Indianapolis 500 and NASCAR veteran and icon Paul Goldsmith has died at the age of 98. News of his death was confirmed by the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and NASCAR.
A native of West Virginia, Goldsmith grew up in Detroit, Michigan, and began racing motorcycles as a teenager after the end of World War II. He became an American Motorcyclist Association expert on Harley-Davidson machines, earning his biggest two-wheeled triumph at the Daytona 200 and ending Harley-Davidson’s drought in that event, according to a NASCAR news release.
He balanced his winning habits while working full time at the Detroit Chrysler plant, the Speedway said in its own news release.
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In addition to his motorcycle racing, Goldsmith also tried his hand at stock car racing, winning a 250-mile race in 1953 at the Detroit Fairgrounds, according to the Speedway. He made his final motorcycle start in 1956 before concentrating on stock car racing.
He earned his first NASCAR victory that year in a 300-mile race at Langhorne on legendary car owner Smokey Yunick’s team, NASCAR said.
“Paul Goldsmith had more natural talent than any driver I ever dealt with,” Yunick is quoted as saying in Peter Golenbock’s 1993 book “American Zoom.” “He was a very, very quiet, friendly guy … with good manners. He was a very, very fast race car driver and he had extremely fast reflexes. Within three or four races, he was as good as you could get.”
Goldsmith has the distinction of being the last NASCAR Grand National winner at the old Daytona Beach Speedway in 1958. It was the end of an era as the 2.5-mile Daytona International Speedway opened the following year.
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In 1959, Goldsmith teamed up with another legendary car owner – Ray Nichels – and dominated the U.S. Auto Club Stock Car circuit, winning 26 times in 85 starts, according to the Speedway.
He joined NASCAR in 1964 and won nine races and had 59 top-10 finishes in 127 starts, according to the Speedway. His last NASCAR victory came in 1966 at Bristol (Tennessee) Motor Speedway.
Goldsmith competed in the Indianapolis 500 six times, according to NASCAR. His best performance came in 1960, when he finished third.
Goldsmith, who officially retired from racing in 1960, is credited with helping develop water-circulating technology that served as a precursor to the wetsuit technology relied upon by modern racing drivers.
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Goldsmith was inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 1999, the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 2008 and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame in 2016.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Helen, and his son, Greg, the Speedway reported. He is survived by his daughter, Linda Goldsmith-Slifer.
