Chris Cord (July 15, 1940 – July 28, 2022) was an American racing driver and investment banker. He won the Group 5 SP class at the 1978 24 Hours of Le Mans and the 1987 IMSA GT Championship in the GTO class.
Racing career At the age of 15, Cord was a crew member for his father's team racing club races in California. After family friend Ernie McAfee died in a racing accident at Pebble Beach in 1956, Cord switched to motocross racing. Cord made his racing debut in the 1975 IMSA GT Championship at Riverside International Raceway.
At the 1978 24 Hours of Le Mans, Cord won the Group 5 SP class and finished sixth overall for Porsche Kremer Racing.
Cord entered a 1980 Chevrolet Monza for the 1980 24 Hours of Daytona.
Cord was recruited by Dan Gurney to drive a Toyota Celica for All American Racers for the 1984 IMSA GT Championship.
Cord won the 1987 IMSA GT Championship in the GTO class, winning four races. Cord was leading the GTO class of the 1987 24 Hours of Daytona with 30 minutes to go until the rear suspension of his Celica broke and was forced to pit for repair, resulting in a second-place finish in class. Cord's win in the final race of the season at Del Mar Fairgrounds clinched the manufacturers' championship for Toyota.
In 1988, Cord won two more races in the GTO class, including a comeback win at Mid-Ohio. Midway through the 1988 season, Cord had surgery to correct an intestinal disorder. Cord retired from full-time racing in 1989 due to health problems from surgery. Cord would later appear in IMSA Firehawk Series races in 1990.
Personal life Cord graduated from the University of Southern California with a business degree. He was the grandson of Errett Lobban Cord, the founder of the Cord Corporation, which also ran Cord Automobile.
Cord died on July 28, 2022 at the age of 82 in Sun Valley, Idaho.
Racing record Complete 24 Hours of Le Mans results Year Team Co-Drivers Car Class Laps Porsche Kremer Racing Jim Busby Rick Knoop Porsche 935/77A 5 SP 337 6th 1st
Complete 24 Hours of Daytona results Year Team Co-Drivers Car Class Laps 1976 Ken Starbird Jim Adams Milt Minter Ferrari 365 GTB/4 GTO 500 6th 6th 1978 Chris Cord Racing Jim Adams Chevrolet Monza GTX 261 DNF DNF 1980 Chris Cord Racing Jim Adams Chevrolet Monza GTX 188 DNF DNF 1981 Chris Cord Racing Jim Adams Chevrolet Monza GTX 191 DNF DNF 1984 All American Racers Jim Adams Toyota Celica GTU 292 DNF DNF 1985 All American Racers Dennis Aase Toyota Celica GTU 533 19th 3rd 1986 All American Racers Dennis Aase Toyota Celica GTO 489 16th 5th 1987 All American Racers Steve Millen Toyota Celica Turbo GTO 681 8th 2nd 1988 All American Racers Dennis Aase Steve Millen Toyota Celica Turbo GTO 416 DNF DNF 1989 All American Racers Steve Bren Drake Olson Toyota 88C GTP 180 DNF DNF 1991 Hotchkis Racing Jim Adams Rob Dyson John Hotchkis Porsche 962 GTP 692 3rd 2nd 1993 Hotchkis Racing Jim Adams Robert Kirby Porsche 962 GTP 162 DNF DNF
International Race of Champions (key) (Bold – Pole position. * – Most laps led.) International Race of Champions results Year Make 1 2 3 4 Pos. Pts Ref 1988 Chevrolet DAY RSD MCH GLN 10th 26
References
External links Chris Cord at racing-reference.info