| Randy Lanier | |
|---|---|
| Nationality | United States |
| Born | September 22, 1954 Lynchburg, Virginia |
| CART | |
| Years active | 1985-1986 |
| Teams | Arciero Racing |
| Starts | 18 |
| Best finish | 6th in 1986 |
| Previous series | |
| 1982-1986 | IMSA GT Championship |
| Championship titles | |
| 1984 | 1 |
| Awards | |
| 1986 | Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year |
Randy Thomas Lanier (born 22 September 1954, Lynchburg, Virginia) is a former race car driver and convicted drug trafficker from the United States of America.
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Lanier was born in Virginia. At age 14, he moved to South Florida. In 1976 he married his childhood sweetheart. They welcomed a daughter, Brandie in 1980 and a son Glen in 1987, who was named after Lanier's younger brother who was killed in a motorcycle accident at the age of 16. He has other siblings as well.[1]
In 1986, Lanier became romantically involved with Maria De La Luz Maggi,.[1]
Prior to his career in IMSA Camel GT series, Lanier was a SCCA Southeast Regional Championship in E Production driving a Porsche 356 Speedster, he made his debut at the 24 Hours of Daytona in 1982 driving for Preston Henn, the owner of Swap Shop, then at Lanier's fifth race at the 6 hours of Mosport, he would enter his own team, racing a March Engineering 82G Chevrolet and score his first podium finish with a third.
Lanier was joined by brothers Don and Bill Whittington driving.
The Whittingtons raced aircraft prior to cars, had also won the 1979 24 hours of Le Mans in a Porsche 935, and were the owners of the Road Atlanta circuit.
Lanier competed at IMSA GTP category for prototype cars, despite having lack of sponsorship and being a wholly independent team, unsupported by March Engineering. Despite having an adequate form two years previously finishing 16th and 28th consecutively, would surprise everybody in the championship by beating the heavily sponsored and factory supported oppositions from the likes of the Group 44 Racing Jaguar XJR-5 and Löwenbräu sponsored Holbert Racing Porsche 962 taking the 1984 GTP title as driver along with the Most Improved Driver award. Another reason for success was the fact the team employed the services of talented engine builder Ryan Falconer.
Lanier disbanded the team after the 1985 season to concentrate on his CART Indycar career, driving for Arciero Racing. For the following season, Lanier would also drive for Joest Racing for both Daytona 24 Hours and Miami. After a poor form in the previous year, Lanier would improve his form by finishing six of the nine races he entered including his 10th place finish at the Indianapolis 500, winning the Rookie of The Year honor. Prior to his arrest, he drove in 18 CART races in 1985 and 1986.
| Motive | criminal enterprise |
|---|---|
| Conviction(s) | engaging in a Continuing Criminal Enterprise and conspiring to distribute more than 1,000 pounds of marijuana |
| Penalty | life without parole |
| Status | In custody at MCFP Springfield |
| Occupation | race car driver |
| Spouse | None |
| Children | 2, Brandie and Glen |
His growing up in Florida during his youth has been suggested as a potential precursor to his involvement in the drug trade in 1978[1]
During his racing career, the FBI, however, were investigating Lanier. Lanier along with Eugene Fischer[2] and Ben Kramer, owner of Apache boats; and twelve others[3] ran a multi million dollar drugs empire between 1982 and 1986 when the arrest took place.[4] Kramer was the great-nephew and one of the putative heirs of the top boss of the U.S. crime syndicate, Meyer Lansky.[5]
Many of these narcotics was distributed in Illinois, therefore he was indicted in the Southern District of Illinois in January 1987.[1] He was convicted of importing and distributing over 300 tons of Colombian marijuana,[6][7] believed to be worth $68million by prosecuters[8] and was due to be sentenced when he disappeared.[9] He was believed to had fled to Puerto Rico[10] but was later arrested in Antigua on October 26.[1] Lanier had also cut a deal after his arrest for conspiracy to distribute pot, but at the last minute refused to testify against Jack Kramer, father of Ben.
Randy Lanier and his partner Ben Kramer received life without parole sentences on 4 October 1988[6] under the newly-enacted Continuing Criminal Enterprise statute (also known as the "Super Drug Kingpin" law), owing to their refusal to cooperate with the prosecution. The Whittington brothers who were also involved received a lighter sentence. Lanier filed an appeal based on the fact that later RICO convictions were not nearly as lengthy, but lost the appeal.[11] He was initial placed in Leavenworth Federal Penitentiary and was later transferred to the higher security United States Penitentiary I in Coleman.[12] His subsequent appeals have all been denied. He now uses his available spare time exercising, playing chess and answering any letters sent by race fans[13] as well as managing a prison football team (who dropped Michael Vick for his involvement in a dog fighting ring)[14].
Maggi married Lanier on August 31, 1990 at Oxford Federal Correctional Institution in Wisconsin.[1]
Lanier's wife was sentenced on April 30, 1993 to nine years in prison for money laundering. She pleaded guilty in September the year previously to conspiracy and obstruction.[7] She later successfully appealed to have it reduced from 108 months to 97.[15]
She was released in 1999: by that time she was no longer married to Lanier.[16]
| Sporting positions | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Arie Luyendyk |
Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year 1986 |
Succeeded by Fabrizio Barbazza |