Mark Smith (American racing driver)

For the English touring car driver, see Mark Smith (British racing driver).
Mark Smith
Nationality  United States
Born April 10, 1967 (1967-04-10) (age 44)
Portland, Oregon
Retired 1994
CART Championship Car
Years active 1993-1994
Teams Arciero Racing
Walker Racing
Starts 26
Previous series
1988 -1989
1989
1990 -1992		 Formula Super Vee
Formula Pacific
Indy Lights
Championship titles
1989 Formula Super Vee
Awards
1989
1990		 Formula Pacific Rookie Award[1]
Indy Lights Rookie of the Year

Mark Smith (born April 10, 1967) is an American former race car driver born in Portland, Oregon. Smith entered karting competition at the age of 14 and won 6 championships in multiple IKF divisions.[2] In 1985 he moved up to Formula Ford scoring 4 race wins in two seasons and then advanced to Formula Super Vee.[2]

After winning the 1989 United States Formula Super Vee Championship[3] with 5 wins and 4 poles,[4] Mark raced in Indy Lights from 1990 to 1992, finishing 3rd in series points his rookie year,[5] and 2nd in 1991[6] capturing 3 wins and 5 poles along the way[1].

In 1993 Mark moved up to the CART Indy Car Series racing primarily on road and street circuits for Arciero Racing. Smith qualified twice for the 1993 Indianapolis 500 but was bumped from the field.[7] His second bumping at the hands of Didier Theys happened just 6 minutes before the end of qualifications that year; an outcome that added to the Speedway myth about The Curse of the Smiths.[8]

The following year Smith remained cursed. Mark qualified for the 1994 Indianapolis 500 but was bumped from the field by Bobby Rahal. With 14 minutes remaining Smith made a bold attempt to qualify an ill-handling T93 Lola back-up car. His warm up lap of 221.8 mph was fast enough to make the race but on the following lap he brushed the exit of turn 1 and crashed heavily into turn two.[9]

Smith's best Indy Car finish was a 5th place at the 1994 Michigan 500.

Contents

Racing record

Formula Super Vee

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Rank Points
1988 Dave White Motorsports
PHX
Ret
LBH
5
DAL
6
IRP
6
MIL
6
DET
Ret
NIA
7
CLE
5
MEA
1
MDO
10
ROA
2
NAZ
5
STP
Ret		 6th 108[10]
1989 Ralt of America
PHX
4
DAL
3
IRP
1*
MIL
1*
CLE
3
DEM
1
ATL
1*
MDO
1*
ROA
4
NAZ
Ret
STP
3		 1st 169[11]

Formula Pacific

Year Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Rank Points
1989 Graeme Lawrence Autosport
BAY
4
BAY
3
PUK
3
PUK
3
MAN
3
MAN
2
WIG
Ret
WIG
2
TIM
4
TIM
2		 4th 39[12]

CART Indy Lights

Year Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Rank Points
1990 Ralt of America
PHX
2
LBH
2
MIL
9
DET
11
POR
6
CLE
4
MEA
10
TOR
6
DEN
9
VAN
2
MDO
9
ROA
3
NAZ
5
LS
5		 3rd 128
1991 Evergreen
LBH
4
PHX
2*
MIL
7
DET
6
POR
3
CLE
1*
MEA
5
TOR
5
DEN
4
MDO
2
NAZ
8
LS
1*		 2nd 155
1992 Evergreen
PHX
7
LBH
11
DET
3
POR
Ret
MIL
5
LOU
11
TOR
9
CLE
Ret
VAN
1
MDO
7
NAZ
5
LS
Ret		 7th 74

CART

Year Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Rank Points
1993 Arciero
SRF
18
PHX
9
LBH
10
IND
DNQ
MIL
DET
Ret
POR
Ret
CLE
Ret
TOR
Ret
MIC
NHA
ROA
Ret
VAN
Ret
MDO
Ret
NAZ
12
LS
17		 22nd 8
1994 Walker
SRF
Ret
PHX
DNS
LBH
Ret
IND
DNQ
MIL
24
DET
14
POR
16
CLE
Ret
TOR
Ret
MIC
5
MDO
20
NHA
12
VAN
8
ROA
Ret
NAZ
12
LS
14		 19th 17

References

  1. ^ *Dealey, Arley (March 9, 1989). "Peter Jackson Formula Pacific Championship Rounds 9 & 10". On Track Auto Racing Magazine (USA): 43. 
  2. ^ a b Portland's Indy Car Future (June 22, 1990). Portland International Raceway Official Program (USA): 85, retrieved December 10, 2011
  3. ^ *Philips, David (December 14, 1989). "Marching Ahead". On Track Auto Racing Magazine (USA): 21. 
  4. ^ *Phillips, David (December 14, 1989). "Mark of the Future". On Track Auto Racing Magazine (USA): 22-26. 
  5. ^ *Shaw, Jeremy (December 13, 1990). "Tracy's Racing Series". On Track Auto Racing Magazine (USA): 38-40, 42-43. 
  6. ^ *Shaw, Jeremy (December 13, 1991). "Rolling with the Punches". On Track Auto Racing Magazine; Volume 10, No. 24 (USA): 36-40. 
  7. ^ *Indy Hell Week. On Track Magazine, June 18th, 1993. Retrieved on November 14, 2011.
  8. ^ Mittman, Dick. 'Curse Of The Smiths' Remains Part Of Indianapolis 500 Lore, Indy500.com, November 4, 2004
  9. ^ *Tuttle, Tim (June 17th, 1994). Time Trials: Chasing Shadows. Retrieved on November 14, 2011.
  10. ^ *Phillips, David (December 12, 1988). "All the Answers (1988 Super Vee Season Review)". On Track Auto Racing Magazine (USA): 34-39. 
  11. ^ *Phillips, David (January, 1990). "True To Form (1989 Super Vee Season Review)". On Track Auto Racing Magazine (USA): 42-45. 
  12. ^ *Dealey, Arley (February 9, 1989-March 9, 1989). "Peter Jackson Formula Pacific Championship". On Track Auto Racing Magazine (USA): 35(2/9/89), 37(2/9/89), 18(2/23/89), 20(2/23/89), 42(3/9/89). 

External links

Sporting positions
Preceded by
Ken Murillo		 Formula Super Vee Series Champion
1989		 Succeeded by
Stuart Crow