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Sad to hear that Stanley Smith passed away yesterday morning at the age of 71. Smith was a NASCAR staple for a few years in the early 90s with a legacy still felt.
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Stanley Smith won the championship in NASCAR's All-American late model series in 1989. His crew chief was Philippe Lopez, who later worked for DEI, AJ Foyt, and Bill Davis among others.
Away from the track, Smith owned a drywall business in Alabama.
Away from the track, Smith owned a drywall business in Alabama.
Smith surprised the NASCAR world when he qualified 12th for his debut Cup race at Talladega in July 1990. He was an regular short tracker who owned his own team, with a life outside of racing, suddenly at the top level. A great everyman, underdog story.
On lap 55, Smith spun on pit road and hit 4 members of Tracy Leslie's pit crew. They were banged up but had no significant injuries. It was one of the incidents that led to the pit road speed limit being created one year later.
Smith drove a part time Cup schedule in 1991 and 1992, bringing Interstate Batteries into NASCAR. He won the ARCA race at Michigan in August '91.
At the start of 1992, Interstate also began sponsoring Joe Gibbs Racing. They left Smith at the end of 92.
At the start of 1992, Interstate also began sponsoring Joe Gibbs Racing. They left Smith at the end of 92.
Chad Knaus began his NASCAR career working for Stanley Smith in 1991 and 1992.
"He trusted us a lot to do our jobs, and he trusted us to do a lot of jobs. It taught me responsibility and detail. Working for Stanley was a good experience," Knaus said in 2004
"He trusted us a lot to do our jobs, and he trusted us to do a lot of jobs. It taught me responsibility and detail. Working for Stanley was a good experience," Knaus said in 2004
The end of Stanley Smith's Cup career came in the 1993 Diehard 500 at Talladega. On lap 70, Smith made contact with Kenny Wallace and set off a crash in turn 1. While Jimmy Horton flipped over the wall, Smith's #49 hit the wall head-on at a terrible angle.
Smith suffered a basal skull fracture, torn carotid artery, and severed nerves. He was bleeding so badly that safety workers didnt even want to go near the car. His white firesuit was soaked with blood down to his knees.
Doctors gave Smith 11 units of blood, almost as much as the average body holds. He had transfusions going into both arms at once to quickly get it all into him. As a lasting effect of the nerve damage, the left side of his head was numb for the rest of his life.
While Stanley Smith was in the hospital, Bobby Allison visited him 5 times. Smith was brought to the same hospital that Davey Allison died at just two weeks earlier. I can't imagine the strength it took Bobby to go back there so soon and visit a friend so often.
Smith ate breakfast at Krispy Kreme in Daytona with Neil Bonnett on February 11, 1994. Smith was already planning a comeback at Talladega in Cup in July 1994, and arranged to rent a car from Morgan-McClure. But when Bonnett died a few hours later, Smith changed his mind and quit.
Stanley kept the car he almost died in and had it sitting behind his shop. "I go out there and look at it every now and then think about how I nearly lost my life in it," Smith said in 2004.
After a few years, Smith returned to late model racing. He won an All-Pro Series race at Kentucky Speedway in 2004 at the age of 54 to complete his comeback. Smith retired from driving after finishing 33rd in the 2008 Snowball Derby.
Stanley Smith's best Cup finish was 21st. While he never had big success, he was one of the people that make auto racing so great. A hard-working person with a love for the sport who tried to succeed. He brought sponsors and people into NASCAR that are still there today. RIP
