Samuel Schmidt(born August 15, 1964) is a formerIndy Racing Leaguedriver and current NTTIndyCar SeriesandIndy Lightsseries team owner. Schmidt's brief IndyCar career included a win in 1999, but an accident before the 2000 season left him aquadriplegic.Schmidt is currently co-owner of theArrow McLarenIndyCar team.
| Sam Schmidt | |
|---|---|
 Schmidt in 2015 | |
| Born | August 15, 1964 Lincoln, Nebraska |
| IndyCar Series | |
| Years active | 1997–1999 |
| Teams | |
| Starts | 26 |
| Wins | 1 |
| Poles | 1 |
| Best finish | 5th in1999 |
| Previous series | |
| 1995 | USAR Hooters Pro Cup Series |
Racing career
editAfter graduating fromPepperdine University,Schmidt became a successful businessman, eventually purchasing his father's parts company in 1989 at the age of 25.[citation needed]He raced at a competitive amateur level, supported by his business income, but dreamed of someday driving in theIndianapolis 500.Schmidt first drove professionally in 1995 in theUSAR Hooters Pro Cup Seriesat the age of 31, where he wonRookie of the Yearhonors.[citation needed]
In1997Schmidt made his first Indy Racing League start and became a rising star in the league. He raced three consecutive years at theIndianapolis 500,and earned his first race victory, from pole position, atLas Vegasin1999.[citation needed]He finished fifth in series points that year. During that offseason, while testing in preparation for the2000season, Schmidt crashed atWalt Disney World Speedwayon January 6, 2000.[1]The accident rendered him aquadriplegic,and put him on a respirator for five months.[2]
After leaving the hospital, Schmidt, no longer able to drive a racecar, realized he needed to find a new passion and follow it. Inspired by meetingtetraplegicFormula Oneteam ownerSir Frank Williams,he foundedSam Schmidt Motorsports,which has become the most successful team in the history of the Indy Lights series,[citation needed]winning the2004series championship withThiago Medeiros,the2006title withJay Howard,and the2007title withAlex Lloyd.Sam Schmidt Motorsports was a full-time IndyCar series team in 2001 and 2002, and continues to participate annually in the Indianapolis 500. In the Firestone Indy Lights series, as of August 2009 the team had posted 30 victories out of 100 starts.[citation needed]
After acquiring theFAZZT Race TeamIndyCar team in 2011, Sam Schmidt Motorsports returned full-time to the IZOD IndyCar Series, and on May 21, 2011, driver Alex Tagliani won the pole position for the Indianapolis 500, the first pole for the team.[citation needed]
Career results
editIndy Racing League
edit(key) (Races inboldindicate pole position)
| Year | Team | Chassis | No. | Engine | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | Rank | Points | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996–97 | Blueprint Racing | DallaraIR7 | 16 | OldsmobileAuroraV8 | NHM | LVS | WDW | PHX 10 |
INDY 34 |
TXS 23 |
PPI | 27th | 76 | [3] | ||||
| LP Racing | 99 | CLT 18 |
NH2 22 |
LV2 27 |
||||||||||||||
| 1998 | LP Racing | DallaraIR8 | OldsmobileAuroraV8 | WDW 9 |
PHX 7 |
INDY 26 |
TXS 18 |
NHM 12 |
DOV 17 |
CLT 14 |
PPIR 13 |
ATL 15 |
TX2 27 |
LVS 2 |
14th | 186 | [4] | |
| 1999 | Treadway Racing | G-ForceGF01C | OldsmobileAuroraV8 | WDW 27 |
PHX 9 |
CLT C1 |
INDY 30 |
TXS 3 |
PPI 2 |
ATL 22 |
DOV 5 |
PP2 5 |
LVS 1 |
TX2 22 |
5th | 233 | [5] |
- 1The 1999VisionAire 500KatCharlottewas cancelled after 79 laps due to spectator fatalities.
Other
edit- Schmidt won $16,350 onPress Your Luckover the course of three episodes between January 2–4, 1985.[6][7][8]
- He established theSam Schmidt Paralysis Foundationto further the cause of paralysis research, treatment andquality-of-lifeissues.[citation needed]
- He was helped byArrow Electronicsto drive again by creating a 2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray that is controlled with head movement, voice commands, and by mouth sip/puff actions.[9][10]
- Schmidt currently serves on the board of directors forBraunAbility,a leading manufacturer of wheelchair accessible vehicles and other mobility solutions.
References
edit- ^Macur, Juliet (January 19, 2000)."Crash at Disney paralyzes IRL driver".The Orlando Sentinel.p. 19.RetrievedAugust 14,2018– viaNewspapers.com.
- ^[1],Sam's story, Schmidt Peterson Motorsports, may 21, 2014 (video)
- ^"Sam Schmidt – 1997 Indy Racing League Results".Racing-Reference.NASCAR Digital Media, LLC.RetrievedAugust 6,2023.
- ^"Sam Schmidt – 1998 Pep Boys Indy Racing League Results".Racing-Reference.NASCAR Digital Media, LLC.RetrievedAugust 6,2023.
- ^"Sam Schmidt – 1999 Pep Boys Indy Racing League Results".Racing-Reference.NASCAR Digital Media, LLC.RetrievedAugust 6,2023.
- ^Press Your Luck Episode 332 Cydney/Sam/Jill.YouTube.Archivedfrom the original on 2021-12-11.
- ^Press Your Luck #333.YouTube.Archivedfrom the original on 2021-12-11.
- ^Press Your Luck Episode 334 Sam/Rick/Esmeralda.YouTube.Archivedfrom the original on 2021-12-11.
- ^Wesley Wren (26 September 2016)."Sam Schmidt will get the first semi-autonomous driver's license".Autoweek.Retrieved19 May2018.
- ^Weaver, Matt (13 May 2017)."Paralyzed Sam Schmidt set to race 77-year-old Mario Andretti at Indianapolis".Autoweek.Retrieved19 May2018.
External links
edit