Jim Clark thought so. CART Safety worker Steve Olvey rushed to his car, only to find the top half of Smiley still inside the wreckage. On May 15, 1982, Gordon Smiley got ready for the qualifiers for the Indy 500. Smiley told the owner of the car he was driving, Bob . He was shocked to find Smileys helmet had been sent off his head, taking the top of his skull with it. It caused a circus[why?] Gordon Smiley went on to do his practice laps, and it seemed that the racer was determined to achieve his goal of getting to 200 miles per hour. Gordon Smiley's fatal accident. Octavia Hatcher was buried alive.Octavia was bitten by a tstete fly and presumed dead. She's been with racing people most of the time since Gordon Smiley died 15 days ago when his car hit the wall in turn three and disintegrated during the first day of time trials, as he tried to get up to 200 mph. He had a gaping wound in his side that looked as if he had been attacked by a large shark. There was nothing else except shattered bits, a bit of gearbox, a bit of a wheel, not even a seat. Near 1981 Crash Site. Originally posted by Flat Black I don't want to seem morbid, but I'm so curious about something that I'll run the risk.The question for those of you who are up on the safety engineering of modern Indy cars is this: If a driver of a modern Indy car had an identical accident to the one that killed Gordon Smiley in 1982, would s/he survive?If you view the YouTube video of Smiley's crash, you might be inclined to think there's no way in hell anybody could survive such an impact in any car, no matter how well engineered. [6], Gordon Smiley fatal Crash @ Indy 500 1982, Learn how and when to remove this template message, List of fatalities at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, "Driver Gordon Smiley 1981 USAC Gold Crown Series Results", "Historical Motorsports Stories: Drivers' Reactions to Gordon Smiley Crash", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Gordon_Smiley&oldid=1149506428, This page was last edited on 12 April 2023, at 17:26. 1M views 16 years ago Gordon Smiley is killed in a practice crash during the qualifyings warmup lap for the Indy 500 1982. Originally posted by David M. Kane Yes Fines I'm curious too. 2. On Sunday, Fernando Alonso will be running in the Indianapolis 500. Brandon Smiley Death Video Scene, Rickey Smiley son Brandon Smiley DIES, Cause of death is shocking. He died instantly, marshalls on scene said brain matter was spread on the track. It is infact the opposite. 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. 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. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. Smiley, whose helmet came off, was entangled in one of the three pieces. But soon came the announcement: There is a yellow light. Federico Borrell Garca, a Republican Iberian Federation of Libertarian Youth soldier, taken by legendary war photographer Robert Capa at the moment of his death in 1936 during the Spanish Civil War. '', Bob Fletcher, the owner of the car Smiley drove, said: ''The ground-effects cars, when they start to jump out, they lose the ground effects. Officials spent 3 1/2 hours cleaning the track from both debris from the car and from Smiley. the car went straight into the wall at 230 mph. He was legendary crazy/aggressive BUT very FAST just Jody and Clay when they were young.Fines have you read the link in Hugewally's post? Originally posted by jimclark Thanks, HwI had not read that before (wish I hadn't still). Gordon Smiley fatal accident at the 198 . On May 15, 1982, Gordon Smiley got ready for the qualifiers for the Indy 500. I thought: 'That can't be it. It targeted the healthy. They continued to make improvements of the tracks of the series. Octavia was bitten by a tstete fly and presumed dead. When Smiley steered right to correct this, the front wheels gained grip suddenly, sending his car directly across the track and into the wall nose first at nearly 200mph (320km/h). He recorded two pole positions at the SCCA National Championship Runoffs, with a best finish of second in Formula Ford in 1971. TimesMachine is an exclusive benefit for home delivery and digital subscribers. I probably shouldn't ask, but what actually happened to Tony Renna? He had several fractures to his pelvis and a fractured right hip. Mears won the pole position, with Cogan currently holding the second position and Foyt, competing here for the 25th year, on the outside of the first row. To my mind anyone stupid enough to try and drive on coke is asking for trouble. Originally posted by Old_school As for the autopsy i doubt there would have been one. 'I'm kind of ready to go home. Many veterans had warned Smiley that if his car broke traction, to not try to correct, as the road racer was used to. Gordon Smileys death Roland Waites 320 subscribers Subscribe 125 12K views 1 year ago The ugliest racing accident ever filmed and photographed. No, of course not. But as designs have been more successful, a new danger has apparently developed when the areodynamic improvements fail. Pray for my son's mother and my sons siblings, everybody that was raised with Brandon.\"While he didnt provide any details on Brandons death, the \"Dish Nation\"alum alluded to past family tragedy as he spoke about his own grief.\"Now I see what my granddaddy went through and why he felt the way he felt,\"Smiley said. Gordon Smiley was racing even then, although it was sports car driving, not champ cars. Last sunset 9/10/2001 - Twin Towers. 'You've got to think about it but not dwell on it.'. While rushing to the car, I noticed small splotches of a peculiar gray substance marking a trail on the asphalt leading up to the driver. The refuse truck turned up and they threw the remains on the back of the truck and took it away. ''We were just worried if I was going to make it.'' Her nails were found bloodied, and her face contorted in anguish. Copyright 2023 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved. He also disputed the F1 non-championship 1979 Race of Champions in Brands Hatch, finishing 10th with a Tyrrell. Several veteran drivershad warned him that he was in way over his head, driving all wrong for the Speedway. January 24, 1986 LINCOLN, Neb. [1] He was inducted into the Nebraska Auto Racing Hall of Fame in 2000. Only a week after Gilles Villenueves passing at Zolder, the world was worried about open-wheel racing and its perils. Please re-enable javascript to access full functionality. During the event, drivers would drive for four laps, and the average time will be calculated and serve as the qualifying time. Thirteen mechanics, two track workers and nine spectators have also lost their lives here. Cars were braking speed records at Indianapolis already, with Rick Mears setting the fastest qualifying average ever earlier in the session. 'I think all racing wives have to thinkahead about this sort of thing. According to Dr. Henry Bock of the Speedway medical staff, Smiley died of massive head injuries. Ffs only 1 person died. During an attempt to qualify for the Indy 500, Gordon Smiley, a cocky young driver from Texas, was determined to break 200mph or die trying. 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. Throughout the years, the sport of auto racing has seen plenty of accidents and fatalities. Smiley talked to his car owner, Bob Fletcher before he strapped into his car. The principal aim of an autopsy is to determine the factors that contributed to the individual's death.There would obviously be an external examination, in this case the external examination would be sufficient in basing a conclusion as to the cause of death. The Spanish Flu killed over 3% of the world's population in 1918. \"My son Brandon Smiley has passed away this morning.\"Smiley did not specify his son's cause of death nor give his age. She kept her cheers for the man she met at a party in 1973, and married after a five-year courtship. ''The only thing that bothers me, just a little bit, is the ground effects,'' he said. Gordon as we all know had already run two Indy 500's, was he doing something out of the ordinary during the '82 Indy ? Several veteran drivers had warned him that he was in way over his head, driving all wrong for the Speedway. Originally posted by MPea3 That is pure conjecture. Several veteran drivers . In the off-season he worked a different job every year, usually in sales or office management. The elder Smiley shared the sad news about his 32-year-old son in a video on his verified . Several functions may not work. Even more so than a typical Indy Car of the time. Originally posted by Flat Black As for Thompson's machine, my research has indicated, without counterargument (until you showed up), that the car was fundamentally dangerous. Smiley's racer, Fletcher said, ''hit it dead on. Guarda Gordon Smiley fatal accident at the 198 - dream81 su Dailymotion. Not a good thing for a rookie to be doing.Was Mickey Thompson to blame for the deaths of McDonald and Sachs? In 1920 a scientist successfully conditioned a child to have a severe and permanent phobia of fluffy objects. '', ''I don't want to talk about it,'' Ongais said of Smiley's crash. Smiley began racing at age 19. The 1955 Le Mans disaster killed 83 people and the driver instantly when he crashed at 200+ mph same as this but with a SHITLOAD more carnage SmoothOperatorrr 2 yr. ago "Most violent single car accident " From memory, Le Mans disaster was a multi car pileup with a car being launched into the crowd. In 1982, Racer Gordon Smiley was killed after reaching his stated goal of 200 mph straight into a wall. (AP) _ Actor-singer Gordon MacRae, who crooned in a surrey with the fringe on top in Oklahoma 3/8 and later battled back from the blackouts of alcoholism, died Friday at age 64. When Smiley first shared the news in January, he did not specify his son's cause of death nor give his age. ''If you hit just wrong, I don't care if it's a Sherman tank. For more information, please see our If you do a google image search, there are a couple of very small images, but you can see the damage. Edwin Shafer, director of development and public relations at the hospital, said MacRae died at 2:15 a.m. at Bryan Memorial Hospital. The car, and Smiley, was scattered everywhere across the track. '', Fletcher said that the crash was not the result of a mechanical failure. The car turned to the right, directly into the wall. On the NBC morning news program, the comedian said though the toxicology report. CART and the Indy Race League was forced to do something. In 2010, she recounted: They brought the remains of Gordons car back to our garage, and the biggest piece was a little ball of engine. So did Andretti. 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. As JY suggested in a PM to me, an Indy car was perhaps too much for someone of his experience. Open-Wheel racing had become much safer than it had before. 5. They told the media changes were being made, but nothing was done to the cars. This brought back many memories for Fletcher, who owned the car that Art Pollard died in during the 1973 race. Most racing drivers are, at least those who are successful in this sport. He was countersteering a slide in turn 3 and put the car head on into. Marcelo died from severe head and chest injuries, Bock said through a spokesman. The next year, the cars got faster. This week, there had been minor problems with his car, and the speed had dropped from the 197-m.p.h. Open-Wheel racing was under fire. Fletcher said the car was timed at 196.7 during earlier practice runs today, before the track was closed prior to the beginning of the qualifying period. One of the most famous war photographs ever taken. 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 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. The car flipped over, caught on fire, and slide to a stop on the backstraightaway. And even further down that vein was Thompson's decision to hack away part of the cowlings of the car to make room for new tire specs handed down by the Indy brass. \"My condolences.\"\"Oh no! Actor and comedian Rickey Smiley is mourning the death of his son Brandon Smiley.Smiley, who starred on \"The Rickey Smiley Show\"from 2012-2014, took to Instagram on Sunday to share he had some\"bad news\"to deliver to his followers.In a touching video Rickey said \"I hate to announce this, but I just want to give it to you before you hear it in the streets,\"Smiley said. On the second warm up lap his car began to oversteer while rounding the third turn, causing the car to slightly slide. In 1982, Gordon was competing at the qualifiers for the Indy 500 when tragedy struck, according to This Day in Motor Sports History. Smiley, a 33-year-old native of . Even more so than a typical Indy Car of the time. The cockpit and front wing assembly collapsed on impact, sending Smileys head into the wall. As the car went into the air and burst into flames, it fell into three large pieces and many smaller fragments. Her nails were found bloodied, and her face contorted in anguish. He turned into Turn 3, and the car broke sideways. Some Problems, Though. I had never seen such trauma. He was killed instantly. Originally posted by Jim Thurman Missing the point David. Please confirm you agree to the use of tracking cookies as outlined in the Cookies Policy. Gordon Eugene Smiley was born in 1946 in Omaha, Nebraska. She was afraid she'd fall apart in a crisis and be a burden to those around her. Other townspeople became ill with the same thing, which turned out to only be sleeping sickness. In 1982, Racer Gordon Smiley was killed after reaching his stated goal of 200 mph straight into a wall.Medical Director Steve Olvey described the brutal and disturbing scene. Jane Smiley grew up in Webster Groves, Missouri, in a family of storytellersand it shows. An atomic bomb was accidentally dropped on North Carolina. Mears went even faster on his next two laps. Smiley raced in the Indianapolis 500 twice, in 1980 and 1981, and was killed while trying to qualify for a third in 1982. ''I sure didn't want to run a fifth one,'' he said, and everyone laughed. His car hit the wall, flew into the air and burst into flames. He was on the limit of grip through Turns 1 and 2. Cookie Notice This rate, according to the Florida Health Charts statistics, has increased twenty percent in 2021 from 2019. He made a mistake too many, had an accident and paid the price and we should pay him respect! CART medical director Steve Olvey, who was on staff at the time, discussed the crash in his 2006 autobiography, Rapid Response: My Inside Story as a Motor Racing Life-Saver: During an attempt to qualify for the Indy 500, Gordon Smiley, a cocky young driver from Texas, was determined to break 200mph or die trying. Smiley went out for his 4 Lap qualifying run, the average of which would serve as his qualifying time. Originally posted by Old_school Gordon did not scrub much speed prior to impact..Both Piquet and Blundell had scrubbed off significant speed prior to their impacts. During an attempt to qualify for the Indy 500, Gordon Smiley, a cocky young driver from Texas, was determined to break 200mph or die trying. He was inducted into the Nebraska Auto Racing Hall of Fame in 2000. Originally posted by Cirrus I think that it's likely that, even if it were possible to make a survival cell that could withstand that sort of impact, the internal organs of the human body probably couldn't.I seem to recall Buford saying in an earlier thread, that Gordon Smiley's body was lying on the track, looking completely unharmed after the accident. 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. But not what the legacy of Gordon Smiley. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. 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! 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. Smiley raced in the Indianapolis 500 twice, in 1980 and 1981 Inside The Tragic Death Of Race Car Driver Gordon Smiley. The difference between the two crashes was that Ongais hit the wall at a slight angle with the left front of his car. May 14, 1982 - Gordon Smiley Talks with Dick Rea the Day Before His Fatal Crash TheClassicSports 4.9K views 1 year ago Gordon Smiley Career Tribute Rhonda Mims-Brown 1.6K views 8 months ago. [2][3][4], In the 1980 Indianapolis 500, Smiley qualified Patrick Racing's Valvoline Phoenix/Cosworth in 20th position. 'There was only one person I ever rooted for,' she said as she perched on a hard metal chair in the shady hospitality tent of Intermedics, Smiley's sponsor. Originally posted by David M. Kane Ironically while watching a Formula Atlantic race at Road America he had a similar accident where he used the same manuever but it was at a much lower speed. For more information, please see our In 1982, Racer Gordon Smiley was killed after reaching his stated goal of 200 mph straight into a wall. Everest. In 1982, record speeds were being set during qualification for the 1982 Indianapolis 500. It just takes off. All eyes will be on him, but a sole car, lining up 33rd on the grid, will be driven by James Davison. One car racer who lost his life to the sport of racing was Gordon Smiley. Smiley first competed at the Indy 500 in 1980, and then again in 1981. Originally posted by Henri Greuter Your last remark makes every post you make on this subject more than welcome and respected. Smiley's death follows by just one week a fatality in a qualifying run at the Grand Prix of Belgium. 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." Libreria. Nothing is said much of his fatal accident, other than the car broke apart and he suffered massive head and chest trauma. Not long after other drivers had created records with each lap in the first hour of qualifying, Smiley, who was 33 years old, died instantly when his March racer, powered by a Cosworth engine, lost control during a second warm-up lap as it came out of a turn at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Gordon Eugene Smiley ( April 20, 1949 - May 15, 1982) was an American race car driver from Omaha, Nebraska[1] who was killed in a single - car crash at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. I attempted the effect of a third call; there was no further movement and the eyes took on the glazed look which they have in the dead. Foyt said after the accident. Jim Clark thought so. I had never seen such trauma. ''It was very similar, they tell me, to the accident Ongais had,'' Fletcher said. Occasionally the digitization process introduces transcription errors or other problems; we are continuing to work to improve these archived versions.
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