MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Jim Tempo, the general winner of the 1996 24 Hours of Daytona, has died after contracting COVID-19. He was 59.

Tempo’s household mentioned he died Friday in Memphis.

“Racer, instructor, and dependable good friend,” IMSA President John Doonan mentioned. “These are three easy phrases to explain Jim Tempo. All of us at IMSA are devastated by dropping such a fantastic champion.”

Born in in 1961 in Monticello, Mississippi, Tempo started his racing profession within the Barber Saab Professional Sequence in 1988. He quickly moved to sports activities automotive racing and gained the GTU class on the 1990 24 Hours of Daytona.

Six years later at Daytona, Tempo gained with fellow drivers Scott Sharp and Wayne Taylor in a Riley & Scott Mk III, and he additionally gained the 12 Hours of Sebring that yr in the identical automotive, with Taylor and Eric Van de Poele. He took his third victory of that season at Texas World Speedway, co-driving with Taylor.

“It is stunning,” Taylor mentioned in a publish on the Fb web page of Historic Sportscar Racing. “He was in all probability probably the greatest teammates I ever had.”

Tempo additionally participated within the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1996, driving once more with Taylor and Sharp. They completed thirty third due to transmission issues.

The Tempo household has requested that any donations be made to Wounded Warriors or Alzheimer’s Analysis in his identify.