Factory Stock No. 47
Photo courtesy of Chris Pautot
James Pautot
James Pautot, a rookie in the Factory Stock Division, is a man who operates in his own time and space. Pautot says that he is reserved. He is, when compared to his wife, Chris, who exudes congeniality. The reality is that he is intense, focused on getting the job done. Chris says, “He is very strong-willed,” an apt description. His Manzanita competitors are discovering that for themselves, week by week.
James, an only child, was born in 1967, in Sacramento, California to Claudette Annis, a native Californian, and Donald Pautot, a career United States Navy seabee. By age four, James was living in a single parent household and quickly developed a high level of independence. By the time James was 11 years old and in the sixth grade, his mother, Claudette, was ready to leave California to seek her future in Arizona. Claudette bought James a little 50cc motorcycle and convinced him that Arizona was the greatest for off-road riding. They arrived in Mesa in February, 1978, and life was great until summer hit. James still has a vivid memory of that first summer, “It was brutal!”
During his junior and senior years at Mesa Mountain View High School, James worked after school as a draftsman for an architect. He completed a summer program at Arizona State University and was offered a scholarship to the school’s college of architecture. Instead, Pautot chose the Phoenix Institute of Technology and earned a degree in architectural drafting. After graduation, James signed on with Craftsman as an architectural designer for modular school buildings.
In 1986, after working for Craftsman for a short time, James called in one morning to let them know he couldn’t get to work; his car was broke down. “No problem,” says the boss, “we’ll send someone to pick you up.” So the company sends a secretary, an attractive 22 year old blonde named Chris Hall. According to Chris, “That’s how we got to know each other. It was an hour drive one way, and I took him home after work, too.” James, with a little modesty, said, “Chris was obviously really nice. We became good friends before we had a formal date.” Chris, on the other hand, admitted that she thought “James was really nice looking and nice to talk to, but he was too young.” It was six months before they had a real date.
Chris related in a personal and emotional way the turning point in her relationship with James. “One evening we were at Metro Center after work. We were just walking through the mall and, suddenly, I just couldn’t help myself. I embraced James and gave him a big hug in front of everybody.” When it was suggested that she must have thought of him as a special person, Chris replied, “He still is very special.” James Pautot and Chris Hall were married on December 10, 1988.
Chris Hall Pautot was born in 1964, to Robert Hall and Judy Wainscott. Her family is from Casa Grande, Arizona but Chris was born in Globe. Robert and Judy decided that they had plenty of time before the arrival of their baby to go on a fishing trip to Roosevelt Lake. Chris surprised everybody by showing up early, and the nearest hospital was in Globe. It was the fishing trip that no one in the family will ever forget. Chris had the good fortune to grow up in a loving family characterized by frequent, large family gatherings. Her mother, Judy Hall, is her best friend. James, as an only child, had a totally different family life experience; but he has thrived in the embrace of the Hall family.
Pautot’s business career has been one of forward progress. After leaving Craftsman for Modular Technology, he rose to Vice President of Engineering. But success in the workplace does not always bring contentment. James and Chris eventually found themselves working 70 hour weeks, making plenty of money, with very little time to enjoy it. Fate was about to change their lives.
James Pautot has always been an athlete, participating in several sports. Beginning in Little League and continuing to this day, James has been a baseball player, twice having been named “Player of the Year” in Arizona slow pitch softball. Being a big man at 6’2” and 235 pounds, he has also played football and basketball. But tragedy struck in 1995 on a beautiful day that was supposed to be fun. James went water skiing with friends. Skiing behind the speed boat, Pautot fell into the water just in time for a nearby jet ski to run over him. He was air lifted by helicopter to John C. Lincoln Hospital where he was diagnosed with a broken cheekbone, eye socket, and jaw. The year long recovery caused both James and Chris to rethink their lives, and to decide what was really important to them. “We decided that we work to live, not live to work,” says James.
By 1997 Chris had gotten out of corporate life and became an independent real estate agent. James’s opportunity came in July, 1998. James answered an ad in the newspaper which led to the purchase of an established company that dated to the 1960’s which he renamed Glendale Auto Wrecking. Although Pautot loved his work and the people of Modular Technology, he knew it was time to move on. In addition, the business was somewhat of a natural as he had always been interested in automobiles, buying and selling cars with a partner as a hobby. The change in careers was the right thing to do. As James puts it, “Being in business gave us freedom.”
It should be no surprise that James Pautot gravitated toward race cars. Over the years he has indulged his passion by drag racing at Firebird during high school, and in 1991 he completed the Bondurant School of High Performance Driving. According to James, “It totally changes the way you drive your car.” In 2001 he completed the Open Wheel School at Phoenix International Raceway, and in 2002 the Richard Petty School in Las Vegas. “Wow! You can put the car anywhere you want it.” James also became a casual fan of stock car racing at Manzanita Speedway through two friends, Bill Smith, now deceased, and Mark Williams.
In 2003, Kent Staley, a friend and former stock car champion, offered Pautot a chance to drive a Bomber. The first race, James ran the car in “hot laps.” For the first heat race the old 1983 Cadillac Seville refused to start while sitting in the staging area. But James drove the car again the next week and had a great time. Later, Kent offered him a Claimer Division car, a 1974 Pontiac Grand Prix. James drove it the remainder of the season, winning two races and four trophy dashes. He finished 15th in the championship points standings for the 2003 season while never really understanding how the points were calculated. “But I had a blast!” said James.
James had so much fun in 2003 that he decided to move up to the Factory Stock Division for the 2004 season. He again turned to Kent Staley for help in finding and building a Factory Stock. Unbeknown to James, Chris asked Staley to find a race ready car and not let James know. “I want the car to be a surprise for his birthday.” Kent Staley knows how to keep a secret, along with fourteen friends and family members. No one told James. In November, 2003, the Pautots and Staleys were celebrating a combined four birthdays of friends and family when Kent said, “I want to show you my new race car.” So they walked into Kent’s garage and there was James’s new Factory Stock, a 1978 Chevrolet Camaro. “I was overwhelmed,” said James.
Chris is a committed race fan, but only for James. “I don’t want to drive it. I like what James likes. I’m there to support him.” She video tapes every race so that James can critique his performance. James also gives a lot of credit to Kent Staley, his mentor. “Without Kent,” says James, “I would have been done a long time ago.” Staley has also made racing more fun by adopting James into his “Bad Habit Racing Team.”
In response to the key question of why one engages in this hazardous sport, Pautot replied, “Because it’s fun and I like the camaraderie. I enjoy working on my car as much as driving it. I’m going to race in the Factory Stock Division again next year. I believe you have to earn your spot. Every week you have to make the show. And to do that, I have learned that you win by staying out of trouble. I have been caught up too often in other people’s wrecks; in addition, I have blown five engines this season. But it is all about having fun.”
The bottom line is that James Pautot is a very competitive man. As he says, “I have always been competitive. I went to 13 schools in 12 years. With every move I had to prove myself all over again. I am self-motivated. I do things completely or not at all. I’m not going to do anything half-assed.” Spoken like a true race car driver. This is a rookie one should keep an eye on.
James Pautot, a rookie in the Factory Stock Division, is a man who operates in his own time and space. Pautot says that he is reserved. He is, when compared to his wife, Chris, who exudes congeniality. The reality is that he is intense, focused on getting the job done. Chris says, “He is very strong-willed,” an apt description. His Manzanita competitors are discovering that for themselves, week by week.
James, an only child, was born in 1967, in Sacramento, California to Claudette Annis, a native Californian, and Donald Pautot, a career United States Navy seabee. By age four, James was living in a single parent household and quickly developed a high level of independence. By the time James was 11 years old and in the sixth grade, his mother, Claudette, was ready to leave California to seek her future in Arizona. Claudette bought James a little 50cc motorcycle and convinced him that Arizona was the greatest for off-road riding. They arrived in Mesa in February, 1978, and life was great until summer hit. James still has a vivid memory of that first summer, “It was brutal!”
During his junior and senior years at Mesa Mountain View High School, James worked after school as a draftsman for an architect. He completed a summer program at Arizona State University and was offered a scholarship to the school’s college of architecture. Instead, Pautot chose the Phoenix Institute of Technology and earned a degree in architectural drafting. After graduation, James signed on with Craftsman as an architectural designer for modular school buildings.
In 1986, after working for Craftsman for a short time, James called in one morning to let them know he couldn’t get to work; his car was broke down. “No problem,” says the boss, “we’ll send someone to pick you up.” So the company sends a secretary, an attractive 22 year old blonde named Chris Hall. According to Chris, “That’s how we got to know each other. It was an hour drive one way, and I took him home after work, too.” James, with a little modesty, said, “Chris was obviously really nice. We became good friends before we had a formal date.” Chris, on the other hand, admitted that she thought “James was really nice looking and nice to talk to, but he was too young.” It was six months before they had a real date.
Chris related in a personal and emotional way the turning point in her relationship with James. “One evening we were at Metro Center after work. We were just walking through the mall and, suddenly, I just couldn’t help myself. I embraced James and gave him a big hug in front of everybody.” When it was suggested that she must have thought of him as a special person, Chris replied, “He still is very special.” James Pautot and Chris Hall were married on December 10, 1988.
Chris Hall Pautot was born in 1964, to Robert Hall and Judy Wainscott. Her family is from Casa Grande, Arizona but Chris was born in Globe. Robert and Judy decided that they had plenty of time before the arrival of their baby to go on a fishing trip to Roosevelt Lake. Chris surprised everybody by showing up early, and the nearest hospital was in Globe. It was the fishing trip that no one in the family will ever forget. Chris had the good fortune to grow up in a loving family characterized by frequent, large family gatherings. Her mother, Judy Hall, is her best friend. James, as an only child, had a totally different family life experience; but he has thrived in the embrace of the Hall family.
Pautot’s business career has been one of forward progress. After leaving Craftsman for Modular Technology, he rose to Vice President of Engineering. But success in the workplace does not always bring contentment. James and Chris eventually found themselves working 70 hour weeks, making plenty of money, with very little time to enjoy it. Fate was about to change their lives.
James Pautot has always been an athlete, participating in several sports. Beginning in Little League and continuing to this day, James has been a baseball player, twice having been named “Player of the Year” in Arizona slow pitch softball. Being a big man at 6’2” and 235 pounds, he has also played football and basketball. But tragedy struck in 1995 on a beautiful day that was supposed to be fun. James went water skiing with friends. Skiing behind the speed boat, Pautot fell into the water just in time for a nearby jet ski to run over him. He was air lifted by helicopter to John C. Lincoln Hospital where he was diagnosed with a broken cheekbone, eye socket, and jaw. The year long recovery caused both James and Chris to rethink their lives, and to decide what was really important to them. “We decided that we work to live, not live to work,” says James.
By 1997 Chris had gotten out of corporate life and became an independent real estate agent. James’s opportunity came in July, 1998. James answered an ad in the newspaper which led to the purchase of an established company that dated to the 1960’s which he renamed Glendale Auto Wrecking. Although Pautot loved his work and the people of Modular Technology, he knew it was time to move on. In addition, the business was somewhat of a natural as he had always been interested in automobiles, buying and selling cars with a partner as a hobby. The change in careers was the right thing to do. As James puts it, “Being in business gave us freedom.”
It should be no surprise that James Pautot gravitated toward race cars. Over the years he has indulged his passion by drag racing at Firebird during high school, and in 1991 he completed the Bondurant School of High Performance Driving. According to James, “It totally changes the way you drive your car.” In 2001 he completed the Open Wheel School at Phoenix International Raceway, and in 2002 the Richard Petty School in Las Vegas. “Wow! You can put the car anywhere you want it.” James also became a casual fan of stock car racing at Manzanita Speedway through two friends, Bill Smith, now deceased, and Mark Williams.
In 2003, Kent Staley, a friend and former stock car champion, offered Pautot a chance to drive a Bomber. The first race, James ran the car in “hot laps.” For the first heat race the old 1983 Cadillac Seville refused to start while sitting in the staging area. But James drove the car again the next week and had a great time. Later, Kent offered him a Claimer Division car, a 1974 Pontiac Grand Prix. James drove it the remainder of the season, winning two races and four trophy dashes. He finished 15th in the championship points standings for the 2003 season while never really understanding how the points were calculated. “But I had a blast!” said James.
James had so much fun in 2003 that he decided to move up to the Factory Stock Division for the 2004 season. He again turned to Kent Staley for help in finding and building a Factory Stock. Unbeknown to James, Chris asked Staley to find a race ready car and not let James know. “I want the car to be a surprise for his birthday.” Kent Staley knows how to keep a secret, along with fourteen friends and family members. No one told James. In November, 2003, the Pautots and Staleys were celebrating a combined four birthdays of friends and family when Kent said, “I want to show you my new race car.” So they walked into Kent’s garage and there was James’s new Factory Stock, a 1978 Chevrolet Camaro. “I was overwhelmed,” said James.
Chris is a committed race fan, but only for James. “I don’t want to drive it. I like what James likes. I’m there to support him.” She video tapes every race so that James can critique his performance. James also gives a lot of credit to Kent Staley, his mentor. “Without Kent,” says James, “I would have been done a long time ago.” Staley has also made racing more fun by adopting James into his “Bad Habit Racing Team.”
In response to the key question of why one engages in this hazardous sport, Pautot replied, “Because it’s fun and I like the camaraderie. I enjoy working on my car as much as driving it. I’m going to race in the Factory Stock Division again next year. I believe you have to earn your spot. Every week you have to make the show. And to do that, I have learned that you win by staying out of trouble. I have been caught up too often in other people’s wrecks; in addition, I have blown five engines this season. But it is all about having fun.”
The bottom line is that James Pautot is a very competitive man. As he says, “I have always been competitive. I went to 13 schools in 12 years. With every move I had to prove myself all over again. I am self-motivated. I do things completely or not at all. I’m not going to do anything half-assed.” Spoken like a true race car driver. This is a rookie one should keep an eye on.