Gordon Smiley
Encyclopedia
Gordon Eugene Smiley was an American
race car driver from Omaha, Nebraska
who was killed in a single-car crash at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway
. He was inducted into the Nebraska Auto Racing Hall of Fame in 2000.
and Formula Super Vee, winning in each series while setting 25 track records, winning the SCCA National Championship four times prior to turning pro in 1974.
In 1979, he raced in the British Formula One Series
(sometimes called the "Aurora Formula One Series") for the Surtees Team, and in 11 races he had eight top-10 finishes, including a win at Silverstone, England in 1979.
twice, in 1980 and 1981, and was killed while trying to qualify for a third in 1982.
In the 1980 Indianapolis 500
, Smiley qualified Patrick Racing's Valvoline Phoenix/Cosworth in 20th position. His race ended when the turbocharger blew on lap 47, causing him to finish 25th.
In the 1981 Indianapolis 500
, Smiley qualified the Patrick Racing Intermedics Wildcat VIII/Cosworth, qualifying 8th but finishing 22nd after a crash on lap 141.
In 1982, record speeds were being set during qualification for the 1982 Indianapolis 500
. Both Kevin Cogan
and Rick Mears
set new single lap and 4-lap records in their attempts.
Smiley went out for a qualifying attempt an hour later. On the second warm up lap his car began to oversteer while rounding the third turn, causing the car to slightly slide. When Smiley steered right to correct this, the front wheels gained grip suddenly, sending his car directly across the track and into the wall nose first at nearly 200 mi/h. The impact shattered and completely disintegrated the March chassis, causing the fuel tank to explode, and sent debris — including Smiley's exposed body — tumbling hundreds of feet across the short-chute connecting turns 3 and 4. Smiley died instantly from massive trauma inflicted by the severe impact. His death was the first at Indy since 1973, and to date, the last driver to die during qualifying.
CART medical director Steve Olvey discussed the crash in his biography, Rapid Response while on staff:
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
race car driver from Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha is the largest city in the state of Nebraska, United States, and is the county seat of Douglas County. It is located in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about 20 miles north of the mouth of the Platte River...
who was killed in a single-car crash at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Indianapolis Motor Speedway
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway, located in Speedway, Indiana in the United States, is the home of the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race and the Brickyard 400....
. He was inducted into the Nebraska Auto Racing Hall of Fame in 2000.
SCCA and Road Racing Career
Driving his first race at age 19, Smiley was an accomplished road racer. He raced SCCA Formula Ford, Formula Atlantic (SCCA Formula B), Can-Am, Formula 5000Formula 5000
Formula 5000 was an open wheel, single seater auto-racing formula that ran in different series in various regions around the world from 1968 to 1982. It was originally intended as a low-cost series aimed at open-wheel racing cars that no longer fit into any particular formula...
and Formula Super Vee, winning in each series while setting 25 track records, winning the SCCA National Championship four times prior to turning pro in 1974.
In 1979, he raced in the British Formula One Series
British Formula One Series
The British Formula One Series, often abbreviated to British F1, was a Formula One motor racing championship held in the United Kingdom. It was often referred to as the Aurora AFX Formula One series due to the Aurora company's sponsorship of the series for three of the four seasons.The long...
(sometimes called the "Aurora Formula One Series") for the Surtees Team, and in 11 races he had eight top-10 finishes, including a win at Silverstone, England in 1979.
Indy career
Smiley raced in the Indianapolis 500Indianapolis 500
The Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, also known as the Indianapolis 500, the 500 Miles at Indianapolis, the Indy 500 or The 500, is an American automobile race, held annually, typically on the last weekend in May at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana...
twice, in 1980 and 1981, and was killed while trying to qualify for a third in 1982.
In the 1980 Indianapolis 500
1980 Indianapolis 500
Results of the 1980 Indianapolis 500 held at Indianapolis on Sunday, May 25, 1980.-Recap:After failing in its 1979 debut, Jim Hall's radically new Chaparral chassis is driven to easy victory by Johnny Rutherford. Tom Sneva becomes the first driver to place second after starting last. He also...
, Smiley qualified Patrick Racing's Valvoline Phoenix/Cosworth in 20th position. His race ended when the turbocharger blew on lap 47, causing him to finish 25th.
In the 1981 Indianapolis 500
1981 Indianapolis 500
The 65th Indianapolis 500 was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday, May 24, 1981. A hectic month of May was interrupted several times by rain. Bobby Unser took the checkered flag as the winner, with Mario Andretti second...
, Smiley qualified the Patrick Racing Intermedics Wildcat VIII/Cosworth, qualifying 8th but finishing 22nd after a crash on lap 141.
In 1982, record speeds were being set during qualification for the 1982 Indianapolis 500
1982 Indianapolis 500
The 66th Indianapolis 500 was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday, May 30, 1982. Gordon Johncock, who had previously won the rain-shortened 1973 race, was the winner...
. Both Kevin Cogan
Kevin Cogan
Kevin Cogan is a former racecar driver who drove in Formula One from to . Driving a RAM Williams in the 1980 Canadian Grand Prix, he failed to qualify, suffering the same result driving for Tyrrell at the 1981 US GP West...
and Rick Mears
Rick Mears
Rick Ravon Mears is a retired American race car driver. He is one of three men to have won the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race four times , and the current record-holder for pole positions in the race with six...
set new single lap and 4-lap records in their attempts.
Smiley went out for a qualifying attempt an hour later. On the second warm up lap his car began to oversteer while rounding the third turn, causing the car to slightly slide. When Smiley steered right to correct this, the front wheels gained grip suddenly, sending his car directly across the track and into the wall nose first at nearly 200 mi/h. The impact shattered and completely disintegrated the March chassis, causing the fuel tank to explode, and sent debris — including Smiley's exposed body — tumbling hundreds of feet across the short-chute connecting turns 3 and 4. Smiley died instantly from massive trauma inflicted by the severe impact. His death was the first at Indy since 1973, and to date, the last driver to die during qualifying.
CART medical director Steve Olvey discussed the crash in his biography, Rapid Response while on staff:
Indy 500 results
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