Richard Raymond Simon (born September 21, 1933) is an American former auto racing driver and racing team owner. Simon drove Indy cars in USAC and CART, and made 17 starts at the Indianapolis 500. At the 1988 Indianapolis 500, Simon set a record as the oldest driver in Indy 500 history (54 years, 251 days), a record that was later broken by A. J. Foyt.
Simon was a longtime car owner, founding Dick Simon Racing, helping to begin the Indy car careers of Stéphan Grégoire, Arie Luyendyk, Raul Boesel, Lyn St. James, and many others. Simon had a notable record at the Indy 500. Of the many rookies he entered at Indy over the years, not a single one failed to qualify for the race. Simon never won a race as a driver or as an owner. His best finish as a driver was third at Ontario, and as an owner he had six second-place finishes. Simon had a best finish at the Indianapolis 500 of sixth in 1987 (as a driver), and 4th in 1993 as an owner with Boesel.
Simon sold his race team to Andy Evans who formed Team Scandia in 1997. He returned to Indy car racing in the late 1990s and entered cars in 2000 and 2001.
Early life Simon was born in Seattle, Washington. His mother developed multiple sclerosis, and died at a relatively young age, while Simon's father later left the family. This forced Simon to take over the upbringing of his younger siblings.
After completing his primary education in Seattle, Simon received a skiing scholarship that enabled him to attend the University of Utah. During his collegiate career he was highly decorated, twice winning the Intermountain Ski Jumping championship, and for three consecutive years winning the Landes Memorial Ski Jump, held in Alta, Utah.
Simon began his racing career in 1962, racing super modifieds. Between 1962 and 1967, he won more than 30 races in the western United States, and in 1965 won the South Lake Valley Racing Association championship.
Championship car career Simon made his first USAC Championship car appearance at Seattle International Raceway in 1969, failing to qualify for that as well as two other races that season. Simon made his first start in 1970, driving a second-hand Vollstedt chassis at Phoenix International Raceway, where he sidelined by magneto failure after only four laps. He made his Indianapolis 500 debut that season and finished 14th position. At Ontario Motor Speedway that September, Simon captured his career-best finish of third place, and he finished tenth 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 eighth in the Championship. In 1980, Simon moved to CART and continued to have little success throughout the 1980s while remaining marginally competitive. In 1982, Simon captured national attention after walking away from a spectacular rollover accident at Riverside, an incident that was later showed on ABC's That's Incredible!. He logged his best CART season in 1987 when he made 11 starts and logged two top-tens including a sixth place at the Indy 500, good enough for 20th in the CART championship. A partial season in 1988 where Simon logged a solid ninth-place finish in the Indy 500 was his last as a driver.
Simon's driving career includes 183 starts (115 in USAC, 78 in CART) over 19 seasons spanning from 1970 to 1988. Among those starts are 17 Indianapolis 500 appearances. He completed 1,954 laps in the Indianapolis 500 without leading any, the second highest such total ever.
Team ownership
Simon fielded his own race team beginning in 1983 and shortly thereafter began fielding cars for pay drivers, 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. Simon himself retired from driving in 1988, one of the motivations being his difficulty in finding sponsors for himself as opposed to younger, up and coming drivers, saying in later that sponsors did not "want to sponsor somebody’s hobby, and that’s what they consider when an owner’s out there racing.” 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 fifth in points with three runner-up finishes in 1993, the team's best season result.
At 61 years old, Simon stepped behind the wheel of Davy Jones' car for shakedowns ahead of the 1995 Indianapolis 500, as Jones was in California for a NASCAR event. Overall, 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.
Personal life Simon was an adventurist and enthusiast. He was an experienced skier, scuba diver, registered pilot, sky diver, and parachutist. He was a national champion parachute jumper, and made over 1,600 jumps during the 1960s. In 1970, he left a desk job at an insurance company to pursue a career in auto racing. Simon is married to Dianne. Simon was once questioned by the FBI under the suspicion of being the airplane hijacker D. B. Cooper. He proved that he was discussing sponsorship with the president of General Foods in Upstate New York on the date of the hijack.Simon's Stress - Nrian Schmitz, The Orlando Sentinel, 24 May 1994
Motorsports career results
SCCA National Championship Runoffs
Year Track Car Engine Class Finish Start Status 1968 Riverside Raceway Chevrolet Corvette Chevrolet B Production 3 Running
American open-wheel racing (key) (Races in bold indicate pole position)
USAC Championship Car USAC Championship Car results Year Team Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 Pts 1969 Vollstedt Enterprises Vollstedt 67 Ford 159ci V8t PHX HAN INDY MIL LAN PPR CDR NAZ TRE IRP IRP MIL ISF DOV DSF INF BRN BRN TRE SAC SIRDNS SIR RSDDNS NA - Chevrolet 320 ci V8 PHXDNQ 1970 Racing International Vollstedt 67 Ford 159ci V8t PHX24 TRE9 INDY14 MIL11 LAN9 MCH19 IRP13 ISF MIL ONT3 DSF INF SED TREDNQ PHX9 10th 1080 John Gregg Vollstedt 65 Chevrolet 320 ci V8 SON6 Dayton-Walther Morris 70 Ford 159ci V8t CDR11 Ron Burke Moore 65 D Offy 252 ci SACDNQ 1971 Dick Simon Racing Lola T152 Ford 159ci V8t RAF13 RAF6 PHX12 POC17 MCH15 MIL TRE25 PHX7 20th 405 Vollstedt 67 TRE7 INDY14 MIL9 Peat-Lola ONT22 1972 Dick Simon Racing Peat-Lola Ford 159ci V8t PHX18 TRE14 INDY13 MIL9 MCH7 POC16 TRE16 23rd 200 Lola T152 Foyt 159ci V8t MIL12 ONT Eagle 72 PHX14 1973 Dick Simon Racing Eagle 72 Foyt 159ci V8t TWS6 TRE10 TRE7 INDY14 MIL17 POC12 MIL22 ONT ONT11 ONT22 MCH MCH TRE23 20th 440 Eisenhour-Brayton Racing Team Coyote 72 MCH17 Patrick Racing Eagle 73 Ford 159ci V8t TWS21 PHX8 1974 Dick Simon Racing Eagle 72 Foyt 159ci V8t ONT8 ONT ONT28 PHX13 TRE INDY33 MIL4 POC29 MCH21 PHX15 21st 270 Vollstedt Enterprises Vollstedt 73 Offy 159 ci t MIL11 MCH TRE TRE 1975 Dick Simon Racing Eagle 72 Foyt 159ci V8t ONT ONT13 ONT24 PHX14 TRE8 INDY21 MIL13 POC23 MCH9 MIL17 MCH15 TRE11 PHX13 22nd 220 1976 Vollstedt Enterprises Vollstedt 72/75 Offy 159 ci t PHX7 21st 330 Dick Simon Racing Eagle 72 Foyt 159ci V8t TRE16 MIL14 Vollstedt Enterprises Vollstedt 73/76 Offy 159 ci t INDY32 POC10 MCH19 TWS TRE13 MIL16 ONT30 MCH21 TWS PHX7 1977 Vollstedt Enterprises Vollstedt 73/76 Offy 159 ci t ONT6 PHX7 TWS TRE MIL13 MIL9 24th 360 Vollstedt 77 INDY31 POC16 MOS MCH19 TWS14 ONT33 MCH Lightning Mk1/76 PHX11 1978 Vollstedt Enterprises Vollstedt 77 Offy 159 ci t PHX4 ONT6 TWS TRE INDY19 MOS POC30 MCH13 ATL18 TWS6 MIL21 ONT14 MCH SIL12 BRH7 PHX22 18th 670 Vollstedt 73/76 MIL18 TREDNQ 1979 Vollstedt Enterprises Vollstedt 77 Offy 159 ci t ONT7 TWS INDY26 MIL13 POC5 TWS7 MIL17 8th 766 1980 Vollstedt Enterprises Vollstedt 77 Offy 159 ci t ONT INDY22 MIL13 POC21 MOHDNQ 38th 38 1981-82 Leader Card Racers Watson PC7 Cosworth DFX V8t INDYDNQ POC20 ISF DSF INF INDYDNQ 40th 20 1982-83 Dick Simon Racing March 83C Cosworth DFX V8t ISF DSF NAZ INDY15 23rd 25 1983-84 Dick Simon Racing March 84C Cosworth DFX V8t DSF INDY23 26th 15
PPG Indy Car World Series PPG Indy Car World Series results Year Team Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Pts Ref 1979 Vollstedt Enterprises Vollstedt 77 Offy 159 ci t PHX ATL ATL INDY26 TRE TRE MCH MCH WGL TRE ONT MCH ATL PHX NC 0 1980 Vollstedt Enterprises Vollstedt 77 Offy 159 ci t ONT INDY22 MIL13 POC21 MOHDNS MCH18 WGL17 MIL7 ONT37 MCH MEX23 PHX25 31st 185 1981 Leader Card Racers Watson PC7 Cosworth DFX V8t PHX10 MIL7 ATL ATL MCH31 RIV6 WGL11 MEX25 PHX20 16th 38 Watson 78 Offy 159 ci t MIL22 MCH25 1982 Leader Card Racers Watson PC7 Cosworth DFX V8t PHXDNQ ATLDNS MIL19 CLE17 MCH21 MIL15 POC22 RIV7 ROA 25th 26 Watson 82C MCH13 PHX19 1983 Dick Simon Racing March 83C Cosworth DFX V8t ATLDNQ INDY15 MIL11 CLE MCH14 MCH19 CPL14 LAG PHX23 29th 2 Eagle 83 ROA13 POC RIV25 MOH15 1984 Dick Simon Racing March 84C Cosworth DFX V8t LBH19 PHX4 INDY23 MIL13 POR20 MEA24 CLEDNQ MCH12 ROA15 POC12 MOH24 SAN12 MCH15 PHX21 LAG14 CPLDNQ 26th 15 1985 Dick Simon Racing March 85C Cosworth DFX V8t LBH INDY26 MIL13 POR MEA17 CLE MCH25 ROA POC10 MOH SAN17 MCH19 LAG PHXDNQ MIA 37th 3 1986 Dick Simon Racing Lola T86/00 Cosworth DFX V8t PHX LBH INDY14 MIL POR MEA CLE22 TOR MCH POC23 MOH SAN20 MCH ROA LAG PHX MIA NC 0 1987 Dick Simon Racing Lola T87/00 Cosworth DFX V8t LBH20 PHX10 INDY6 MIL20 POR18 MEA14 CLE23 TOR23 MCH9 POC21 ROA MOH NAZ18 LAG MIA 21st 15 1988 Dick Simon Racing Lola T87/00 Cosworth DFX V8t PHX19 LBH POC19 MOH ROA 24th 11 Lola T88/00 INDY9 MIL12 POR CLE TOR MEA MCH7 NAZ20 LAG MIA
Indianapolis 500 Year Chassis Engine Start Finish Team 1970 Vollstedt Ford 31 14 Racing International 1971 Vollstedt Ford 33 14 Dick Simon Racing 1972 Peat-Lola Ford 23 13 Dick Simon Racing 1973 Eagle Foyt 27 14 Dick Simon Racing 1974 Eagle Foyt 10 33 Dick Simon Racing 1975 Eagle Foyt 30 21 Dick Simon Racing 1976 Vollstedt Offenhauser 16 32 Vollstedt Enterprises 1977 Vollstedt Offenhauser 30 31 Vollstedt Enterprises 1978 Vollstedt Offenhauser 10 19 Vollstedt Enterprises 1979 Vollstedt Offenhauser 20 26 Vollstedt Enterprises 1980 Vollstedt Offenhauser 29 22 Vollstedt Enterprises 1981 Watson Cosworth DNQ Leader Card Racers 1982 Watson Cosworth DNQ Leader Card Racers 1983 March Cosworth 20 15 Dick Simon Racing 1984 March Cosworth 20 23 Dick Simon Racing 1985 March Cosworth 14 26 Dick Simon Racing 1986 Lola Cosworth 33 14 Dick Simon Racing 1987 Lola Cosworth 6 6 Dick Simon Racing 1988 Lola Cosworth 16 9 Dick Simon Racing
NASCAR (key) (Bold - Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics - Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)
Winston Cup Series NASCAR Winston Cup Series results Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 Pts Ref 1973 Faustina Racing 5 Dodge RSD DAY RCH CAR BRI ATL NWS DAR MAR TAL7 NSV CLT DOV TWS RSD MCH DAY35 BRI ATL TAL NSV DAR RCH DOV NWS MAR CLT CAR NA 0 1974 RSD DAY31 RCH CAR BRI ATL DAR NWS MAR TAL NSV DOV CLT RSD MCH DAY BRI NSV ATL POC TAL MCH DAR RCH DOV NWS MAR CLT CAR ONT NA 0
Daytona 500 Year Team Manufacturer Start Finish 1974 Faustina Racing Dodge 37 31
References
External links Article at latimes.com Dick Simon - 80th Birthday - Indy Racing Years Photo Album Dick Simon - 80th Birthday - Indy Racing Years Video Album: