Gordon Smiley

American racing driver (1946–1982)

Gordon Eugene Smiley (April 20, 1946 – May 15, 1982) was an American race car driver 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.

Driving his first race at age 19, Smiley was an accomplished road racer. He raced SCCA Formula Ford, Formula Atlantic, Formula 1000, Can Am, Formula 5000 and Formula Super Vee, winning in each series while setting 25 track records, winning the SCCA Midwest Divisional Championship four times. He recorded two pole positions at the SCCA National Championship Runoffs, with a best finish of second in Formula Ford in 1971. In 1979, he raced in the British Formula One Championship (sometimes called the "Aurora Formula One Championship") for the Surtees Team, and in 11 races he had eight top 10 finishes, including a win, which is the last by an American in an FIA sanctioned event, at Silverstone, England in 1979. He also disputed the F1 non championship 1979 Race of Champions in Brands Hatch, finishing 10th with a Tyrrell.

Smiley raced in the Indianapolis 500 twice, in 1980 and 1981, and was killed while trying to qualify for a third in 1982 as part of the Fletcher Racing Team. 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 and led 1 lap, but finishing 22nd after a crash on lap 141. His crash set up the controversial finish to the Indy 500 between teammate Mario Andretti and Bobby Unser. Olvey later said in his book that in the aftermath of the wreck, he and the IndyCar paramedic team declared Smiley to have died at the scene. It caused a circus and led to the racing standard of not declaring a driver dead at the track unless he is incinerated or decapitated.

Year Track Car Engine Class Finish Start Status 1967 Daytona Porsche Porsche C Production 15 13 Retired 1969 Daytona Triumph Spitfire Triumph G Production 3 9 Running 1970 Road Atlanta Triumph Spitfire Triumph G Production 14 1 Retired1971 Road Atlanta Merlyn Mk.21 Cosworth Formula B 13 6 Retired Merlyn Mk.20 Ford Formula Ford 2 1 Running 1972 Road Atlanta Merlyn Mk.21 Cosworth Formula B 15 4 Retired 1975 Road Atlanta Titan Mk.9B Ford Formula Ford 24 11 Retired 1977 Road Atlanta Lola T326 Volkswagen Formula Super Vee 14 3 Running