Sam Schmidt

Sam Schmidt (born August 15, 1964, in Lincoln, Nebraska) is a former Indy Racing League driver and current Verizon IndyCar Series and Firestone Indy Lights series team owner.

Racing career

After graduating from Pepperdine University, he became a successful businessman, eventually purchasing his father's parts company in 1989 at the age of 25. He raced at a competitive amateur level, supported by his business income, but dreamed of someday driving in the Indianapolis 500. He first drove professionally in 1995 in the USAR Hooters Pro Cup Series at the age of 31 which, by racing standards, is an unusually old age to begin a professional career. Nonetheless, he won Rookie of the Year honors.

In 1997 he made his first IRL start and became a rising star in the league, raced in 3 consecutive Indianapolis 500's, and netted his first victory from the pole at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in 1999, finishing fifth in series points that year. During that offseason, while testing in preparation for the 2000 season, Schmidt crashed at Walt Disney World Speedway on January 6, 2000. The accident rendered him a quadriplegic, and put him on a respirator for five months.