August 15, 1964
Sam Schmidt
Born in Lincoln, Nebraska, USA.
Sam is a former Indy Racing League driver and current NTT IndyCar Series and Indy Lights series team owner. After graduating from Pepperdine University, he became a successful businessman, eventually purchasing his father's parts company in 1989 at the age of 25. He raced at a competitive amateur level, supported by his business income, but dreamed of someday driving in the Indianapolis 500.
He first drove professionally in 1995 in the USAR Hooters Pro Cup Series at the age of 31, by racing standards an unusually old age to begin a professional career. Nonetheless, he won Rookie of the Year honors. In 1997 he made his first IRL start and became a rising star in the league, raced in 3 consecutive Indianapolis 500's, and netted his first victory from the pole at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in 1999, finishing fifth in series points that year.
During that offseason, while testing in preparation for the 2000 season, Schmidt crashed at Walt Disney World Speedway on January 6, 2000. The accident rendered him a quadriplegic, and put him on a respirator for five months. After leaving the hospital, Schmidt, no longer able to actually drive a racecar, realized he needed to find a new passion and follow it. Inspired by meeting quadriplegic Formula One team owner Sir Frank Williams, he founded Sam Schmidt Motorsports, which has become the most successful team in the history of the Indy Lights series, winning the 2004 series championship with Thiago Medeiros, the 2006 title with Jay Howard, and the 2007 title with Alex 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.
After acquiring the FAZZT Race Team IndyCar 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.
Sam now lives in the Las Vegas area and travels over 100 days per year despite his medical condition. In addition to the motorsports enterprise, Sam established the Sam Schmidt Paralysis Foundation to further the cause of paralysis research, treatment and quality of life issues.
(Photo; "Schmidt & Tagliani 20110521" by Chuck Carroll - Own work)
Sam Schmidt with 2011 Indianapolis 500 pole winner Alex Tagliani.
This Day In Motorsport History - Home Page
Sam Schmidt
Sam is a former Indy Racing League driver and current NTT IndyCar Series and Indy Lights series team owner. After graduating from Pepperdine University, he became a successful businessman, eventually purchasing his father's parts company in 1989 at the age of 25. He raced at a competitive amateur level, supported by his business income, but dreamed of someday driving in the Indianapolis 500.
He first drove professionally in 1995 in the USAR Hooters Pro Cup Series at the age of 31, by racing standards an unusually old age to begin a professional career. Nonetheless, he won Rookie of the Year honors. In 1997 he made his first IRL start and became a rising star in the league, raced in 3 consecutive Indianapolis 500's, and netted his first victory from the pole at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in 1999, finishing fifth in series points that year.
During that offseason, while testing in preparation for the 2000 season, Schmidt crashed at Walt Disney World Speedway on January 6, 2000. The accident rendered him a quadriplegic, and put him on a respirator for five months. After leaving the hospital, Schmidt, no longer able to actually drive a racecar, realized he needed to find a new passion and follow it. Inspired by meeting quadriplegic Formula One team owner Sir Frank Williams, he founded Sam Schmidt Motorsports, which has become the most successful team in the history of the Indy Lights series, winning the 2004 series championship with Thiago Medeiros, the 2006 title with Jay Howard, and the 2007 title with Alex 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.
After acquiring the FAZZT Race Team IndyCar 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.
Sam now lives in the Las Vegas area and travels over 100 days per year despite his medical condition. In addition to the motorsports enterprise, Sam established the Sam Schmidt Paralysis Foundation to further the cause of paralysis research, treatment and quality of life issues.
Sam Schmidt with 2011 Indianapolis 500 pole winner Alex Tagliani.
This Day In Motorsport History - Home Page
You should have included how this amazing man was able to drive a Corvette around the Indy 500 track :-)
ReplyDeleteI am 72 and watched you race years ago. Glad to see this tribute!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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