Harry Brix 1947-2009
Harry Brix was a charismatic and highly respected character, well known to both the sports car and open wheel racing communities as a team owner in the 1990s and, latterly, as father to Grand-Am and ALMS driver, Harrison. As a former driver himself, Harry knew what it took to achieve success and his Brix Racing team enjoyed several years at the forefront of the IMSA championships, most notably as 1995 IMSA GT Champions with Jeremy Dale and 1996 GTS Champions with Irv Hoerr and Darrin Brassfield.
Brix Racing ran the official factory program for General Motors’ Oldsmobile brand, using Aurora cars prepared by Pratt & Miller, the success of which arguably paved the way for GM’s super-successful Chevrolet Corvette program of today. The team, entered as Brix Comptech Racing, also competed in the 1996 Indy Car Championship with a Reynard-Honda in the hands of Parker Johnstone.
But Harry Brix was more than just a passionate racing man. He was an astounding businessman who saw potential in the telecommunications industry before there was ever such a thing as the telecommunications industry. In 1971, he founded the "Motor Sound Corporation" with the intent of distributing car audio products in the San Francisco Bay area. The company distributed Panasonic and Motorola radios and sold them primarily to electronics specialty stores. Motor Sound Corporation was renamed The Brix Group, Inc. in 1998 and has grown into one of the largest wireless and car audio distributors in the US. The company is privately held by Harry Brix, with his daughter Kristina as President and CEO of American Wireless, a division of the group.
Harry died with his devoted wife, Mariann, at his bedside together with son Harrison and daughter Kristina and son-in-law Michael Reed. A memorial service will be held at St. Joseph Cathedral in San Jose, CA on Friday, February 6th at 10am. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to be made in Harry's name to the following organizations:
National Parkinson Foundation
Office of Development
1501 NW 9th Ave./Bob Hope Rd.
Miami, FL 33136-1494
Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
Donor Services
P.O. Box 4072
Pittsfield, MA 01202