Mark Smith (American racing driver)

For the English touring car driver, see Mark Smith (British racing driver).
Mark Smith
Nationality American
Born (1967-04-10) April 10, 1967
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[2]
Formula Super Vee: Smith leading Groff at the 1988 Grand Prix of Cleveland
Indy Lights: Smith qualifying at Phoenix International Raceway 1991
CART: Smith driving for Arciero at the 1993 Long Beach Grand Prix

Mark Smith (born April 10, 1967, Portland, Oregon) is an American racing driver. Now retired, he competed in the CART IndyCar Series.

Career

Smith entered karting competition at the age of 14 and won 6 championships in multiple IKF divisions.[3] In 1985 he moved up to Formula Ford scoring 4 race wins in two seasons and then advanced to Formula Super Vee.[3]

After winning the 1989 United States Formula Super Vee Championship[4] with 5 wins and 4 poles,[5] Mark raced in Indy Lights from 1990 to 1992, finishing 3rd in series points his rookie year,[6] and 2nd in 1991[7] capturing 3 wins and 5 poles along the way .

In 1993 Mark moved up to the CART Indy Car Series racing primarily on road and street circuits for Arciero Racing.[8] Smith qualified twice for the 1993 Indianapolis 500 but was bumped from the field.[9] 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.[10] Mark qualified for the 1994 Indianapolis 500 and 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. On the following lap he crashed heavily into turn two.[11]

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

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[12]
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[13]

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[14]

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

Film and photography

Smith has produced a number of short films including Denmark and A House, A Home.[15][16] He is the co-author of two photography books The Powder Road and Österlandet.[17][18] Smith is a graduate of University of Oregon.

References

  1. ↑
    • Dealey, Arley (March 9, 1989). "Peter Jackson Formula Pacific Championship Rounds 9 & 10". On Track Auto Racing Magazine. USA: 43.
  2. ↑
    • Ryan, Michael (April 7, 1991). "How One Young Man Says Thank You, Motorsport's Rookie of the Year". Parade Magazine. USA: 4–5, 7.
  3. 1 2 Portland's Indy Car Future (June 22, 1990). Portland International Raceway Official Program (USA): 85, retrieved December 10, 2011
  4. ↑
    • Philips, David (December 14, 1989). "Marching Ahead". On Track Auto Racing Magazine (Volume 9, No. 24 ed.). USA: 21.
  5. ↑
    • Phillips, David (December 14, 1989). "Mark of the Future". On Track Auto Racing Magazine (Volume 9, No. 24 ed.). USA: 22–26.
  6. ↑
    • Shaw, Jeremy (December 13, 1990). "Tracy's Racing Series". On Track Auto Racing Magazine (Volume 10, No. 24 ed.). USA: 38–40, 42–43.
  7. ↑
    • Shaw, Jeremy (December 13, 1991). "Rolling with the Punches". On Track Auto Racing Magazine; Volume 10, No. 24 (Volume 11, No. 24 ed.). USA: 36–40.
  8. ↑
    • "One To Watch: Mark Smith". Auto Sport. UK, USA. September 9, 1993.
  9. ↑
    • Indy Hell Week. On Track Magazine, June 18th, 1993. Retrieved on November 14, 2011.
  10. ↑ Mittman, Dick. 'Curse Of The Smiths' Remains Part Of Indianapolis 500 Lore, Indy500.com, November 4, 2004
  11. ↑
    • Tuttle, Tim (June 17th, 1994). Time Trials: Chasing Shadows. Retrieved on November 14, 2011.
  12. ↑
    • Phillips, David (December 12, 1988). "All the Answers (1988 Super Vee Season Review)". On Track Auto Racing Magazine. USA: 34–39.
  13. ↑
    • Phillips, David (January 1990). "True To Form (1989 Super Vee Season Review)". On Track Auto Racing Magazine. USA: 42–45.
  14. ↑
    • Dealey, Arley (February 9 – 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).
  15. ↑ Cusick, Dave. "Exclusive Video Premiere: Alialujah Choir's "A House, A Home"". Oregon Public Broadcasting. Archived from the original on 22 January 2013. Retrieved 22 January 2013.
  16. ↑ White, Ryan. "Portland's Alialujah Choir sings praises of no-stress work ethic". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on 21 February 2013. Retrieved 21 February 2013.
  17. ↑ "The Powder Road: Beautiful". SkiPressWorld.com. Ski Press. Retrieved 24 November 2012.
  18. ↑
    • Burk, Bibliotekstjänst AB. "", "Swedish Royal Library", 2008. Retrieved on October 30, 2010.
Sporting positions
Preceded by
Ken Murillo		 Formula Super Vee Series Champion
1989 		Succeeded by
Stuart Crow
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