Veteran British sports car racer, James WEAVER, retired after this weekend's American Le Mans race at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. He and co-driver CHRIS DYSON finished sixth overall and fourth in LMP1 class in Saturday's Monterey Sportscar Championships in #16 Dyson Racing Lola B06/10 AER. Weaver led once and the car led three times.
Weaver finished second in the 2006 ALMS LMP1 Driver's Championship.
Weaver, 56, has been racing with ROB DYSON's sports car teams for the past twenty years, winning thirty-three races and three championships for the team, which has run both ALMS and Grand-Am. He has 100 career victories, sixty-seven pole positions, including a record five in the 2003 ALMS season, thirty-six lap records and more than 200 podium finishes. In ALMS Weaver had nearly sixty starts, and has won races in both LMP1 and LMP2.
And he's a nice guy.
Team owner, Rob Dyson said "When I talk about James, what can I say? He is the complete package. He's is the master and has been our team leader for twenty years, a number one's number one. He is the ultimate example of what every team is looking for: capable, disciplined, pays attention to every detail and is constantly striving to make the car better. He never accepts the situation we are in, rather saying we can always do better. And aggressively perusing it in an articulate, calm and enthusiastic way. And in addition, when he gets out on the track, there is no competitor that does it better. He is fast, safe, smart and immensely capable on a race track. It has been a singular honor to have James as a comrade in arms and as a friend for twenty years."
Along with missing his consistent driving style, I will miss the many impromptu chats with Weaver, and/or his team-mates. With Weaver and his often co-driver, ANDY WALLACE of England, it's nonstop British standup comedy at its best. It's like watching ROBIN WILLIAMS in stereo, with a British accent. I'd walk away with aching sides from laughing so hard.
