Gordon Eugene Smiley was an American race car driver who was killed in a single-car crash at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
16 Facts About Gordon Smiley
1.
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Gordon Smiley was inducted into the Nebraska Auto Racing Hall of Fame in 2000.
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Gordon Smiley 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.
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Gordon Smiley recorded two pole positions at the SCCA National Championship Runoffs, with a best finish of second in Formula Ford in 1971.
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Gordon Smiley disputed the F1 non-championship 1979 Race of Champions in Brands Hatch, finishing 10th with a Tyrrell.
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Gordon 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.
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Gordon Smiley's race ended when the turbocharger blew on lap 47, causing him to finish 25th.
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Gordon Smiley's crash set up the controversial finish to the Indy 500 between teammate Mario Andretti and Bobby Unser.
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Gordon Smiley went out for a qualifying attempt an hour later.
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Gordon Smiley died instantly from massive trauma inflicted by the severe impact.
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Gordon Smiley's funeral was held on May 20,1982, and he was buried in his birth location in Nebraska.
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Gordon Smiley was a road racer and was used to counter-steering his car to avoid a crash if the rear wheels broke traction.
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When I reached the car, I was shocked to see that Gordon Smiley's helmet was gone, along with the top of his skull.
14.
Gordon Smiley had essentially been scalped by the debris fence.
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Gordon Smiley had a gaping wound in his side that looked as if he had been attacked by a large shark.
16.
Olvey later said in his book that in the aftermath of the wreck, he and the IndyCar paramedic team declared Gordon Smiley to have died at the scene.