Over 1,000 friends and relatives attended the funeral of popular and talented British historic racer James Diffey in the country village of Haynes, Bedfordshire in the UK in early June, while hundreds of historic cars and motorbikes were on hand to pay tribute to him.
Diffey, born in 1966, was diagnosed with cancer of the kidney a few years ago but long out-lived expectations, racing as much as possible in the UK, U.S. and Australia in that time, often winning in a variety of cars, though occasionally needing to be lifted from his car at the end of a race.
He won a race a week before his death, and at the weekend of his death, the Frazer-Nash grid at Cadwell Park revved their engines in tribute as pole position was left vacant, as James was to be driving there.
Though seriously ill, James neither denied what was happening nor complained, though he quipped to me several times, “This f’ing thing is bloody killing me!” He made it easy for people to be open with him, we all knew how ill he was, and loved him more for the way he carried on. At the Le Mans Classic last year he was “flying” in a Porsche, while going back to bed between sessions.
He and his older brother Simon learned to drive sitting on their father’s lap in a 1926 Humber and were skidding around car parks at race meetings at an early age. He passed his driving test on the morning of his 17th birthday, raced motorcycles, and subsequently raced historic Austins, Vauxhalls, Rileys, Bugattis, Alfas, Talbots and dozens of others.
Vintage Racecar sends its warmest wishes to James’s wife Mags, brother Simon, his parents and many friends around the globe.
By Ed McDonough
