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. So, yes, it probably would have been worse. Eventually, Gordon Smiley made his way to compete at the Indianapolis 500, one of the most prestigious car races that draws hundreds of thousands of people in Indiana (via Britannica). His race ended when the turbocharger blew on lap 47, causing him to finish 25th. 6. Please re-enable javascript to access full functionality. Mears said he could feel that the car was even more slippery as he took his fourth lap. By controlling the air flow beneath a car, designers created a low-pressure area that forces the car downward and holds it closer to the road surface. He had a gaping wound in his side that looked as if he had been attacked by a large shark. Both Kevin Cogan and Rick Mears set new single lap and 4-lap records in their attempts. Motor vehicle accidents Auto accident driving accidents fatal car . Originally posted by David M. Kane Yes Fines I'm curious too. But on the other hand, I have seen some incredibly hard hits in modern Indy cars where the driver walks away without a scratch, let alone with life-threatening injuries. I think some of the current IRL drivers feel that way about Milka Duno too.One of the first people ABC-TV interviewed was Johnny Rutherford and he was visible shaken. Smiley's death follows by just one week a fatality in a qualifying run at the Grand Prix of Belgium. Nothing is said much of his fatal accident, other than the car broke apart and he suffered massive head and chest trauma. Smiley went out for a qualifying attempt an hour later. The Spanish Flu killed over 3% of the world's population in 1918. [2][3][4], In the 1980 Indianapolis 500, Smiley qualified Patrick Racing's Valvoline Phoenix/Cosworth in 20th position. TimesMachine is an exclusive benefit for home delivery and digital subscribers. Originally posted by Old_school having read Steve Olvey's book i'm still somewhat stumped when he states: "Several veteran drivershad warned him that he was in way over his head, driving all wrong for the Speedway." New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. When Greg Moore was killed at Fontana in 1999, it was put into millions of living rooms across the world. Edwin Shafer, director of development and public relations at the hospital, said MacRae died at 2:15 a.m. at Bryan Memorial Hospital. But as designs have been more successful, a new danger has apparently developed when the areodynamic improvements fail. All rights reserved. 16 anni fa. During the event, drivers would drive for four laps, and the average time will be calculated and serve as the qualifying time. Originally posted by Jerome I was suprised when I saw the crash that killed Dale Earnhart. This brought back many memories for Fletcher, who owned the car that Art Pollard died in during the 1973 race. On May 15th, 1982, a cocky young driver named Gordon Smiley went out to qualify for the 1982 Indianapolis 500. This week, there had been minor problems with his car, and the speed had dropped from the 197-m.p.h. They stood all around, looking over his shoulders, trying to peek inside. The accident took place at a point not far from where Danny Ongais had hit the wall during the Indianapolis 500 last year. It caused a circus[why?] Smiley's racer, Fletcher said, ''hit it dead on. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. Dr. Steve Olvey is a very well respected, etc., etc. The most violent single car accident in motor racing history. Gordon They told the media changes were being made, but nothing was done to the cars. Originally posted by Flat Black One thing to keep in mind: Gordon was doing around 200 mph on impact. Copyright 2023 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved. I'm assuming Dr Olvey's description of the injuries to be as accurate as we're going to get, so due to the massive trauma i'm very sure the coroner decided the cause of death as being self evident , made a cursory examination, and filled out the forms. I think some of the current IRL drivers feel that way about Milka Duno too.One of the first people ABC-TV interviewed was Johnny Rutherford and he was visible shaken. However, USAC did not bow to the media. His speed on the third lap, 207.612 m.p.h., and his four-lap average, 207.004, was almost 3 miles per hour faster than the record Cogan had just set. Gordon Smiley - Wikipedia Smiley's funeral was held on May 20, 1982 and he was buried in his birth location in Nebraska. Adding to the danger was Thompson's unwillingness to run the car with a full load of gasoline, owing to his search for speed. Originally posted by fines Thanks, Jim, but there is actually more than one glaring errorMy pleasure:a) I never had the chance to meet or get to know Mr. Smiley, so I can't possibly comment on his persona, but to suggest that after two-and-a-half months of practicing, qualifying and racing on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, he was still lacking "respect and humility" is to insult his intelligence! 5. Add it all up, and McDonald was driving un unguided missile around the speedway. It was very ugly. 1:01. ''If you hit just wrong, I don't care if it's a Sherman tank. For more information, please see our It's all over. Gordon Smiley - Academic Dictionaries and Encyclopedias This rate, according to the Florida Health Charts statistics, has increased twenty percent in 2021 from 2019. He was inducted into the Nebraska Auto Racing Hall of Fame in 2000. Piquet by spinning and Blundell by using what was left of his failed brakes and impacting at more of an angle than Smiley.With modern cars, the HANS device and the safer barrier I think there would be a very good chance for survival. Barbara Smiley knew the risks she faced, and she gave them sober thought. An atomic bomb was accidentally dropped on North Carolina. Gordon Smiley's fatal accident Shutterstock On May 15, 1982, Gordon Smiley got ready for the qualifiers for the Indy 500. One of the most famous war photographs ever taken. SCCA and road racing career [ edit] Driving his first race at age 19, Smiley was an accomplished road racer. 1. Gordon Smiley - Findadeath Forum But his decisions and his engineering were factors. The car flipped over, caught on fire, and slide to a stop on the backstraightaway. All eyes will be on him, but a sole car, lining up 33rd on the grid, will be driven by James Davison. Jane Smiley grew up in Webster Groves, Missouri, in a family of storytellersand it shows. Instead, she stayed calm and remembered every number but that of her next-door neighbor in Grapevine, Texas. Son of radio host and comic Rickey Smiley dies - Los Angeles Times
Tiny Homes Springfield Missouri, Mabel Bell And Florence Lang, The Slaughter Of The Pigeons Summary, Articles G