him and Jim did us the honor of a final farewell.   You can read that farewell, and the well wishes of his friends at Off Camber here:  Farewell

Jim's absense has left a void in our community.  But we will always charish  memories of him and how he made us think, laugh, and cry together.

Thanks to Jim's sister Lisa for this picture.

I had a gig in Castle Rock with the band I was in at the time and Jim and Mom brought my grandmother, who was visiting from Texas, up to see me play. Music and cars were two interests Jim and I shared. I recall that we both dug the 46 or 47 Chevy Aerosedan behind us.