Hollywood actor and pace car driver James Garner passed away on July 19 at 86. He acted in both television and film, most notably Maverick and The Rockford Files. He was also an avid pace car driver. He raced cars and was one of the first celebrities involved in the sport.

Garner was born in Oklahoma in 1928. He moved between the town of Norman and Los Angeles, eventually joining the National Guard. He served in the Korean War and was wounded, for which he would be awarded two Purple Hearts. During the 1950s, Garner worked several film roles, until his break in Maverick. It was a comedy Western series where he played a professional gambler. The show lasted from 1957 to 1960. He starred in several films in the 1960s, including The Children’s Hour, The Great Escape, and Hour of the Gun.

His film Grand Prix led to a fascination with car racing, and he went on to drive race cars at the Indianapolis 500 in three different years. Garner’s love of motor sports made him a great fan and beloved by the racing community. The film Grand Prix achieved cult status among race car enthusiasts. Former racer Michael Andretti noted, “He was a really good guy, and he always loved being at the 500.”

In 1974, Garner starred as private detective in the hit show The Rockford Files, which earned him an Emmy. His style of masculinity was different. Instead of being imposing and powerful, his characters used charm and wit to get out of bad situations. He continued to work during the 1970s and 1980s. In 1985, Garner received an Oscar nomination for his role in Murphy’s Romance. More recent work included the film The Notebook and television series 8 Simple Rules. He died of natural causes on July 19, leaving a wife and two daughters.