Barbara Smiley knew the risks she faced, and she gave them sober thought. I think some of the current IRL drivers feel that way about Milka Duno too.One of the first people ABC-TV interviewed was Johnny Rutherford and he was visible shaken. Gordon Smiley fatal Crash @ Indy 500 1982 - YouTube WARNING: GRAPHIC WRITING AHEAD, IF FAINT OF HEART, SCROLL PAST TO THE NEXT SECTION OF BOLD TEXT. Driving his first race at age 19, Smiley was an accomplished road racer. 7. He also disputed the F1 non-championship 1979 Race of Champions in Brands Hatch, finishing 10th with a Tyrrell. ''I'm sorry.'' Originally posted by Cirrus 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. This article wasnt meant to scare Formula 1 fans who are just tuning into IndyCar because of Alonso into thinking Indy is a death trap. [2][3][4], In the 1980 Indianapolis 500, Smiley qualified Patrick Racing's Valvoline Phoenix/Cosworth in 20th position. Other townspeople became ill with the same thing, which turned out to only be sleeping sickness. On the way in I performed a cursory examination and realized that nearly every bone in his body was shattered. Ongais recovered, and he took a qualifying run late this morning, less than 20 minutes before Smiley died. In 1961, a B52 crashed near Goldsboro, NC. Everest 4. ''If that car goes over a bump, or if the attitude changes just a little bit, you're not steering.'' Lone Star JR thought so. Gordon Smiley was racing even then, although it was sports car driving, not champ cars. Smiley died instantly from massive trauma inflicted by the severe impact. His race ended when the turbocharger blew on lap 47, causing him to finish 25th. In 1982, Gordon was competing at the qualifiers for the Indy 500 when tragedy struck, according to This Day in Motor Sports History. Smiley corrected, and the car spun back to the right. Her nails were found bloodied, and her face contorted in anguish. Throughout the years, the sport of auto racing has seen plenty of accidents and fatalities. Occasionally the digitization process introduces transcription errors or other problems; we are continuing to work to improve these archived versions. Inside The Tragic Death Of Race Car Driver Gordon Smiley She watched the race Sunday, but not to applaud. Perhaps someone more knowledgeable on ground effects can explain why once that car turn to towards the wall there was little physically he could to change its direction again because of the tremendous downforce.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. Gordon Eugene Smiley (April 20, 1946 May 15, 1982) was an American race car driver who was killed in a single-car crash at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. I had never seen such trauma. 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. People crashed, people survived. No, of course not. The car, and Smiley, was scattered everywhere across the track. He had essentially been scalped by the debris fence. It's known as a dangerous sport and professional car racers know that they're putting their lives at risk each time they race. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. He was shocked to find Smileys helmet had been sent off his head, taking the top of his skull with it. As JY suggested in a PM to me, an Indy car was perhaps too much for someone of his experience. Gordon Smiley was racing even then, although it was sports car driving, not champ cars. When they do, it's like an unguided missile. But soon came the announcement: There is a yellow light. One car racer who lost his life to the sport of racing was Gordon Smiley. 5. He began having nightmares, haunted by the vision of Lazier's race car. CNN . This brings us to today. A crew member, Armando Teran, was also killed during the 1973 race. May 14, 1982 - Gordon Smiley Talks with Dick Rea the Day Before His Fatal Crash TheClassicSports 5K views 1 year ago Gordon Smiley Interviews Before 1982 Indy 500 Tim Richmond Archive 8.1K. He was inducted into the Nebraska Auto Racing Hall of Fame in 2000. Smiley's funeral was held on May 20, 1982 and he was buried in his birth location in Nebraska. Archived post. John B. Watson was fired not long after his unethical experiment, and the anonymous subject, "Little Albert" was never deconditioned. Smiley was a road racer and was used to counter-steering his car to avoid a crash if the rear wheels broke traction. Originally posted by Old_school As for the autopsy i doubt there would have been one. The most violent single car accident in motor racing history. 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. January 24, 1986 LINCOLN, Neb. So did Andretti. \"My condolences.\"\"Oh no! So just pray for our family.\"A number of Smileys famous friends flooded the comments section of his video with words of support.\"Im so sorry Rickey,\"actress Niecy Nash wrote.\"My heart goes out to you and your family brother,\"comedian Jay Pharoah commented. The spasmodic movements ceased. I don't feel anymore like I need constant support,' she said. Gordon Smiley - Wikidata 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. 3. Meanwhile, after someone else had dialed long distance to Omaha, Barbara Smiley took the telephone and told her mother-in-law, Elaine Smiley, of the death of her son. In 1961, a B52 crashed near Goldsboro, NC. 1. (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. 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. ''We were just worried if I was going to make it.'' Gordon Smiley fatal accident at the 198 . Comedian and radio host Rickey Smiley said his son Brandon died from an overdose, warning parents not to assume their kids are safe from drug addiction. But by race day, she had been at the track long enough. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. Several veteran drivershad warned him that he was in way over his head, driving all wrong for the Speedway. Today, Kevin Cogan, the first driver on the track, broke the one-lap record on his second time around, and the four-lap record on his complete 10-mile run. In 1920 a scientist successfully conditioned a child to have a severe and permanent phobia of fluffy objectsJohn B. Watson was fired not long after his unethical experiment, and the anonymous subject, "Little Albert" was never deconditioned.6. That must have been prior to the accident.'. FUNERAL: Rickey Smiley Reveals Brandon Smiley Cause Of Death 'I'm kind of ready to go home. Driver Dies After Hitting Wall In Indianapolis 500 Practice 1. Smiley's wife, Barbara, was standing in the pit area, as usual, as her husband's qualifying run began. Smiley first competed at the Indy 500 in 1980, and then again in 1981. 1BN. No matter how experienced a driver is and no matter how many safety precautions are done, there is always a percentage of something going wrong. [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. In the ambulance, it was discovered that Smiley had actually broken every single bone in his body. Gordon Smiley's fatal accident Shutterstock On May 15, 1982, Gordon Smiley got ready for the qualifiers for the Indy 500. He died instantly, marshalls on scene said brain matter was spread on the track. ''The only thing that bothers me, just a little bit, is the ground effects,'' he said. An atomic bomb was accidentally dropped on North Carolina. It just takes off. and led to the racing standard of not declaring a driver dead at the track unless he is incinerated or decapitated.[5]. Only a week after Gilles Villenueve's passing at Zolder, the world was worried. Rickey Smiley says son 'struggled' with drugs before his death - USA Today According to Dr. Henry Bock of the Speedway medical staff, Smiley died of massive head injuries. Marcelo died from severe head and chest injuries, Bock said through a spokesman. To my mind anyone stupid enough to try and drive on coke is asking for trouble. When Greg Moore was killed at Fontana in 1999, it was put into millions of living rooms across the world. The elder Smiley shared the sad news about his 32-year-old son in a video on his verified . There was a straw that broke the camels back, however, but it came 17 years after Smiley. 16 anni fa. Tom Sneva had set both the one-lap and four-lap track records in 1978, with speeds of 203.620 and 202.156 miles per hour, respectively. The car flipped over, caught on fire, and slide to a stop on the backstraightaway. The disease turns the immune system against vital organs, so those with the strongest immune systems were more likely to die. Smiley raced in the Indianapolis 500 twice, in 1980 and 1981 0:29. All rights reserved. But on the other hand, I have seen some incredibly hard hits in modern Indy cars where the driver walks away without a scratch, let alone with life-threatening injuries. Into the 1950's, it was common practice to sever pieces of patients 's brains to "cure" mental illness.Lobotomies were often successful in diminishing the effects of mental disorders, but at the cost of a patient's personality and intelligence.8. DHLTV. 63K views 3 weeks ago Actor and comedian Rickey Smiley is mourning the death of his son Brandon Smiley. Gordon Smiley's crash in a modern Indy car - TNF's Archive But his decisions and his engineering were factors. Several functions may not work. It was the first since Savage/Pollard in 1973, and there wouldn't be another until Jovy Marcelo in 1992. [2][3], After the 1981 CART season ended, Smiley was released from Patrick Racing, but was essentially traded to a Patrick-affiliated ride, Fletcher Racing.[4]. Gordon Eugene Smiley (April 20, 1946 - May 15, 1982) was an American race car driver who was killed in a single-car crash at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. An accident had not killed a driver here since 1973, when Art Pollard died on the first day of qualifications and Swede Savage died of injuries sustained in an accident during the race. Driver at Indy 500 meets safety crew member he nearly killed 25 years ago Fletcher warned Smiley that he should seek experience from more experienced, older drivers. So he was cocky, BIG DEAL! ''It was very similar, they tell me, to the accident Ongais had,'' Fletcher said. The Decapitated heads of guillotine victims continued moving for up to 30 seconds after death.A quote Dr. Beaurieux, who experimented with the head of a condemned prisoner by the name of Henri Languille, on 28 June 1905: Here, then, is what I was able to note immediately after the decapitation: the eyelids and lips of the guillotined man worked in irregularly rhythmic contractions for about five or six seconds. He made a mistake too many, had an accident and paid the price and we should pay him respect! Smiley's racer, Fletcher said, ''hit it dead on. 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. In 1982, record speeds were being set during qualification for the 1982 Indianapolis 500. Jim Clark thought so. The race and Qualifying went on, but media outrage was swift. There was a spectator death in 1987 from an errant tire though. 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. Smiley, whose helmet came off, was entangled in one of the three pieces. 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. A life-sized monument to her remains to this day. Medical personnel quickly went to Gordon's aid, but he died on impact due to massive head injuries. When I reached the car, I was shocked to see that Smiley's helmet was gone, along with the top of his skull. Smiley told the owner of the car he was driving, Bob . Last sunset 9/10/2001 - Twin Towers. Gordon Smiley was inducted into the Nebraska Auto Racing Hall of Fame in 2000 (via NARHOF). The. 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. 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. Several veteran drivers had warned him that he was in way over his head, driving all wrong for the Speedway. Please do enlighten me. The Spanish Flu killed over 3% of the world's population in 1918. In the off-season he worked a different job every year, usually in sales or office management. 108302-mainComedian Rickey Smiley reveals his eldest son Brandon has passed away at. The car turned to the right, directly into the wall. Smiley told the owner of the car he was driving, Bob Fletcher, that he was going to try and go for 200 miles per hour "or die trying," per Car Throttle. 6. Smiley began racing at age 19. Originally posted by ghinzani Re your last question old_school theres also the factor, oft repudiated, that Smiley was indulging in what the Whittingtons were so famous for. ''Not good,'' said a woman standing close to Mrs. Smiley. On May 15, 1982, Gordon Smiley got ready for the qualifiers for the Indy 500. The disease turns the immune system against vital organs, so those with the strongest immune systems were more likely to die. 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. In 35 Years, IndyCar has turned an unsurvivable accident into only a broken pelvis and a fractured hip, while still gaining 30 mph around the track. The speeds had risen so dramatically at Indianapolis this year, in part through the widespread use of ground effects, an innovation introduced here in 1979. Originally posted by Flat Black Don't insult my intelligence, fines, by suggesting that I was insulting Gordon's. 7 Nearly-Extinct Animals and the Wine That Pairs Best With Them, 5 Haunting Images You Wont Be Able To Shake, Kid Wearing A 'Sons of Anarchy' Vest Gets Berated By Real Biker, Remember When that Douchebag Drop Kicked Arnold Schwarzenegger At Event in South Africa, 29 Darn Fine Memes That Arrived in the Nick of Time, 32 Expensive Fails That Ruined Someone's Day, 29 Awesome Randoms For Your Ocular Enjoyment, Monday Morning Randomness: 63 Pics, Memes, and Everything in Between. Contents 1 SCCA and Road Racing Career 2 Indy career 3 Indy 500 results 4 See also 5 References Originally posted by MPea3 That is pure conjecture. He had a gaping wound in his side that looked as if he had been attacked by a large shark. Gordon was a VERY aggressive driver, fearless beyond reason IMO. But with possible life threatening injuries. The refuse truck turned up and they threw the remains on the back of the truck and took it away. Octavia Hatcher was buried alive.Octavia was bitten by a tstete fly and presumed dead. Nothing is said much of his fatal accident, other than the car broke apart and he suffered massive head and chest trauma. Officials initially started treating it as oil, but it was soon discovered that it was Smileys brain matter, which had been scattered across the track. I rode to the care center with the body. Today, after Smiley had died, the three remaining pieces of the car were brought back to the garage in three tow trucks. '', 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. 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. But his decisions and his engineering were factors. There is a warm up lap before each run which is used to warm up the tires, but Smiley was pushing the car, hard. As he was preparing to leave for the airport, Smiley asked people to pray for him and his family.\"I just want all my cousins and different family members to pray, be strong, and Im OK,\"Smiley said. I can see the crash with my minds eye after it's replay that night on ESPN (or somethin'). At the end of the third turn, at the northeast corner of the 2.5-mile oval, the rear of the car began to veer slightly to the right. 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. Many veterans had warned Smiley that if his car broke traction, to not try to correct, as the road racer was used to. 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. So do you think that the safety engineering has progressed to such a point that a driver could survive a near head-on impact with a wall at around 200 mph? 2. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. Inside The Tragic Death Of Race Car Driver Gordon Smiley. Copyright 2023 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved. GORDON SMILEY CRASH - YouTube See the article in its original context from. Brandon Smiley Last Emotional video Before Death _ Comedian Rickey smiley Son Br. One of the most famous war photographs ever taken. Gordon 0 references date of birth 20 April 1946 2 references place of birth Omaha 1 reference date of death 15 May 1982 2 references place of death Indianapolis Motor Speedway 0 references manner of death accident 0 references cause of death blast injury 0 references occupation racing driver 0 references racing automobile driver 1 reference sport On May 15, 1982, Gordon Smiley got ready for the qualifiers for the Indy 500. 1:13. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. His body will be taken to Omaha for burial. The back end stepped out, Bourdias corrected, and the car went straight into the wall at 230 mph. ''I sure didn't want to run a fifth one,'' he said, and everyone laughed. Not a good thing for a rookie to be doing.Was Mickey Thompson to blame for the deaths of McDonald and Sachs? Son of radio host and comic Rickey Smiley dies - Los Angeles Times 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). Mears went even faster on his next two laps. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. 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. Foyt said after the accident. 8 of The Creepiest Historical Facts That Will Chill You to the Bone