Richard Raymond Simon was born on September 21,1933 and is an American former auto racing driver and racing team owner.
19 Facts About Dick Simon
1.
2.
Dick Simon drove Indy cars in USAC and CART, and made 17 starts at the Indianapolis 500.
3.
Dick Simon had a best finish at the Indianapolis 500 of 6th in 1987, and 4th in 1993 as an owner with Boesel.
4.
Dick Simon sold his race team to Andy Evans who formed Team Scandia in 1997.
5.
Dick Simon returned to Indy car racing in the late 1990s and entered cars in 2000 and 2001.
6.
Dick Simon's mother developed multiple sclerosis, and died at a relatively young age, while Simon's father later left the family.
7.
Dick Simon began his racing career in 1962, racing super modifieds.
8.
Dick Simon made his first USAC Championship car appearance at Seattle International Raceway in 1969, failing to qualify for that as well as two other races that season.
9.
Dick Simon made his first start in 1970, driving a second-hand Vollstedt chassis at Phoenix International Raceway, where he sidelined by magneto failure after only 4 laps.
10.
Dick Simon made his Indianapolis 500 debut that season and finished 14th position.
11.
Dick Simon would continue to be marginally competitive throughout the 1970s, never matching his finishes of the 1970 season.
12.
Dick Simon logged his best CART season in 1987 when he made 11 starts and logged two top-tens including a 6th place at the Indy 500, good enough for 20th in the CART championship.
13.
Dick Simon's driving career includes 183 starts over 19 seasons spanning from 1970 to 1988.
14.
Dick Simon completed 1,954 laps in the Indianapolis 500 without leading any, the second highest such total ever.
15.
Dick Simon fielded a car in the 1992 Indianapolis 500 for Lyn St James who became the second woman to drive in the race.
16.
Dick Simon returned to ownership in the Indy Racing League IndyCar Series in 1999 but saw little success.
17.
Dick Simon was an experienced skier, scuba diver, registered pilot, sky diver, and parachutist.
18.
Dick Simon was a national champion parachute jumper, and made over 1,600 jumps during the 1960s.
19.
Dick Simon proved that he was discussing sponsorship with the president of General Foods in Upstate New York on the date of the hijack.