On February 6, 2000, the racing community lost one of its true gentleman racers with the passing of Phil Walters – he was 84.
Walters began his racing career in the ’30s driving Midgets under the pseudonym “Ted Tappet.” During World War II, Walters flew troops into Germany and was awarded a Purple Heart, an Air Medal and seven Bronze Stars for his heroism.
After the war, Walters returned to racing and caught the eye of sportsmen Briggs Cunningham who hired him and Bill Frick, to run the new Cunningham Car Company in Florida. With Cunningham, Walters’ racing career blossomed with numerous SCCA sports car wins in a variety of Cunningham-owned or built cars.
In addition to finishing second, twice at the 24-Hours of LeMans, Walters also won the 1955 Sebring 12-Hours codriving one of the Cunningham Jaguar D-Types with Mike Hawthorn. Later that year at Le Mans, Walters witnessed the horrific carnage of the Pierre Levegh crash that killed over 80 spectators. At that moment, Walters retired from racing and returned to his homestate of New York to pursue his business interests in retail automobile sales.
Walters is survived by his wife Shirley, six children and eight grandchildren. Contributions in his honor can be made to the Hospice of Citrus County in Lecanto, Florida.
