Dick Simon
Encyclopedia
Dick Simon is one of the oldest men to ever have raced in the Indianapolis 500. He was 55 years old during his final Indy 500 start in 1988. A multiple starter and top-ten finisher in the race, he also became a car owner, founding Dick Simon Racing
helping to begin the IndyCar
careers of Stéphan Grégoire
, Arie Luyendyk
, Raul Boesel
, and others. Simon also fielded cars for Lyn St. James
. He sold his race team to Andy Evans who formed Team Scandia
in 1997. He was back in the game in the late 90's and entered cars in 2000 and 2001.
in October 1969. He failed to start the race and failed to qualify for the other two races that he attempted that season. He made his race debut the following spring driving a second-hand Vollstedt chassis at Phoenix International Raceway
but was sidelined by magneto
failure after only 4 laps. He made his Indianapolis 500
debut that year and finished in the 14th position. At Ontario Motor Speedway
that September, Simon captured his career-best finish of 3rd place and he finished 10th in the 1970 USAC National Championship
. Simon would continue to be marginally competitive throughout the 1970s, never matching his finishes of the 1970 season. In 1979, Simon sided with USAC during its split with CART
. In being one of the few drivers to complete the USAC schedule, Simon finished 8th in the Championship. In 1980 Simon moved to CART and continued to have little success throughout the 1980s while remaining marginally competitive. He logged his best CART season in 1987 when he made 11 starts and logged two top-tens including a 6th place at the Indy 500, good enough for 20th in the CART Championship. A partial season in 1988 where Simon logged a solid 9th place finish in the Indy 500 was his last as a driver.
Simon's driving career includes 183 starts (115 USAC and 78 CART) over 19 seasons spanning from 1970 to 1988. Among those starts is 17 Indy 500 appearances.
s, Dick Simon Racing being one of the most competitive teams offering race seats to such drivers almost always fielded current-year March
and Lola chassis and had a competitive engine package. In 1989 the team fielded two fully funded drivers in Scott Brayton
and Arie Luyendyk as the team moved towards the front of the pack. Simon fielded a car in the 1992 Indianapolis 500
for Lyn St. James
who became the second woman to drive in the race. Raul Boesel
finished 5th in points with 3 runner-up finishes in 1993, the team's best season result. The team had a difficult 1995 and Simon sold the team to Andy Evans who turned it into Team Scandia
. Simon returned to ownership in the Indy Racing League IndyCar Series
in 1999 but saw little success. The team was shut down after the team's driver Stéphan Grégoire
failed to qualify for the 2001 Indianapolis 500
.
Dick Simon Racing
Dick Simon Racing was a race team owned by racer Dick Simon that competed in the CART Championship Car series from 1983 to 1995 and the Indy Racing League from 1999 to 2001.-CART:...
helping to begin the IndyCar
Champ Car
Champ Car was the name for a class and specification of open wheel cars used in American Championship Car Racing for many decades, primarily for use in the Indianapolis 500 auto race...
careers of Stéphan Grégoire
Stephan Gregoire
Stéphan Grégoire is a French race car driver. Currently living in Carmel, Ind.Gregoire is a veteran of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Rolex Sports Car Series, the Indianapolis 500, and the Indy Racing League. He made 44 IRL starts between 1996 and 2001 with a best finish of 2nd at Pikes Peak...
, Arie Luyendyk
Arie Luyendyk
Arie Luyendyk, originally Arie Luijendijk is a Dutch auto racing driver, twice winner of the Indianapolis 500....
, Raul Boesel
Raul Boesel
Raul de Mesquita Boesel is a former racing driver who raced for the March and Ligier Formula One teams and later raced in Champ Car and the Indy Racing League.He won the 1987 World Sportscar Championship and the 1988 24 Hours of Daytona...
, and others. Simon also fielded cars for Lyn St. James
Lyn St. James
Lyn St. James is a retired professional IndyCar driver with 8 CART and 5 Indy Racing League starts to her name. She is just one of seven women who successfully qualified for the Indianapolis 500, and became the first woman to win the Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year award...
. He sold his race team to Andy Evans who formed Team Scandia
Team Scandia
Team Scandia was a team in the Indy Racing League owned by Andrew L. Evans that fielded a record 7 cars in the 1996 Indianapolis 500. Evans bought the team from Dick Simon during the 1996 season and Simon was listed as the owners of some of Scandia's cars in the 1996 "500"...
in 1997. He was back in the game in the late 90's and entered cars in 2000 and 2001.
Driving career
Simon made his first driving appearance at Pacific RacewaysPacific Raceways
Pacific Raceways is a mixed-use road racing facility near Kent, Washington. The race track was constructed in 1959 and opened in 1960. The track was originally named Pacific Raceways, then became known as Seattle International Raceways in 1976...
in October 1969. He failed to start the race and failed to qualify for the other two races that he attempted that season. He made his race debut the following spring driving a second-hand Vollstedt chassis at Phoenix International Raceway
Phoenix International Raceway
Phoenix International Raceway, also known as PIR, is a one-mile, low-banked tri-oval race track located in Avondale, Arizona. The track opened in 1964 and currently hosts two NASCAR race weekends annually. PIR has also hosted the Indycar Series, CART, USAC and the Rolex Sports Car Series...
but was sidelined by magneto
Magneto
A magneto is a type of electrical generator.Magneto may also refer to:* Magneto , permanent magnetic alternating current rotary generator* ignition magneto, magnetos on internal combustion engines...
failure after only 4 laps. He made his Indianapolis 500
Indianapolis 500
The Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, also known as the Indianapolis 500, the 500 Miles at Indianapolis, the Indy 500 or The 500, is an American automobile race, held annually, typically on the last weekend in May at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana...
debut that year and finished in the 14th position. At Ontario Motor Speedway
Ontario Motor Speedway
The Ontario Motor Speedway, located in Ontario, California, east of Los Angeles, was the first and only automobile racing facility built to accommodate major races sanctioned by all of the four dominant racing sanctioning bodies: IndyCar Series and USAC for open-wheel oval car races; NASCAR for a ...
that September, Simon captured his career-best finish of 3rd place and he finished 10th in the 1970 USAC National Championship
American Championship Car Racing
Since 1916 there has been a recognized United States national automobile racing National Championship for drivers of professional-level, single-seat open wheel race cars. The championship has been under the auspices of several different sanctioning bodies since 1909. Since 1911, the Indianapolis...
. Simon would continue to be marginally competitive throughout the 1970s, never matching his finishes of the 1970 season. In 1979, Simon sided with USAC during its split with CART
Champ Car
Champ Car was the name for a class and specification of open wheel cars used in American Championship Car Racing for many decades, primarily for use in the Indianapolis 500 auto race...
. In being one of the few drivers to complete the USAC schedule, Simon finished 8th in the Championship. In 1980 Simon moved to CART and continued to have little success throughout the 1980s while remaining marginally competitive. He logged his best CART season in 1987 when he made 11 starts and logged two top-tens including a 6th place at the Indy 500, good enough for 20th in the CART Championship. A partial season in 1988 where Simon logged a solid 9th place finish in the Indy 500 was his last as a driver.
Simon's driving career includes 183 starts (115 USAC and 78 CART) over 19 seasons spanning from 1970 to 1988. Among those starts is 17 Indy 500 appearances.
Team ownership
Dick Simon fielded his own race team beginning in 1983 and shortly thereafter began fielding cars for pay driverPay driver
A pay driver is a driver for a professional auto racing team who, instead of being paid by their car owner, drives for free and brings with him either personal sponsorship or personal or family funding to finance the team's operations...
s, Dick Simon Racing being one of the most competitive teams offering race seats to such drivers almost always fielded current-year March
March Engineering
March Engineering was a Formula One constructor and manufacturer of customer racing cars from the United Kingdom. Although only moderately successful in Grand Prix competition, March racing cars enjoyed much better achievement in other categories of competition including Formula Two, Formula Three,...
and Lola chassis and had a competitive engine package. In 1989 the team fielded two fully funded drivers in Scott Brayton
Scott Brayton
Scott Everets Brayton was a race car driver from Coldwater, Michigan, on the American open-wheel circuit. He competed in 14 Indianapolis 500s, beginning with the 1981 event...
and Arie Luyendyk as the team moved towards the front of the pack. Simon fielded a car in the 1992 Indianapolis 500
1992 Indianapolis 500
The 76th Indianapolis 500 was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday, May 24, 1992. The race is famous for the fierce battle in the closing laps, as race winner Al Unser, Jr...
for Lyn St. James
Lyn St. James
Lyn St. James is a retired professional IndyCar driver with 8 CART and 5 Indy Racing League starts to her name. She is just one of seven women who successfully qualified for the Indianapolis 500, and became the first woman to win the Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year award...
who became the second woman to drive in the race. Raul Boesel
Raul Boesel
Raul de Mesquita Boesel is a former racing driver who raced for the March and Ligier Formula One teams and later raced in Champ Car and the Indy Racing League.He won the 1987 World Sportscar Championship and the 1988 24 Hours of Daytona...
finished 5th in points with 3 runner-up finishes in 1993, the team's best season result. The team had a difficult 1995 and Simon sold the team to Andy Evans who turned it into Team Scandia
Team Scandia
Team Scandia was a team in the Indy Racing League owned by Andrew L. Evans that fielded a record 7 cars in the 1996 Indianapolis 500. Evans bought the team from Dick Simon during the 1996 season and Simon was listed as the owners of some of Scandia's cars in the 1996 "500"...
. Simon returned to ownership in the Indy Racing League IndyCar Series
IndyCar Series
The IZOD IndyCar Series is the premier level of American open wheel racing. The current championship, founded by Indianapolis Motor Speedway owner Tony George, began in 1996 as a competitor to CART known as the Indy Racing League . Citing CART's increasing reliance on expensive machinery and...
in 1999 but saw little success. The team was shut down after the team's driver Stéphan Grégoire
Stephan Gregoire
Stéphan Grégoire is a French race car driver. Currently living in Carmel, Ind.Gregoire is a veteran of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Rolex Sports Car Series, the Indianapolis 500, and the Indy Racing League. He made 44 IRL starts between 1996 and 2001 with a best finish of 2nd at Pikes Peak...
failed to qualify for the 2001 Indianapolis 500
2001 Indianapolis 500
The 85th Indianapolis 500 was held at Indianapolis on Sunday, May 27, 2001. Race rookie Hélio Castroneves led the final 52 laps and won his first Indy 500.-Changes for 2001:...
.
Indy 500 results
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- Simon ran over 4000 miles (6,437.4 km) at Indianapolis without ever leading a lap. This is 6th on the all-time list.