About Ben Collins (racing driver)
Benjamin Lievesley Immi Collins (born 13 February 1975) is a British racing driver. He has competed in motor racing since 1994 in many categories, from Formula Three and Indy Lights to sportscars, GT racing and stock cars. In his role as The Stig, he co-presented the British motoring television programme Top Gear from 2003 to 2010. Collins finished second in the 2000 Masters of Formula 3. He was the fastest driver at the 2001 Le Mans 24 hours race for approximately four hours during the rain at night in his debut at the event. After winning the European Stock Car Championship in 2003 ASCAR stock car racing he was signed by PDM Racing to do selected rounds of the 2004 Indy Racing League, but the car never appeared. In 2005, he competed in the British GT Championship in a Porsche 996 GT3, winning races on the way before moving up to the FIA GT Series with Ascari where he led races and scored several pole positions. In addition to racing, Collins's company Collins Autosport Limited provides precision and stunt driving services, particularly for BBC Television, including Top Gear and Top Gear Live, as well as for the film industry, such as driving James Bond's car in Quantum of Solace and Casino Royale, and Eve Moneypenny's car in Skyfall. In August 2010, The Sunday Times alleged that Collins may be one of the identities of the Stig—an otherwise unidentified presenter on the Top Gear show—on the basis of financial filing made by the Collins Autosport company. On 1 September 2010, the BBC was refused a court injunction preventing Collins from publishing an autobiography revealing himself to be the Stig. On 1 October 2010, it was announced that Collins would join Fifth Gear as a presenter. In 2012 Collins joined as co-presenter of Polish TVN's Automaniak. In February 2014, he was added to the 'Drivers Club' of the newly formed Formula E series, but did not compete in the inaugural 2014–15 season. Collins also holds a World Record for the maximum distance of driving a car on two wheels (a manoeuvre called "skiing").
Biography source: Wikipedia. The profile adds birthday-specific historical context from the Celebs Birthday Today editorial database.