PERRIS AUTO SPEEDWAY MOURNS THE DEATH OF JIM GIARDINA

Jim Giardina, on the outside Scott Daloisio Photo

By Scott Daloisio
(Perris, CA, January 2, 2025) Last Sunday, Perris Auto Speedway fans, competitors, and officials were saddened to learn of the passing of veteran racer Jim Giardina. The racing dentist, who drove sprint cars and late models at Perris, passed away last Saturday night.

The Chicago, Illinois native first burst upon the Southern California open wheel racing scene at a race with the United States Racing Club (USRC) Midgets at the Orange Show Speedway in 1979. From that point on, the popular driver also raced with the USAC Western Midgets, USAC National Midgets, CRA Sprint Cars, SCRA Sprint Cars, World of Outlaws, PAS Senior Sprints, and even some late models.

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Jim Giardina, on the outside, racing with the World of Outlaws at Ascot in 1989. Scott Daloisio Photo

On the night when Giardina first showed up at the Orange Show, just pulling into the pits, people sat up and took notice. It was in the open trailer days, and his bright red #57 with all of the shiny parts was the best-looking car in the pits. From that day forward, if his midgets were not the best-looking cars, there would only be one or two prettier. He took pride in having his equipment looking clean and running fast.

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In his early days, Jim Giardina qualifying his midget at Ascot. Scott Daloisio Photo

“Jim was a very popular driver not only with the fans but with his fellow competitors,” Perris promoter Don Kazarian said on Monday morning. “He just loved to race. From his start in midgets to years in sprint cars. He even raced a late model with us before his last appearances in the Senior Sprint Car class in 2021. Many times after the races he passed toothbrushes out to the kids in the stands. Everybody seemed to know and love him.”

“When we first opened, Jim raced in the SCRA Sprint Cars with us,” Kazarian continued. “In 2004, when the USAC/CRA Series debuted, he stepped out of the cockpit and gave rising star David Cardey his first shot in 410 sprint cars. That ended up being particularly important for the series as David grew into one of the best drivers in the group, winning main events, and he was always a championship contender. That may have never happened if Jim had not given him a shot.”

One of Giardina’s best friends in racing was Jeff Terry. Terry, who got involved in midget racing after taking a Racecar Technology course at Chaffey College in the late 1970s, started working on Giardina’s cars at a midget race at Ascot around 1980. He worked for the man fans affectionately knew as the “Tooth Doc” until he switched from driving midgets to sprint cars after a flip in Arizona. He spent many hours working on the cars of the racing dentist and on the road with him as well.

“He never won a main event,” Terry recalled. “He could qualify well, and he could win a heat race, but he never got all 30 laps together. One time at Yuma, he led 29 ¾ laps and lost the lead to Mark Passarelli coming off turn four. He tried, but he was just out there having fun. He enjoyed it. He left midget racing and never came back to it. He raced sprint cars and stock cars after.”

“We were coming back from, I think, Yuma,” Terry continued. “I had a bad toothache. So at 2:00 AM, we pulled into his office, and he pulls it. That is just how he was. He didn’t care about pay. He would give you the shirt off his back. It was all about having fun and being with his friends.”

Tickets for all 2025 races at The PAS will go on sale soon.

Perris Auto Speedway 2025 Schedule

February 15th AVANTI USAC/CRA SPRINT CARS, PAS SENIOR/ YOUNG GUN SPRINTS, PASSCAR SUPER, STREET and FACTORY STOCKS (Front Gates open at 5:00 Showtime 6:30)

February 22nd LKQ Pick Your Part Presents NIGHT OF DESTRUCTION