Paul Goldsmith, an iconic figure in American stock car racing, has died. The Indianapolis Motor Speedway confirmed Goldsmith’s death on Friday. He was 98.
Goldsmith was born in West Virginia. After initially racing motorcycles, he eventually made the switch to auto racing, but he had success in both domains.
Goldsmith finished in first place in the Daytona 200 motorcycles race in 1953. He is credited with five American Motorcyclist Association wins during his time as a professional motorcycle competitor.
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Goldsmith then moved over to the auto racing side in 1956, when he entered his first NASCAR races. He went on to earn nine wins and eight pole positions in the NASCAR Grand National Series, which is now known as the NASCAR Cup Series.
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Goldsmith will also be remembered for being the final winner of the NASCAR premier-series race on the seminal Daytona Beach and road course in 1958. His success was largely tied to two legendary car owners, Smokey Yunick and Ray Nichels.
Goldsmith competed in the Indianapolis 500 on six occasions. His best performance in the race happened in 1960, when he finished in third place.
Aside from his achievements on the track, Goldsmith left a lasting mark on American motorsports by being at the forefront of technology.
Goldsmith is credited with helping to develop water-circulating technology, which served as a precursor to the cool-suit technology that modern day drivers rely on.
Goldsmith officially stepped away from competitive racing in 1970.
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