Paul Goldsmith
Encyclopedia
Paul Goldsmith is a motorcycle
Hall of Famer
, Motorsports Hall of Fame of America
inductee and former USAC and NASCAR driver.
motorcycle racer during the late 1940s through the mid-1950s. His first victory came in 1952 aboard a Harley Davidson at the Milwaukee Mile
in Harley's hometown. Paul was a full-time worker at a Chrysler plant in Detroit.
His most famous victory was at the 1953 Daytona 200
. Later in 1953, he won a 100 miles (160.9 km) event at the grueling Langhorne (Pennsylvania) cinder track. He was awarded the Most Popular Rider of the Year Award for his efforts.
In 1954, Goldsmith had one victory at Charity Newsies at Columbus, Ohio, and four podium finishes. He finished second in the first year of the Grand National Series behind his former pupil Joe Leonard
.
In 1955 he won his final AMA event at Schererville, Indiana. He was frequently running stock cars. He left motorcycle racing because he was pressured to run only stock cars by General Motors. He was also a pilot that flew mainly the cessna 421 to fly parts and engines to and from races.
in 1958. He was also the only driver to win the Daytona Beach Road course both in a stock car and on a motorcycle.
Goldsmith was the 1961 USAC
Stock Car
champion, with 7 poles, 10 wins, 16 top-five finishes in 19 races. Goldsmith won his second consecutive USAC championship in 1962 with 6 poles, 8 wins, and 15 top-five finishes in 20 races.
Championship Car series, between 1958 and 1963 with 6 of those starts in the Indianapolis 500
. He finished in the top five twice at Indy, following up a 5th place finish in 1959 with a 3rd in 1960.
Motorcycle
A motorcycle is a single-track, two-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcycles vary considerably depending on the task for which they are designed, such as long distance travel, navigating congested urban traffic, cruising, sport and racing, or off-road conditions.Motorcycles are one of the most...
Hall of Famer
Motorcycle Hall of Fame
The Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum is an offshoot of the American Motorcyclist Association that recognizes individuals who have contributed to motorcycle sport, motorcycle construction and motorcycling in general. It displays motorcycles and riding gear and memoribilia. The museum is located in...
, Motorsports Hall of Fame of America
Motorsports Hall of Fame of America
The Motorsports Hall of Fame of America is a Hall of Fame and museum for American motorsports legends. It was originally located in Novi, Michigan and it moved to the Detroit Science Center in 2009.-Museum:...
inductee and former USAC and NASCAR driver.
Motorcycle career
Goldsmith was a famous A.M.A. Grand National ChampionshipA.M.A. Grand National Championship
The AMA Grand National Championship is an American motorcycle racing series. The race series, founded and sanctioned by the American Motorcyclist Association in 1954, originally encompassed five distinct forms of competitions including; mile dirt track races, half-mile, short-track, TT...
motorcycle racer during the late 1940s through the mid-1950s. His first victory came in 1952 aboard a Harley Davidson at the Milwaukee Mile
Milwaukee Mile
The Milwaukee Mile is a -long oval race track in West Allis, Wisconsin that seats about 40,000 spectators. It operated as a dirt track until 1953. The track was paved in 1954....
in Harley's hometown. Paul was a full-time worker at a Chrysler plant in Detroit.
His most famous victory was at the 1953 Daytona 200
Daytona 200
The Daytona 200 is a 68-lap, motorcycle race held annually at the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida.-History:The race evolved from a beach racing venue in 1937 to the Daytona International Speedway course in 1961....
. Later in 1953, he won a 100 miles (160.9 km) event at the grueling Langhorne (Pennsylvania) cinder track. He was awarded the Most Popular Rider of the Year Award for his efforts.
In 1954, Goldsmith had one victory at Charity Newsies at Columbus, Ohio, and four podium finishes. He finished second in the first year of the Grand National Series behind his former pupil Joe Leonard
Joe Leonard
Joe Leonard , is a retired American motorcycle racer and racecar driver.Leonard won the first A.M.A. Grand National Championship Series in 1954 and won it again in 1956 and 1957. His record totals 27 wins, including the 1957 and 1958 Daytona 200...
.
In 1955 he won his final AMA event at Schererville, Indiana. He was frequently running stock cars. He left motorcycle racing because he was pressured to run only stock cars by General Motors. He was also a pilot that flew mainly the cessna 421 to fly parts and engines to and from races.
NASCAR and USAC stock car career
He was the winner of the final race at the famous Daytona Beach Road CourseDaytona Beach Road Course
Daytona Beach Road Course was a race track that was instrumental in the formation of the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, or NASCAR. It originally became famous as the location where fifteen world land speed records were set...
in 1958. He was also the only driver to win the Daytona Beach Road course both in a stock car and on a motorcycle.
Goldsmith was the 1961 USAC
United States Automobile Club
The United States Auto Club is one of the sanctioning bodies of auto racing in the United States. From 1956 to 1979, the USAC sanctioned the United States National Championship, and from 1956 to 1997 the organization sanctioned the Indianapolis 500...
Stock Car
USAC Stock Car
The USAC Stock Car division was the stock car racing class sanctioned by the United States Auto Club . The division raced nationally; drivers from USAC's open wheel classes like IndyCars, Silver Crown, sprint cars, and midgets frequently competed in races and won championships...
champion, with 7 poles, 10 wins, 16 top-five finishes in 19 races. Goldsmith won his second consecutive USAC championship in 1962 with 6 poles, 8 wins, and 15 top-five finishes in 20 races.
Championship Car career
Goldsmith competed in 8 races in the USACUnited States Automobile Club
The United States Auto Club is one of the sanctioning bodies of auto racing in the United States. From 1956 to 1979, the USAC sanctioned the United States National Championship, and from 1956 to 1997 the organization sanctioned the Indianapolis 500...
Championship Car series, between 1958 and 1963 with 6 of those starts in the Indianapolis 500
Indianapolis 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...
. He finished in the top five twice at Indy, following up a 5th place finish in 1959 with a 3rd in 1960.
Indy 500 results
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World Championship career summary
The Indianapolis 500 was part of the FIA World Championship from 1950 through 1960. Drivers competing at Indy during those years were credited with World Championship points and participation. Paul Goldsmith participated in three such World Championship races, finishing on the podium in the 1960 event which earned him six World Championship points.External links
- Biography from Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum note: The Motorcycle HoF bio is incorrect; Paul never won the Daytona 500, but instead, won both automobile and motorcycle races on the beach/road course.
- NASCAR driver's Statistics at racing-reference.info