Guy Smith (racing driver)

Guy Smith
Nationality British
24 Hours of Le Mans career
Participating years 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011
Teams Johansson-Matthews Racing, Team Bentley, Audi Sport UK Team Veloqx, Quifel ASM Team, Rebellion Racing
Best finish 1st (2003)
Class wins 1 (2003)

Guy Smith (born 12 September 1974) is a British professional racing driver who has competed in various levels of motorsport, most notably the 24 Hours of Le Mans, which he won in 2003, and the American Le Mans Series, which he won in 2011.

Racing career

Early career

Born in Beverley, Smith started racing karts in 1987, winning the British Championship, and in 1991 finished second in the Senior World Championship.[1] In 1991 he entered his first car race, competing in the Formula First Winter Series, finishing second overall.[2] In 1992 he entered the Formula Vauxhall Junior, finishing second overall in the championship, with five wins.[3] In 1993, he entered the British Formula Ford series, once again finishing runner-up,[4] whilst also finishing fourth in the Formula Ford Festival, driving for Swift Racing Cars in both series.[5]

For 1994, Guy moved to the Formula Vauxhall Lotus series, finishing fourth overall, whilst also managing to finish sixth overall in the Formula Opel Lotus Nations Cup.[1] 1995 proved to be a breakthrough year, with Guy winning the British Formula Renault Championship,[6] finishing fourth overall in the Formula Renault Eurocup (both times driving for Manor Motorsport testing a Williams Formula 1 car. In 1996, he made the switch to the British Formula 3, driving for Fortec Motorsport winning his first race in the series,[7] eventually finishing sixth overall.[1] He also entered that year's Macau Grand Prix, finishing tenth for the TOM's team, and entered the Masters of Formula 3 race, failing to finish.[1]

He remained in the British F3 for 1997, but had a less successful year, finishing ninth overall, with an eighteenth place in the Masters of Formula 3, driving in both for DC Cook Motorsports.[1] He also made his debut in the FIA GT Championship, driving for the Cirtek Motorsport team in their GT2-class Saleen Mustang at the Spa 4 Hours, finishing 25th overall, and 13th in class.[8] In 1998 he moved to America to contest the Indy Lights series, driving for Johansson Motorsports, where he finished third in the Championship and being crowned 'Rookie of the Year'.[9] He remained in the series for 1999, moving to Forsythe Racing, but was less successful, finishing just ninth overall.[1]

2000-2002

In 2000, Smith made the switch to the American Le Mans Series, entering ten events for Johansson-Matthews Racing,[10] finishing fifteenth in class.[11] He also competed in the then-new Rolex Sports Car Series, entering the 24 Hours of Daytona for the Johansson-Matthews Racing team, and finishing fourth in class.[12] He also made his 24 Hours of Le Mans debut that year, driving once more for Johansson-Matthews Racing,[13] but the team would fail to finish due to engine failure,[14] with some consolation for Guy coming from being awarded the "Rookie of the Year" title.[15]

For 2001, Guy moved to the new IMSA-run European Le Mans Series, once more racing for Johansson Racing, whom were entering an Audi R8.[16] He competed in the first three races, finishing ninth overall in the championship.[17] Smith also entered the FIA Sportscar Championship race at Monza for Redman Bright, qualifying on pole, but eventually finishing last of the four finishers.[18] He entered the 24 Hours of Le Mans once more, this time driving for the works Team Bentley.[19] The race was not successful, with the car catching fire with Smith at the wheel, and being forced to retire.[20]

2002 saw Smith being less active: a second place at that year's Daytona 24 Hours was his solitary entry of the season.[21] He spent the majority of the year testing for Team Bentley as their official test driver, due to their decision to only enter one car at that year's 24 Hours of Le Mans race.[22]

2003-2005

He was more active in 2003, competing for Bentley in the 12 Hours of Sebring, part of the American Le Mans Series,[23] finishing fourth overall in Bentley's first North American race for over 70 years.[24] This was followed by an overall win at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, with co-drivers Tom Kristensen and Rinaldo Capello, once more driving the Bentley Speed 8.[25] Following his Le Mans 24 Hours victory, Smith entered the Spa 24 Hours, part of the FIA GT Championship, driving for Team Maranello Concessionaires in an N-GT class Ferrari 360 Modena.[26] He also drove for the team in the Donington Park round of the championship.[27] He also entered his first, and to date only, Race of Champions event.[28] Towards the end of the year, Smith drove a Peugeot 206 XS rally car at a test session, held by ProSpeed Motorsport at the RallyDrive School in Lincolnshire.[29]

In 2004, he once more only entered two prototype races, finishing third at the 12 Hours of Sebring, driving for Audi Sport UK Team Veloqx.[30] He also finished second overall at Le Mans, driving once more for Audi, with Johnny Herbert and Jamie Davies as his co-drivers.[31] However, that year Smith made his Champ Car World Series debut, during the second half of the season, driving for Paul Gentilozzi's Rocketsports team.[32] His best finishes were a pair of ninth places,[33] and he finished 18th overall.[1]

For 2005, Guy competed in the first seven races of the Grand Am Rolex Series, finishing 36th in class,[34] driving a Riley Mk XI Pontiac entered by Orbit Racing. His best result was an eighth placing at the 6 Hours of Watkins Glen race.[35] He also competed in both the 12 Hours of Sebring, and the Petit Le Mans, driving a Dyson Racing Team-entered MG-Lola EX257, both races being part of the American Le Mans Series, with a second placing overall at the latter race being his best result.[36] His other entry that year came as part of the Le Mans Endurance Series, where he finished second in the LMP2 class for Chamberlain Synergy Motor, driving a Lola B05/40 AER at the 1000km of Istanbul.[37]

2006-2008

Smith opened up his 2006 season with a 14th place overall (10th in class) at the Daytona 24 Hours, driving for Howard - Boss Motorsports in their Crawford DP03 Pontiac.[38] He competed in ten further races for the team that year, which ran under the HBM banner in the Rolex Sports Car Series (four races total in this series), and the Dyson Racing banner in ALMS races (seven races total).[1] His best finish of the RSCS season was a seventh place at the Linder-Komatsu Grand Prix of Miami,[39] whilst his best finish of the ALMS season was a second place at the Grand Prix of Mosport.[40] Despite only competing in 70% of the races, Smith finished sixth overall in the ALMS that year.[1]

Like in 2006, Smith started his 2007 season at the Daytona 24 Hours, driving for Howard Motorsports. However, it would not prove to be a successful race, with the team retiring after 295 laps.[41] For the first time, he entered a full ALMS season, once more for Dyson Racing, who were now running the Porsche RS Spyder.[42] His best overall finish was a third at the Petit Le Mans, with the second in the LMP2 class also being his best result of the season.[43] He finished fourth in the class championship.[1]

Smith remained with Dyson Racing for 2008, who were still running the Porsche RS Spyders.[44] Although prior to the start of the season Smith had hoped to take the team's first win,[45] the season would prove to be less successful, with one class podium, at the 12 Hours of Sebring,[46] only being enough for a sixth place championship finish.[1] For the first time in four years, Smith returned to Le Mans, driving the Quifel ASM Team's Lola B05/40 AER, alongside Miguel Amaral and Olivier Pia.[47] Although only finishing 20th overall, the trio did manage to finish fifth in class.[48]

2009-2011

For 2009, Smith once more remained with Dyson Racing, who were now entering the new Lola B09/86 Mazda LMP2-class cars.[49] He finished fourth overall,[1] and drove a biofuel-powered version of the car in the last two races, which rendered him ineligible for points in those events.[50] He made his first appearance in the Le Mans Series, and a LMP1-spec car, for several years at the 1000 km of Spa, driving the Team LNT-entered Ginetta-Zytek GZ09S, and finishing sixteenth overall, eleventh in class.[51] Smith also returned to the 24 Hours of Le Mans, once more driving for the Quifel ASM Team alongside Miguel Amaral and Olivier Pia, but this time the team had entered the Ginetta-Zytek GZ09S/2 LMP2-class car. The race proved to be fruitless, with a fuel line failure, plus Amaral crashing out, forcing the team to retire the car.[52]

Smith remained with Dyson Racing for the 2010 ALMS. He entered eight of the nine races, finishing sixth overall, and taking his, and the team's, first victory in ALMS at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Challenge.[53] It was announced on 15 February 2010 that Smith would be competing in the 2010 24 Hours of Le Mans with the Rebellion Racing Team driving a Lola B10/60 in the LMP1 class.[54] Although targeting an overall victory,[55] the team were forced to retire, after Jean-Christophe Boullion crashed the Lola B10/60-Rebellion out of eleventh place.[56] He also drove for Rebellion in the 8 Hours of Castellet, part of the Le Mans Series, where he finished third overall.[57]

For the seventh successive year, Smith remained with Dyson Racing in the American Le Mans Series, driving with Chris Dyson.[58] The team took the title with one race to go,[59] at the American Le Mans Monterey, where they finished second overall.[60] They had also been involved in a very close race at the Road Race Showcase, held at the Road America track, losing by just 0.112 seconds to the Muscle Milk Racing of Klaus Graf and Lucas Luhr.[61] He also entered the 24 Hours of Le Mans with Rebellion Racing, for the second time in a row, but the events of the previous year repeated themselves, with Boullion crashing out of the race, forcing the team to retire the car.[62]

2012-2013

For 2012, Smith returned with Dyson Racing, now driving a new Lola B12/60 Mazda, to defend his ALMS title, but came up 9 points short, finishing in second place.[63] Smith was involved in the series' closest ever finish, at the Road Race Showcase, winning by just 0.083 seconds from Muscle Milk Racing.[61] Although initially signed up to drive for Dyson in their first ever 24 Hours of Le Mans race,[64] the team withdrew from the event due to financial reasons, and Smith did not compete.[65] Smith did, however, make an appearance at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, driving several Bentleys, including the new Continental GT Speed.[66] He had also driven one of the parade Continental GT Speeds at the 24 Hours of Nürburgring.[67]

For the ninth successive season, Smith remained with Dyson Racing for the 2013 American Le Mans Series.[68] Electrical and mechanical gremlins forced him out of the 12 Hours of Sebring, after just 81 laps.[69]

Motorsports Career Results

Le Mans

Year Team Co-Drivers Car Class Laps Pos. Class
Pos.
2000 United States Johansson-Matthews Racing Sweden Stefan Johansson
United States Jim Matthews		 Reynard 2KQ-LM-Judd LMP900 133 DNF DNF
2001 United Kingdom Team Bentley United Kingdom Martin Brundle
Monaco Stéphane Ortelli		 Bentley EXP Speed 8 LMGTP 56 DNF DNF
2003 United Kingdom Team Bentley Denmark Tom Kristensen
Italy Rinaldo Capello		 Bentley Speed 8 LMGTP 377 1st 1st
2004 United Kingdom Audi Sport UK Team Veloqx United Kingdom Johnny Herbert
United Kingdom Jamie Davies		 Audi R8 LMP1 379 2nd 2nd
2008 Portugal Quifel ASM Team Portugal Miguel Amaral
France Olivier Pla		 Lola B05/40-AER LMP2 325 20th 4th
2009 Portugal Quifel ASM Team Portugal Miguel Amaral
France Olivier Pla		 Ginetta-Zytek GZ09S/2 LMP2 46 DNF DNF
2010 Switzerland Rebellion Racing Italy Andrea Belicchi
France Jean-Christophe Boullion		 Lola B10/60-Judd LMP1 143 DNF DNF
2011 Switzerland Rebellion Racing Italy Andrea Belicchi
France Jean-Christophe Boullion		 Lola B10/60-Toyota LMP1 190 DNF DNF

Champ Car

(key)

Year Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Rank Points
2004 Rocketsports United States
LBH
 		 Mexico
MTY
 		 United States
MIL
 		 United States
POR
 		 United States
CLE
 		 Canada
TOR
 		 Canada
VAN
 		 United States
ROA
10		 United States
DEN
18		 Canada
MTL
16		 United States
LS
9		 United States
LVS
17		 Australia
SRF
9		 Mexico
MXC
17		 18th 53

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 "Guy Smith career statistics". Driver Database. Retrieved 14 April 2013.
  2. ↑ "Career". Guy Smith. Retrieved 14 April 2013.
  3. ↑ "Guy Smith — Team Info". Dyson Racing. Retrieved 14 April 2013.
  4. ↑ "UK Formula Ford Championship Results 1993 - 2003" (PDF). Formula Ford Zetec. Retrieved 14 April 2013.
  5. ↑ "Formula Ford Festival Results 1993 - 2005" (PDF). Formula Ford Zetec. Retrieved 14 April 2013.
  6. ↑ "Le Mans Victor Smith Aiming To Repeat His Success". RenaultSport. 9 June 2004. Retrieved 14 April 2013.
  7. ↑ "Guy Smith – What Do You Do After Winning Le Mans?". dailysportscar.com. Retrieved 14 April 2013.
  8. ↑ "FIA GT 1997". World Sports Racing Prototypes. Retrieved 14 April 2013.
  9. ↑ "Road America: Rocketsports sign Guy Smith". Motorsport.com. 3 August 2004. Retrieved 14 April 2004.
  10. ↑ "Guy Smith". American Le Mans Series. Retrieved 14 April 2013.
  11. ↑ "2000 American Le Mans Series standings". race-database.com. Retrieved 14 April 2013.
  12. ↑ "Grand-Am 2000". World Sports Racing Prototypes. Retrieved 14 April 2013.
  13. ↑ "Guy Smith prepares for Le Mans 24 Hour race debut". Motorsport.com. 13 June 2000. Retrieved 14 April 2013.
  14. ↑ "2000 24 Hours of Le Mans". Racing-Reference.info. Retrieved 14 April 2013.
  15. ↑ "Guy Smith wins rookie of the year trophy at Le Mans". Motorsport.com. 17 June 2000. Retrieved 14 April 2013.
  16. ↑ "GUY SMITH TEAMS UP WITH STEFAN JOHANSSON AT DONINGTON PARK". Professional Sports Car Racing. 4 April 2001. Retrieved 14 April 2013.
  17. ↑ "ELMS — final positions and tables". World Sports Racing Prototypes. Retrieved 14 April 2013.
  18. ↑ "Results: Monza, Race 2, FIA Sportscar Championship, Season 2001". Speedsport Magazine. Retrieved 14 April 2013.
  19. ↑ "Bentley announces final three drivers". Motorsport.com. 27 February 2001. Retrieved 14 April 2013.
  20. ↑ "Bentley #7 succumbs to electrics". Motorsport.com. 18 June 2001. Retrieved 14 April 2013.
  21. ↑ "2002 Rolex 24 at Daytona". Racing-Reference.info. Retrieved 14 April 2013.
  22. ↑ "Guy Smith tests for Bentley". Motorsports.com. 23 April 2002. Retrieved 14 April 2013.
  23. ↑ "Bentley returns to North American at Sebring". Motorsport.com. 28 February 2003. Retrieved 14 April 2013.
  24. ↑ "51ST ANNUAL MOBIL 1 12 HOURS OF SEBRING OFFICIAL RESULTS" (PDF). IMSA. 21 April 2003. Retrieved 14 April 2013.
  25. ↑ "Bentley claim Le Mans crown". BBC. 15 June 2003. Retrieved 2 February 2010.
  26. ↑ "Guy Smith to drive for Team Maranello Concessionaires at Spa". FIA GT Championship. 29 May 2003. Retrieved 14 April 2013.
  27. ↑ "TMC to enter three Ferraris at Donington event". Motorsports.com. 18 June 2003. Retrieved 14 April 2013.
  28. ↑ "Guy Smith to compete in Race of Champions". Motorsport.com. 26 November 2003. Retrieved 16 April 2013.
  29. ↑ "Guy Smith on his Peugeot 206 rally test". Motorsport.com. 13 December 2003. Retrieved 16 April 2013.
  30. ↑ "52nd ANNUAL MOBIL 1 TWELVE HOURS OF SEBRING OFFICIAL RESULTS" (PDF). IMSA. 20 March 2004. Retrieved 16 April 2013.
  31. ↑ "Audi race report". Motorsport.com. 13 June 2004. Retrieved 14 April 2013.
  32. ↑ "Smith seals Champ Cars deal". BBC. 3 August 2004. Retrieved 14 April 2013.
  33. ↑ "Guy Smith 2004 Champ Car World Series". Racing-Reference.info. Retrieved 14 April 2013.
  34. ↑ "Grand American Rolex Series Driver Point Standings (2005)" (PDF). IMSA. Retrieved 16 April 2013.
  35. ↑ "Grand-Am 2005 - 6 h Watkins Glen". World Sports Racing Prototypes. Retrieved 16 April 2013.
  36. ↑ "ALMS 2005". World Sports Racing Prototypes. Retrieved 16 April 2013.
  37. ↑ "Race results — Istanbul 1000km — Le Mans Results — Nov 2005". Crash.Net. 13 November 2005. Retrieved 16 April 2013.
  38. ↑ "Daytona 24: HBM/Dyson race report". Motorsport.com. 1 February 2006. Retrieved 16 April 2013.
  39. ↑ "250 mile Homestead — Grand-Am 2006". World Sports Racing Prototypes. Retrieved 16 April 2013.
  40. ↑ "2 h 45 min Mosport — ALMS 2006". World Sports Racing Prototypes. Retrieved 16 April 2013.
  41. ↑ "24 h Daytona — Grand-Am 2007". World Sports Racing Prototypes. Retrieved 16 April 2013.
  42. ↑ Freeman, Glenn (30 December 2006). "Smith confident of wins in 2007 - ALMS news". AUTOSPORT.com. Retrieved 16 April 2013.
  43. ↑ "Road Atlanta: Porsche race report". Motorsport.com. 6 October 2007. Retrieved 16 April 2013.
  44. ↑ "Dyson Racing announces 2008 lineup". Motorsport.com. 19 January 2008. Retrieved 16 April 2013.
  45. ↑ "Guy Smith season preview". Motorsport.com.
  46. ↑ "12 h Sebring — ALMS 2008". World Sports Racing Prototypes. Retrieved 16 April 2013.
  47. ↑ English, Steven (15 February 2008). "Guy Smith returns to Le Mans — Le Mans news". AUTOSPORT.com. Retrieved 16 April 2013.
  48. ↑ "Race results — Le Mans 24 Hours — Jun 2008". Crash.Net. 15 June 2008. Retrieved 16 April 2013.
  49. ↑ "Dyson Racing announces driver lineup". Motorsport.com. 20 January 2009. Retrieved 16 April 2013.
  50. ↑ "Dyson Racing Running on Butanol Blend in ALMS". Green Car Congress. 26 September 2009. Retrieved 16 April 2013.
  51. ↑ "Le Mans Series at Spa-Francorchamps". Guy Smith. 10 May 2009. Retrieved 16 April 2013.
  52. ↑ "Le Mans 24 Hours 2009 result". Guy Smith. 19 June 2009. Retrieved 16 April 2013.
  53. ↑ "Guy Smith". American Le Mans Series. Retrieved 21 April 2013.
  54. ↑ Dagys, John (15 February 2010). "LE MANS: Guy Smith Joins Rebellion Racing". SPEED.com. Retrieved 21 April 2013.
  55. ↑ "Driffield racing driver Guy Smith targets Le Mans triumph". York Press. 24 February 2010. Retrieved 21 April 2013.
  56. ↑ "Smith disappointed by Rebellion DNF — Le Mans News". Crash.Net. 15 June 2010. Retrieved 21 April 2013.
  57. ↑ Melissen, Wouter. "2010 Le Mans Series Castellet 8 Hours — Report and Slideshow". Ultimatecarpage.com. Retrieved 21 April 2013.
  58. ↑ "Guy Smith to compete in American Le Mans Series for seventh year". York Press. 29 January 2011. Retrieved 21 April 2013.
  59. ↑ "Guy Smith races to American Le Mans Series crown". York Press. 21 September 2011. Retrieved 21 April 2013.
  60. ↑ "2011 Modspace American Le Mans Monterey Presented by Patrón results". race-database.com. Retrieved 21 April 2013.
  61. 1 2 Oreovicz, John (18 August 2012). "American Le Mans Series — Guy Smith wins in amazing finish". ESPN. Retrieved 21 April 2013.
  62. ↑ "Crash thwarts Guy Smith's Le Mans 24 Hour bid". York Press. 14 June 2011. Retrieved 21 April 2013.
  63. ↑ "ALMS Point Standings" (PDF). International Motor Sports Association. 22 October 2012. Retrieved 27 October 2012.
  64. ↑ Fish, James (2 February 2012). "Dyson Racing Bringing Two P1 Prototypes to Le Mans — Motorsports — Sports". Epoch Times. Retrieved 21 April 2013.
  65. ↑ Proffit, Anne (17 April 2012). "Dyson Racing to skip 24 Hours of Le Mans". Motor Authority. Retrieved 21 April 2013.
  66. ↑ Barari, Arman (13 July 2012). "New Bentley Continental GT Speed Comes To Goodwood FoS". Motoward. Retrieved 21 April 2013.
  67. ↑ "BENTLEY ON PARADE AT THE NURBURGRING 24 HOURS". Bentley Motors UK Press. 18 May 2012. Retrieved 21 April 2013.
  68. ↑ "Guy Smith aiming for a flying start to 2013 American Le Mans Series campaign". York Press. 13 March 2013. Retrieved 21 April 2013.
  69. ↑ "Guy Smith stalls in American Le Mans series opener". York Press. 19 March 2013. Retrieved 21 April 2013.

External links

Awards
Preceded by
James Matthews		 Autosport
British Club Driver of the Year
1995 		Succeeded by
Peter Dumbreck
Sporting positions
Preceded by
James Matthews		 British Formula Renault
UK series champion
1995 		Succeeded by
David Cook
Preceded by
Frank Biela
Tom Kristensen
Emanuele Pirro		 Winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans
2003 with:
Tom Kristensen
Rinaldo Capello 		Succeeded by
Seiji Ara
Tom Kristensen
Rinaldo Capello
Preceded by
David Brabham
Simon Pagenaud		 American Le Mans Series champion
2011
with Chris Dyson 		Succeeded by
Klaus Graf
Lucas Luhr
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