Paul Goldsmith

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Paul Goldsmith bigraphy, stories - American racing driver and motorcycle racer

Paul Goldsmith : biography

October 2, 1927 –

Paul Goldsmith (born October 2, 1927 in Parkersburg, West Virginia) is a motorcycle Hall of Famer, Motorsports Hall of Fame of America inductee and former USAC and NASCAR driver. Later in life Goldsmith became a pilot and, flying primarily a Cessna 421, transported engines and parts to and from races.

Indy 500 results

Year Car Start Qual Rank Finish Laps Led Retired
1958 31 16 142.744 24 30 0 0 Crash T3
1959 99 16 142.670 19 5 200 0 Running
1960 99 26 142.783 27 3 200 0 Running
1961 10 17 144.741 25 14 160 0 Connecting Rod
1962 53 26 146.437 26 26 26 0 Magneto
1963 99 9 150.163 5 18 149 0 Crankshaft
Totals 735 0
Starts 6
Poles 0
Front Row 0
Wins 0
Top 5 2
Top 10 2
Retired 4

World Championship career summary

The Indianapolis 500 was part of the FIA World Championship from 1950 through 1960. Drivers competing at Indy during those years were credited with World Championship points and participation. Paul Goldsmith participated in three such World Championship races, finishing fifth in 1959 and third in 1960, earning him a total of six World Championship points.

NASCAR and USAC stock car career

He was the winner of the final race at the famous Daytona Beach Road Course in 1958. He was also the only driver to win the Daytona Beach Road course both in a stock car and on a motorcycle.

Goldsmith was the 1961 USAC Stock Car champion, with 7 poles, 10 wins, 16 top-five finishes in 19 races. Goldsmith won his second consecutive USAC championship in 1962 with 6 poles, 8 wins, and 15 top-five finishes in 20 races.

Championship Car career

Goldsmith competed in 8 races in the USAC Championship Car series, between 1958 and 1963 with 6 of those starts in the Indianapolis 500. He finished in the top five twice at Indy, following up a 5th place finish in 1959 with a 3rd in 1960.

Motorcycle career

Goldsmith was a famous A.M.A. Grand National Championship motorcycle racer during the late 1940s through the mid-1950s. His first victory came in 1952 aboard a Harley Davidson at the Milwaukee Mile in Harley’s hometown. Paul was a full-time worker at a Chrysler plant in Detroit.

His most famous victory was at the 1953 Daytona 200. Later in 1953, he won a event at the grueling Langhorne (Pennsylvania) cinder track. He was awarded the Most Popular Rider of the Year Award for his efforts.

In 1954, Goldsmith had one victory at Charity Newsies at Columbus, Ohio, and four podium finishes. He finished second in the first year of the Grand National Series behind his former pupil Joe Leonard.

In 1955 he won his final AMA event at Schererville, Indiana. He was frequently running stock cars. He left motorcycle racing because he was pressured to run only stock cars by General Motors.