A Car Racing Enthusiast to the Very End
A car racing enthusiast, it can be seen as ironic or fitting that it was his passion that cost him his life. James Dean crashed his Porsche Spyder on the way to a race meet on September 30, 1955. Before his death, he’d competed in a number of car races, but his work contract prevented him from racing, that is until he finished shooting the film Giant.
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After the film wrapped, Dean had an upcoming racing event at the Salinas Road Race. Reports say that he planned to have his Porsche 550 Spyder (which he named Little Bastard) transported to the track.