Paul Goldsmith, Indianapolis 500 and NASCAR icon, dies at 98

Paul Goldsmith, an Indianapolis 500 and NASCAR veteran and icon, has died at the age of 98. The news of his death was confirmed by the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and NASCAR.

A West Virginia native, 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 — netting his largest two-wheel triumph at the Daytona 200 and ending the Harley-Davidson’s drought in the event, according to a news release from NASCAR.

He balanced his winning ways while working full-time at the Chrysler factory in Detroit, the Speedway said in its own news release.

While racing motorcycles, 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 focusing on stock car racing.

He earned his first NASCAR victory that year in a 300-mile race at Langhorne in the team by legendary car owner Smokey Yunick, NASCAR said.

“Paul Goldsmith had more natural talent than any driver I ever had anything to do with,” Yunick was quoted as saying in Peter Golenbock’s 1993 book, “American Zoom.” “He’s a very, very quiet, likable guy…good manners. A very, very fast race driver and had extremely quick reflexes. Inside of three or four races, he was as good as there was.”

Goldsmith has the distinction of being the final NASCAR Grand National winner on the old beach course in Daytona Beach in 1958. It was the end of an era as the 2.5-mile Daytona International Speedway opened the next year.

In 1959, Goldsmith teamed up with another legendary car owner — Ray Nichels — and went on to dominate the U.S. Auto Club Stock Car circuit, claiming 26 victories in 85 starts, according to the Speedway.

He shifted to NASCAR in 1964 and went on to win nine races and earned 59 top-10 finishes in 127 starts, the Speedway said. His last NASCAR win came in 1966 at Bristol (Tennessee) Motor Speedway.

Goldsmith competed in the Indianapolis 500 on six occasions, NASCAR said. His best performance was in 1960 when he finished in third place.

Goldsmith, who officially stepped away from competitive racing in 1960, is credited with helping to develop water-circulating technology that served as a precursor to the cool-suit technology that modern race car drivers rely on.

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 predeceased by his wife, Helen, and son, Greg, the Speedway reported. He is survived by his daughter, Linda Goldsmith-Slifer.