James Kaye
Encyclopedia
Auto racing
Auto racing is a motorsport involving the racing of cars for competition. It is one of the world's most watched televised sports.-The beginning of racing:...
driver. He has been a stalwart competitor of Honda
Honda
is a Japanese public multinational corporation primarily known as a manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles.Honda has been the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959, as well as the world's largest manufacturer of internal combustion engines measured by volume, producing more than...
s in various championships since 1995, and has had 2 lengthy spells in the BTCC
British Touring Car Championship
The British Touring Car Championship is a touring car racing series held each year in the United Kingdom. The Championship was established in 1958 as the British Saloon Car Championship and has run to various rules over the years – "production cars", then FIA Group 1 or 2 in the late 1960s...
. After racing in the British National Production Saloon Championship with several championship in the late 80s and early 90s, he entered the BTCC as an independent in 1992, winning the independent title in his Toyota, and again in 1994. In 1993 he raced a semi-works Toyota for the Park Lane Racing
Park Lane Racing
Park Lane Racing was a British auto racing team formed in 1991 by racing driver and principal of the Park Lane Leasing vehicle company, Roland Dane, in partnership with Formula One driver Derek Warwick....
team, ineligible for the Total Cup for Independents. In 1995 he was hired by Honda for their BTCC programme, racing there for 2 seasons.
He had an assortment of sports car drives for Honda from 1997–1999, returning to touring cars
Touring car racing
Touring car racing is a general term for a number of distinct auto racing competitions in heavily-modified street cars. It is notably popular in Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Germany, Japan, Scandinavia and Britain.-Characteristics of a touring car:...
in the National Saloon Championship in 2000. The same cars were eligible for the newly-created Class B of the BTCC that year, and James was runner up in a Honda Accord
Honda Accord
The Honda Accord is a series of compact, mid-size and full-size automobiles manufactured by Honda since 1976, and sold in a majority of automotive markets throughout the world....
. This was renamed the Production Class for 2001, and James again finished 2nd, before winning the Production Class title in 2002 for Synchro Motorsport, a team of Honda employees working in their spare time at the Honda factory in Swindon
Swindon
Swindon is a large town within the borough of Swindon and ceremonial county of Wiltshire, in South West England. It is midway between Bristol, west and Reading, east. London is east...
.
The team moved up to the Touring class of the BTCC for 2003, defined as an Independent team as they had no financial or technical backing, James classified as Independent runner-up and 14th overall. Remaining with Synchro, James was 11th overall in 2004 and 2005. He took his first series podium at Oulton Park
Oulton Park
Oulton Park Circuit is a motor racing track in the small village of Little Budworth, Cheshire, England. It is about from Winsford, from Chester city centre, from Northwich and from Warrington with a nearby rail connection along the Mid-Cheshire Line. It occupies much of the area which was...
in 2006 after 14 years of trying. For 2007 the team pulled out, leaving James without a drive.
Career highlights:
- 2006 BTCC with Synchro Racing, once again back in the Civic Type R. Scored in four of the first six races, and then at Oulton Park qualified a fine fourth and converted it into his first BTCC podium finish.
- 2005 BTCC with Synchro Racing, Honda Civic Type R. Quietly began racking up points finishes but constantly in the wars. His best finish was at the Indy round at Brands Hatch, where he was 4th in race three. He even resorted to changing his race number (from 10 to 31) in the final round to see if it would bring a change of luck. Perhaps it worked: he finished all three races in the points, making a season total of 58, 11th in the championship.
- 2004 BTCC with Syncho with the Civic again. A quiet year by James' high standards, but 3rd in qualifying and 4th in the first race at Brands Hatch was a high point. Ended up 11th in the championship with 49 points, 5th in the Independents.
- 2003 BTCC with Team Synchro, Honda Civic Type R. His season seemed to lack consistency but still led to 2nd in the Independents' cup.
- 2002 BTCC Production Class - Honda - Champion; Macau Grand Prix - 6th in second heat
- 2001 BTCC Production Class - Honda - 2nd; Spa 24 Hours; Macau Grand Prix - 4th
- 2000 BTCC Production Class - Honda - 2nd
- 1999 Belgian Procar Championship
- 1997 FIA World GT Championship
- 1996 BTCC - Honda - 12th
- 1995 BTCC - Honda - 18th
- 1994 BTCC Independents' Cup - Toyota - Champion; Australian Touring Cars
- 1993 BTCC - Toyota Junior Team - 20th; Japanese Group A Touring Cars
- 1992 BTCC Independents' Cup - Toyota - Champion
- 1991 British National Group N Championship - Honda Civic Vtec
- 1990 Honda CRX Championship
- 1989 Ford Fiesta Championship - Champion; Renault 5 Turbo Championship; Honda CRX Championship; Uniroyal Production Saloon Car Championship
- 1988 Uniroyal Production Saloon Car Championship - Class Champion; Renault 5 Turbo Championship; Honda CRX Championship
- 1987 Renault 5 Turbo Championship - 2nd
- 1986 Uniroyal Production Saloon Car Championship - Class Champion
- 1985 Uniroyal Production Saloon Car Championship - Champion
- 1984 Uniroyal Production Saloon Car Championship - Class Champion
- 1983 Uniroyal Production Saloon Car Championship
Personal Life:
James' Father Peter Kaye was a Hillclimb/Sprint driver, which was a great influence on James growing up. James is the oldest of 5 children, and his brother younger brother Richard Kaye
Richard Kaye
Richard Kaye is a British former auto racing driver. He comes from a family heavily involved in motor-sport. His older brother James is a driver and his father Peter, worked as his engineer and team principal...
, has also raced professionally. James is married and has 5 children.