Edgar Leslie

Ed Leslie, 83, peacefully passed away at Hospice House in Monterey of complications from a series of strokes. Ed was born on the Wapato Indian reservation in Washington where his mother, Wanda Clement Leslie, and father, Francis Howard Leslie, were working for the Bureau of Indian Affairs. The family returned to Carmel in 1924 where Ed attended Sunset school, graduated from Monterey High School, class of 1939, and then went on to Salinas Junior College. He enlisted in the Aviation Cadets, and received his wings, and commission, in the Army Air Corps during World War 11, and spent 19 months flying "over the Hunip" in the China-India-Burma campaign. He was reassigned to the Military Air Transport service and spent until 1947 ferrying DC-3's to Russia, B-24's and B-25's to New Guinea, Hawaii, Tarawa, Guadalcanal, and DC-4's to Manila, Guam, Okinawa, and Tokyo. Returning home to Carmel, He operated Leslie Realty at the comer of Mission and Ocean until the conflict in Korea called him back into military duty. Due to his 1550 hours of flight time, he was selected to fly for General Curtis LeMay in the United States Air Force Strategic Air Command, and served another three years and amassed another 1300 hours, including 30 bombing missions. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for Bravery. He retired from the U.S. Air Force reserve as a Lieutenant Colonel. Upon returning home to Carmel Valley, he was accepted to the Ford Motor Company Institute in Detroit where he completed the course of study in dealer operations. In 1954 he was named Sales Manager of Beattie Ford in Monterey. It was during this time that his love of cars turned to racing, and in 1957 he began competing in local sports car races, was a member of the Pebble Beach Sports Cars Club, and the Sports Car Racing Association of the Monterey Peninsula. In 1959 he opened Leslie Motors at 999 Del Monte Avenue in Monterey and soon became the local dealer for Triumph sports, cars, Lotus Sports Cars, the fledgling Isuzu Motors, and Carroll Shelby's Cobra. Then in 1965 he signed on to represent a tiny automobile company from Japan, Toyota. He would retire from Leslie Toyota in 1983. During the sixties and seventies, Ed's racing career took him all over the world, and he was able to race for, and alongside some of the greatest names in motor sport, earning several honors, including numerous awards for "Driver of the Year." Ed also went on to become President of the Board of Governors of the Sports Car Club of America. He campaigned independently in an MGA, Triumph TR-4, Cooper, Gemini, Lotus, Austin Healey, and others. He drove the Lightweight Jaguar XKE to a first in class, first non Ferrari finisher at the 12 hours of Sebring in 1963. In 1964 Ed won the United States Road Racing Championship in his black "Snake" 289 Cobra. He was one of Carroll Shelby's drivers in 1965 with the Cobra Daytona Coupes that won the only World Championship won by an American team in an American Car. He later drove for the factory Mercury Cougar team in the Trans-Am series as teammate to Parnelli Jones and Dan Gurney. In 1968 he teamed with Mark Donahue on the Roger Penske Chevrolet Camaro team that won the series championship. He subsequently drove Camaros for Jim Hall's Team Chaparral in 1970. In 1968 & 1969 he drove for Actor James Garner's American International Racing team in both Corvettes and Lola Prototype coupes. They contested both the Sebring Twelve Hour and Daytona Twenty Four Hour races, fmishing second at Daytona in 1969. His love of racing with its heavy travel requirements did not dampen his enthusiasm or involvement in his community. Ed was a founding member of Carmel Associated Sportsman, an active member and past president of the Kiwanis Club, and a member of the Monterey Elks Lodge. Ed was an active and avid tennis player with memberships at Carmel Valley Racquet Club, Carmel Valley Ranch, and Chamisal Tennis Club. He is survived by his son, Leslie V Leslie of Carmel Valley, his daughters, Judy Leslie of Tylertown, Mississippi, Holly Robinson of Granbury, Texas, Vivian Leslie of Escondido, California, and his former wives, Betty Berry of San Marcos, California, and Merrill Leslie of Carmel. In addition he is survived by six grandchildren and four great-grand children. He was preceded in death by his son Larry R Leslie. At his request there will be no memorial service. Ed was thankful for his life, his family and friends and for a race well run. The family suggests that donations be made, in Ed's name, to the "Steps to the Corkscrew" fund at Laguna Seca Raceway. For information go to: http://www.lagunaseca.com/Scramp/Steps.