Longtime racer Jim 'Wildman' Watson dies (updated)

Updated Oct. 23 with funeral arrangements

Jim Watson, a former stock-car driver from Greenfield and a road-crew fabricator for Furniture Row Racing, died Saturday night in Kansas City after suffering a heart attack. He was 55.

Watson's family announced his death via social media, as did the team in a news release. Survivors include his wife, Laurie, and daughter, Brittany.

Nicknamed “Wildman,” Watson was a longtime dirt late-model competitor, most notably at the since-closed Hales Corners Speedway in Franklin,  who also proved his versatility on asphalt.

He worked in NASCAR for Roush Fenway Racing from 2006-’15 and HScott Motorsports in 2016 before landing at Furniture Row in February.

After Furniture Row driver Martin Truex Jr. won the Hollywood Casino 400, the emotion was very visible -- and clearly different from usual -- in the team members' body language.

"I don't think I've ever gone through anything like that, or any of the guys," general manager Joe Garone said. "The nice thing is, we're a tight race team.  Everybody rallied together on both the 77 and the 78.  Just, you know, kept focused on what we needed to do.

"Yeah, it's hard to talk about.  He worked on both the 77 and the 78. His hands were on the 78 car going through inspection yesterday, preparing it. It's just amazing that we were able to win the race and win it to honor him and his family.

Added Truex's crew chief, Cole Pearn: "Obviously a lot happened last night.  I don't know, we were kind of all focused on what we had to do today. We knew that was the best thing we could do for Jim. He's a true racer, in the purest form. I know that's what he would have wanted."

A memorial service is set for Friday at Warlick Funeral Home in Lincolnton, N.C., with visitation scheduled for 4-6 p.m. Eastern time. 

Watson's death is another tough loss for the Milwaukee-area racing family, coming a little more than a month after the death of Hales Corners Speedway great Russ Scheffler, 53.