On May 15th, 1982, a cocky young driver named Gordon Smiley went out to qualify for the 1982 Indianapolis 500. Several veteran drivers . Gordon Smiley was racing even then, although it was sports car driving, not champ cars. When Greg Moore was killed at Fontana in 1999, it was put into millions of living rooms across the world. See the article in its original context from. Driver Sebastian Bourdias had set the 2 fastest laps of Qualifying, and the first 2 laps in the 231 mph range. But not what the legacy of Gordon Smiley. Gordon was a VERY aggressive driver, fearless beyond reason IMO. IndyCar and Open Wheel racing is safer than ever, and I encourage you to enjoy Sundays Indianapolis 500. There was a straw that broke the camels back, however, but it came 17 years after Smiley. Originally posted by Flat Black One thing to keep in mind: Gordon was doing around 200 mph on impact. 'You've got to think about it but not dwell on it.'. Many credited the tracks safety, specifically the SAFER barrier that is installed all around the track, and the safety of the DW12 generation of IndyCar. Smiley's funeral was held on May 20, 1982 and he was buried in his birth location in Nebraska. Brandon Smiley Last Emotional video Before Death _ Comedian Rickey smiley Son Br. Smiley went out for his 4 Lap qualifying run, the average of which would serve as his qualifying time. Smiley started racing at just 19 years old and participated in a series of competitions, such as the Formula 5000, Formula Super Vee, and Formula Athletic before going professional. Smiley began racing at age 19. 8. The next day, the New York Times wrote an attack piece on USAC and the Indianapolis 500, demanding they do something before someone else was killed. A report by Los Angeles' coroner's officials released Tuesday states the fatal clot occurred after the comedian developed blood clots in his legs, a condition known as deep vein thrombosis. Archived post. His race ended when the turbocharger blew on lap 47, causing him to finish 25th. In the ambulance, it was discovered that Smiley had actually broken every single bone in his body. A bomb disposal expert Lt. Jack Revelle, in 2011 admitted that "we came damn close" to a nuclear detonation that would have completely ruined the eastern half of NC. Gordon Smileys death - YouTube May 14, 1982 - Gordon Smiley Talks with Dick Rea the Day Before His Fatal Crash TheClassicSports 5K views 1 year ago Gordon Smiley Interviews Before 1982 Indy 500 Tim Richmond Archive 8.1K. This brings us to today. You talk from experience that won't be found with many other posters here.henri. Smiley, 54, elaborated on the "bad news" in an emotional video showing him in Dallas as he readied to catch a flight to his hometown of Birmingham, Ala., after learning of his son's death . Smiley's racer, Fletcher said, ''hit it dead on. Paris Review - The Art of Fiction No. 229 It showed both in his body language and in his voice.Having all of that, I never heard anyone say anything bad about Gordon, he was well liked in Road Racing circles. Smiley's team-mate Desir Wilson was in the pit garage when the remains of his car were brought back. He had competed in the last two 500's here, finishing 25th in 1980 and 22d last year after he crashed in turn 4. I wont share any pictures or videos of the accident, as they are extremely, extremely graphic but are readily available online, which can be searched outside of this article. Copyright 2023 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Gordon Smiley - The Dark Side of Indianapolis (Warning: Graphic Details Originally posted by jimclark Thanks, HwI had not read that before (wish I hadn't still). Most racing drivers are, at least those who are successful in this sport. He recorded two pole positions at the SCCA National Championship Runoffs, with a best finish of second in Formula Ford in 1971. Originally posted by Flat Black Numerous independent sources who DID know Smiley suggest that he was an overly aggressive driver who was not particularly alive to the dangers of the Brickyard. Several veteran drivershad warned him that he was in way over his head, driving all wrong for the Speedway. 1:01. GORDON SMILEY, A DRIVER, KILLED AT INDY - The New York Times Add it all up, and McDonald was driving un unguided missile around the speedway. He raced SCCA, Can-Am, Formula 5000 and Formula Super Vee, winning in each series while setting 25 track records, and winning the SCCA National Championship four times. The car flipped over, caught on fire, and slide to a stop on the backstraightaway. On the second warm up lap his car began to oversteer while rounding the third turn, causing the car to slightly slide. Registrati. had warned him that he was in way over his head, driving all wrong for the Speedway. TimesMachine is an exclusive benefit for home delivery and digital subscribers. To my mind anyone stupid enough to try and drive on coke is asking for trouble. [1] He was inducted into the Nebraska Auto Racing Hall of Fame in 2000. January 24, 1986 LINCOLN, Neb. 1:13. Her nails were found bloodied, and her face contorted in anguish. INDIANAPOLIS -- The death of race driver Gordon Smiley Saturday brought back to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway the graphic realization of the hazards of the sport.
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