James Knight on IFR

James Knight on Inside Florida Racing, 10-12-10

There is was, the most interesting story I’ve ever heard on this show. I had no idea about James Knight’s story: his intense desire to compete and win, his life and death struggle with cancer, and now the uncertainty of being sidelined while he searches for racing money. No kidding, this guy is living a movie script. I’m going to read his biography one day, or watch his life story, and its gonna be interesting!

Know what I loved about listening to James? No complaining! Not about anything. Life has dealt him a difficult hand to play with the cancer and other issues, but he seems to brush that aside and focus in a very respectful way on the competitors he has faced. I didn’t hear any regrets, no bragging about the guys he can outrun, only discussion of goals to meet and races to win. How refreshing, and what a racer this guy must be. All drive and all heart.

Good job Jack and Jason. I got a kick out of the Ellis’s too. They sound like a good racing family.

I got to know James when I moved here after watching him run 2nd in a Southern Sportsman Series race with a far outmatched car. Next time I saw him, he set fast time and led half the race until the sway bar bolt snapped. It’s the type of crap that seems to follow him. Soon after that, funds ran low. I helped him out with some sponsorship the following year for a race and he ran pretty good, but by then , the SSS had really stepped it up. The next season, I helped pitch in again on a smaller scale, and he blew the motor. We all sort of wondered “what did this guy do to piss the good lord off”. But knowing him for 6 years I can honestly say 1 thing. We haven’t always seen eye to eye, but he will never stop digging, and he can wheel a racecar if anyone is listening. He has my respect and I hope he gets a chance in some good equipment. He has always been a 1 man band and done it by himself. If someone has a motor, he has a Street Stock ready to go!