Pacesetter
On the track, in politics
and in life,
Jim Krider
is
totally unstoppable
Jim Krider is one of those “old school” SCCA members who has done almost everything the Club
has to offer. During his four decades
worth of activities with the Club he
has worked corners, crewed for teams,
earned a competition license, raced
around cones, run rallies and even
became a crew chief. Some of this he
did while standing on his own two feet
and some of this he did while confined
to a wheelchair. In either case, Jim
Krider was one word: unstoppable.
His determination at the racetrack
has also proven to be very
formidable in politics. Jim Krider is
the Vice-Mayor of the City of Napa
and has held political office since
1994. No matter what Jim sets his
mind to, whether it is winning an
election or winning a race, he always
comes out on top.
Jim joined the San Francisco Region
of the SCCA in 1971 and began
autocrossing and competing in
gimmick RoadRallies around
Northern California. Living in Novato,
Calif., just around the corner from the
newly constructed Sears Point
Raceway (now Infineon Raceway), he
volunteered as a corner worker. In
1972, he had to tell his new wife –
right in the middle of their
honeymoon – that he needed to fly
back to San Francisco so he could
finish earning his competition license
at an SCCA Driver’s School. She
supported him 100 percent and gave
him a pass. After all, she knew what
she was getting into when she met
him at a high school prom in San
Francisco (that first night he took her
out to show her his best impression of
Steve McQueen from the film Bullitt
when he jumped his 1966 Mustang
over the steep hills in San Francisco).
Jim’s first road racing car was a D
Sedan 1965 Sunbeam Imp that he ran
at Cotati and Vacaville (tracks which
no longer exist). The Sunbeam,
nicknamed “The Pimp,” apparently
not the best example of racing
machinery, so to find more speed Jim
moved on to karting.
In 1982, in Turn 11 at Sears Point
Raceway, Jim lost control of his kart
and collided with a barrier, breaking
the T- 12 vertebrae of his spine,
causing paralysis of his body below
his hips. He would never walk again.
For most people this injury would
not only debilitate their legs, it would
debilitate their entire lives. Not Jim
Krider; he was unstoppable. By 1986
he was driving a red Chevrolet
IROC-Z Camaro, dodging cones in F
Stock. Jim drove his car by using hand
controls. His right hand would steer,
while his left hand would roll the
throttle (similar to a motorcycle) and
push forward to depress the brakes.
“I got back into racing when my
sons, Rob and Randy, showed an
interest in motorsports.” says Jim. “If
they wanted to go racing, I was going
to show them how to do it, and how to
do it safely.” Jim enjoyed being back
behind the wheel and duking it out
against his sons on the Solo course.
“We killed a lot of cones, destroyed a
lot of tires and had an absolute blast!”
Years later, Jim’s son, Rob,
continued in his father’s F Stock
footsteps (and passion for Steve
McQueen) by winning numerous
West Coast National Tours in an F
Stock 2001 Ford Bullitt Mustang.
Every race Rob has run, his dad has
worked as his driving coach.
Working with his sons on car setup
and driving instruction became Jim’s
new place in racing.
“I found that my boys were faster
than me, so it was time for me to make
a difference behind the scenes.”
Recognizing that work needed to be
done behind the scenes was something
Jim noticed in racing, but also within
his hometown’s politics. In 1994, Jim
was appointed as a Planning
Commissioner for the City of Napa and
administrated the direction the city
went in regard to both its citizens and
the millions of tourists that flood the
wine country on a yearly basis. He was
elected as a City Councilman for Napa
in 2006 and sits on the Transportation
Board, the Flood Control Board and
BY SPORTSCAR STAFF PHOTOS COURTESY JIM KRIDER
Fast Facts
JIM KRIDER
SCCA REGION: San Francisco
MEMBER SINCE: 1971
LAST BOOK READ: Zora: The Legend Behind Corvette
FAVORITE ENTERTAINER: Robin Williams
FAVORITE MOVIE: Bullitt
FAVORITE TV SHOW: Modern Family
FAVORITE FOOD: Rib-eye steak (personally grilled)
FAVORITE NON-SCCA ACTIVITY:
Watching grandkids race soap box derby
FIRST CAR OWNED:
1963 Chevrolet Corvair Monza Spyder
FAVORITE CAR OWNED: 1969 Chevrolet Camaro Z28
CURRENT DAILY DRIVER: 1978 Chevrolet El Camino
(for hauling), C5 Chevrolet Corvette (for hauling butt)
FAVORITE RACE DRIVER: Mark Donahue
MOST INFLUENTUAL PERSON IN MY LIFE:
There is a new one every day