Remembering Jim Michaelian

A Friend 

in Safety

Jim was a remarkable leader of the Long Beach Grand Prix organization and a true lover of his hometown, Long Beach. He was an incredible supporter of our Foundation from the very beginning. I still remember him telling me, “Seminars like yours are very important for our Long Beach Grand Prix.” No matter how busy he was, he would always stop by for a few minutes each year during our seminar—it meant a lot to us.

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Jim was also a genuine racer and an avid race enthusiast. I had the pleasure of seeing him several times at the Le Mans racetrack, where he competed in the Road to Le Mans. Those moments reflected his passion for motorsport beyond his leadership role.

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I’ll never forget the time he got a speeding ticket on a French freeway—he asked me to pay it for him and later reimbursed me back in California, with a smile. That was Jim. He will be forever missed. Our deepest condolences go out to his family and the Racing community that he loved so much.

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-Yves Morizot, Founder of the "Racing Goes Safer" Driver Safety Foundation