Davy Jones

1/6/1964

Record updated 30-May-06

Davy Jones was born in Chicago and had an 18-year career in motorsports. With an extensive background racing open wheel and sports cars he won the Le Mans 24 Hour race and nearly the Indy 500, just missing out by fractions of a second.

In 1988, Jones represented Tom Walkinshaw Racing (TWR) and Jaguar Cars in international sports car racing. From 1988 to 1992, TWR USA and Jones accumulated 60 top-10 finishes in 73 starts. During this period, Jones won twelve (12) IMSA GTP events. In 1992 ,1993 and 1994 Jones competed in the all-star International Race of Champions (IROC). From 2000 to 2003 Jones structured a PPO to develop and build Davy Jones KartZone, an indoor karting and conference center. With the successful launch of KartZone, Jones is now back to driving, coaching and consulting in motorsports.

In 1996, Jones' last full season of active competition, he drove for two of the sport's most highly regarded teams. He placed 2nd at the Indy 500 for Galles Racing in what is the third closest finish in the 500's history. Jones qualified on the front row and was the first driver that year to shatter the one and four-lap records. Two weeks later, at the wheel of the Joest TWR-Porsche, Jones, Alexander Wurz and Manuel Reuter won the grueling 24 Hours of Le Mans. Jones fell short by a tick of the stopwatch of joining A.J. Foyt as the only drivers to win both the Indianapolis 500 and Le Mans 24 hour in the same year.

In 1997 he suffered serious head injuries in a spectacular crash during practice for the Indy 200. His Monsoon-Galles Racing Oldsmobile Aurora got sideways in the third turn, slid 160 feet into the dirt in the middle of the turn and continued sideways more than 200 feet before striking the outside wall. The car then did a half turn and slid 200 feet, hitting the inside wall and continuing another 60 feet before coming to rest in the infield grass near the starting line. Jones was taken by helicopter to Orlando Regional Medical Center. In the morning he had posted the third-fastest qualifying time with a top speed of 164.556 miles per hour.

Jones recovered and returned to competition in 1999, at the 12 hours of Sebring driving for Porsche.

Jones rubs Fast One Inc, a company involved in Motorsports Consultancy and Driver Traning.