Davy Jones (racing driver)

Davy Jones ( born June 1, 1964 in Chicago) is an American race car driver.

Beginnings in Monopostosport

Davy Jones began his career as a driver in the early 1980s in the small single-seater formulas Formula Vee and Formula 3 He denied two races in 1982 British Formula 3 Championship and was the same year in the U.S. Formula Super Vee Championship committed, which he finished as third championship. Until 1984 he was a regular Formula 3 races in Europe, reaching 1984 third overall in the Formula Pacific, a race series which is extended in Australia and New Zealand. With almost 20 years, Jones was already active on three continents as a racing driver, the most important series was about the British Formula 3 Championship, where he behind Ayrton Senna and Martin Brundle third in the overall standings in 1983. The jump to the next higher Monopostoklassen the Americans in Europe did not succeed in Oceania he was very well successful. Twice, in 1984 and 1987 he won the Grand Prix of New Zealand, was a race that extended after racing Formula Atlantic

Successes in sports car

In 1986, Jones works driver at BMW Motorsport and went for the German company in the IMSA GTP series at the start. His teammate was his compatriot John Andretti. Together they won the championship race at Watkins Glen. It was the only victory for BMW in the IMSA season 1986.

1988 came a big career leap with the work commitment in the sports car Jaguar team under the leadership of Tom Walkinshaw. For the British team he drove the XJR prototypes in the IMSA GTP series and at selected races in the World Sportscar Championship. 1988 and 1989, he scored in the American racing series peak results and secured with the success of the 24- hour race at Daytona in 1990 his first major victory in an international sports car racing. His team partners were Jan Lammers and Andy Wallace. In the same year he finished third in the 12 Hours of Sebring and won the 300 - km race in Portland. In 1991 he was, together with Michel Ferté and Raul Boesel second in the 24 - hour race at Le Mans and won until the end of Jaguar 's involvement in sports car racing five more IMSA GTP races.

He was dedicated to Reinhold Joest TWR Porsche WSC -95 to be driving in the endurance race at Le Mans in 1996. Together with the Austrian Alexander Wurz and Manuel Reuter he steered the German prototype for total victory and to his great success in international motor sport. After his training accident at the Indy Racing League race at Walt Disney World Speedway in the spring of 1997, which caused him to withdraw from professional racing, Jones had to miss out on a start in Le Mans and resigned his contract with Joest Racing. His replacement was Tom Kristensen, who won his first 24 - hour race at Le Mans.

After complete healing of his injuries, he went and again in sports car racing at the start. He had his last appearance to date in the 24- hour race at Daytona in 2012, which he ended on a Porsche 997 GT3 RSR 39.

Champ Car and Indy Racing League

In addition to his sports car engagement Jones was sporadically from 1987 in the Champ Car series at the start and here primarily the 500-mile race at Indianapolis, where a rank 28 he made his debut in 1987. In 1989 he came with the seventh overall place for the first time in the top ten overall. In 1996, he nearly managed the sensation in Indianapolis. Jones was the whole race in the top field and had several times held the lead, which he had to eight laps to Buddy Lazier, who took the checkered flag 0.6 seconds before Jones first.

The career of the American artist ended after a serious accident during practice for the Indy Racing League race at Walt Disney World Speedway in January 1997. Jones lost in Turn 3 the domination of his car and struck from the rider's left side in the boundary wall, a. Jones suffered severe neck and back injuries. He could fully recovered from his injuries, but had to end his professional career. Since 1997 he denies nurmehr selected sports car racing as an amateur and amateur racers.

NASCAR

In 1995, he played seven races of the Sprint Cup with the best placement as 20th in the championship race at Darlington Raceway.

Le Mans results

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