Since 1911, there have been 108 runnings of the Indianapolis 500. As of 2025, a total of 804 different drivers have qualified and raced in the “500”. Approximately 72 additional men have served as relief drivers (but did not qualify for the race on their own). However, no driver with the last name Smith has ever qualified for or driven in the Indianapolis 500.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, “Smith” is the most common surname in the United States (over 2.4 million). The Curse of the Smiths has been recognized at the Indianapolis 500 since at least the early 1990s. Through 2025, eight drivers with the last name Smith have been entered at the “500”, and at least one has attempted to qualify. None have been successful. All eight have failed to qualify for the race in one way or another.

At least 18 drivers with the last name Smith have competed in Indy/Championship Car races dating back to 1909. Few have achieved much in the way of success, and none of them managed to win a race, even at races outside of Indianapolis. Mark Smith, whose career in top-level Indy car racing spanned 1993–1994, has the most career starts (26). He also has the best career finish – a 5th place at the 1994 Michigan 500, matching Al Smith who scored a 5th place at Atlanta in 1966.

Russell Smith

Russell Smith was entered as a relief driver in the 1911 Indianapolis 500 for Will Jones. The car was a 4-cyclinder Case, and Jones started 9th. It is not known if Smith drove any practice laps in the car prior to race day. Jones dropped out after 122 laps with steering failure. Smith did not drive any laps of relief.

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Steven Smith

Steven S. Smith (born May 16, 1896, died unknown) was from Alloway, New Jersey. Smith entered at the “500” three times, and failed to qualified each of the three years.

In 1925, he entered a Smith Special in late April. By late May however, the car (referred to at least once as the “Cough Drop Special“) still had not arrived. In the meantime, ChampCarStats.com suggests he may have also been tied to the unassigned Green Special (which also had not arrived), but that is not confirmed. Smith did not make a qualifying attempt.

In 1927, Smith was entered in the Rausie Special. Little was known about Smith or the car, and he did not qualify. It is possible that the car did not arrive.

Smith’s final attempt at Indy came in 1929. He was once again assigned to the Rausie Special. He failed to qualify and never entered another AAA Championship Car event.

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Ray Smith

George Raymond Smith (born January 27, 1905, died April 25, 1938) was from Kokomo, Indiana. He was listed for the 1929 Indianapolis 500. He either withdrew or the car never arrived.

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Carl Smith

Carl C. Smith was from Brooklyn, New York. He was a garage owner, and entered only one major race, the 1931 Indianapolis 500. Very little is known about Smith. He drove a Mercer, and according to The Illustrated History of the Indianapolis 500, he may have managed to make one qualifying attempt. His speed was listed as 79.782 mph, which was much too slow to qualify. Contemporary newspaper accounts of the day do not have any record of Smith making an attempt. In any case, that speed would have been more than 20 mph slower than the slowest qualifier.

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Orville Smith

Orville E. Smith (born October 31, 1910, died March 2, 1999) was born in Trimble Township, Ohio and lived in the Dayton area. Smith drove in so-called “outlaw” races in the 1930s, but joined AAA racing in 1934. Smith entered the “500” in 1934, reportedly driving the same car that Stubby Stubblefield drove to 8th place in 1931 and to 14th place in 1932.  Smith did not qualify and never returned. According to ChampCarStats.com, Smith may have been rejected by officials (possibly due to lack of experience).

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Al Smith

Albert Smith (born January 30, 1929, died June 24, 1985) was a body shop owner from Dayton, Ohio. Smith was best remembered for sprint car racing, and drove in the USAC Championship Car division between 1966 and 1969. He made 14 starts, with his best career finish coming in his first-ever race. He finished 5th at Atlanta in June 1966.

Smith made one attempt at Indianapolis, in 1967. Smith was beset by a series of mechanical problems, and other challenges. He quipped that he was “in so many [different] cars I got a kink in my back”. He was originally identified on the entry list under the #11 Autoteria Car Wash Ford. He was then tied to the #75 ABC Engine Inc. entry. However, they suffered mechanical problems, and Smith quit the team. He switched over to the Vel’s Racing Team, and passed the first two phases of his rookie test (135 mph and 140 mph) on May 8. He finally managed to pass the third and final phase of his rookie test (145 mph) on Thursday May 11. The first weekend of Time Trials was scheduled for May 13–14, and Smith drew the No. 46 (last) spot in the qualifying draw order. However, Smith was unable to make a qualifying attempt on Pole Day (Saturday), then the Second Day (Sunday) was rained out.

At some some during the third week of practice, Smith left the Vel’s team. By Friday May 19, he had taken over the #77 Dayton Steel Wheel entry owned by George Walther. During a practice run on Saturday May 20, he suffered an engine failure. He was unable to make a qualifying attempt and did not return to race at Indianapolis again.

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Mark Smith

Mark Smith (born April 10, 1967) was from McMinnville, Oregon. Smith drove in SCCA Formula Ford, then was the 1989 Formula Super Vee Champion. At the 1989 “Night Before the 500” event at Indianapolis Raceway Park, Smith (age 20) won the Super Vee series event. He also set the IRP oval track record with a qualifying lap of 19.581 seconds. Smith subsequently moved up to the Indy Lights series for 1990–1992. He won three races in Indy Lights, was the 1990 Indy Lights rookie of the year. He finished second in points in 1991.

Mark Smith moved up to the CART Indy Car Series for 1993–1994. He made 26 starts, with a best finish of 5th place at the 1994 Michigan 500. Smith entered at the Indianapolis 500 in 1993 and 1994, but failed to qualify both times.

1993

Mark Smith drove for Arciero Racing in 1993. He was entered in a year old Penske PC-21/Ilmor Chevrolet “B”. In April, Smith drove the #25 Craftsman Tools machine to a 9th place finish at Phoenix and a 10th place at Long Beach. Arriving at Indianapolis for the first time, Smith participated in Rookie Orientation, and passed his rookie test with ease.

Smith and the team experienced some difficulty getting their year-old car up to speed. Rule changes for 1993 made the ’92 chassis difficult to handle for multiple teams. Smith took a slow qualifying speed (214.356 mph) on the Second Day of Time Trials (Sunday May 16). During the second week of practice, most believed that Smith’s speed would not hold up.

On the Third Day of Time Trials (Saturday May 22) Smith was bumped by Geoff Brabham. At 5:28 p.m., Smith got into his backup car and bumped his way back in to the field. His speed of 217.150 mph bumped out Eddie Cheever. At the end of the day, Smith was the 32nd-fastest car (of 33). Bobby Rahal was on the bubble. Mark Smith became the first driver with the last name Smith to complete a qualifying attempt and – tentatively – make the starting lineup. With the weather forecast questionable for Sunday, Smith and his team were hoping to hold on and make the field.

Bump Day, the final day of time trials (Sunday May 23) dawned overcast and windy. The attention for the day focused largely on Bobby Rahal. The 1986 Indy 500 winner and three-time and defending CART champion was struggling all month with his R/H chassis. Rahal started the day on the bubble, but Mark Smith was right behind him.

Rahal was bumped by Eddie Cheever with 15 minutes left in the day. That move dropped Mark Smith to the bubble spot. At 5:54 p.m., Didier Theys took to the track. His speed of 217.752 mph bumped Smith from the field. He became the first driver since 1971 to be bumped out of the field twice in the same year. Fearing that they were in danger of being bumped, earlier in the day the Arciero Racing team had leased a backup car from Pagan Racing. It was the same chassis that Roberto Guerrero qualified for the pole position (and finished last) in the 1992 race. Mark Smith was apparently suited up and in the car, but the 6 o’clock gun went off before he was able to make it to the front of the qualifying line.

Mark Smith ended up as the First Alternate. It should be noted that Smith’s #25 Craftsman Tools car was painted solid black with white decals. There were also racing flags on the sidepods – a checkered flag, a red, a white, a yellow, and a green – with green on a car often associated with “bad luck” at the “500”.

Date	#	Lap 1 (mph)	Lap 2 (mph)	Lap 3 (mph)	Lap 4 (mph)	4-lap Average (mph)	Notes
Sun 5/16/1993	25	214.403	215.326	213.792	213.909	214.356	Bumped
Sat 5/22/1993	25T	216.862	217.244	216.993	217.502	217.150	Bumped

1994

For 1994, Mark Smith (and the Craftsman Tools sponsorship) moved over to Walker Racing.  He drove a ’94 Lola/Ford-Cosworth XB. Smith suffered a crash at Phoenix and sat out that race. He took part in Rookie Orientation at Indy in late-April and passed his refresher test without incident.

During the first week of practice, Smith was slowly getting his primary car up to speed. He had a top lap of 219.320 mph, which was not quite fast enough to make a qualifying attempt. The team suffered a setback on Friday May 13 when Smith went high and brushed the wall in turn three. He was able to drive the car back to the pits, but the car suffered damage. He switched to his backup car, a ’93 Lola-Ford Cosworth XB for a couple days (some reports state his backup car was a ’94 Lola). After a top practice lap of only 211.238 mph, the team elected to not make a qualifying attempt during the first weekend of Time Trials.

The team repaired the primary car, and during the second week of practice, he topped 222.327 mph. On the third day of Time Trials (Saturday May 21), Smith completed a qualifying attempt at 220.683 mph. With less than 20 minutes left in the day, Smith filled the field to 33 cars. However, he was the slowest car in the field and found himself already on the bubble. In quick succession, Rahal-Hogan Racing teammates Bobby Rahal and Mike Groff withdrew their already-qualified Honda-powered machines, and re-qualified with cars loaned from Team Penske. Davy Jones also completed a run. Mark Smith was bumped at about 5:54 p.m.

On Bump Day (Sunday May 22), Mark Smith switched to his backup car #15T. At 5:45 p.m., he took to the track for another qualifying attempt. After taking the green flag, he drifted high in turn one and scraped the outside wall. He then did a half spin and crashed in the south shortchute on his first lap, and failed to make the race for the second year in a row. Smith was presented with the infamous “Jigger Award” by the American Auto Racing Writers & Broadcasters Association (AARWBA). It would be Smith’s final appearance at Indy, and at season’s end, Smith was out of the  CART Indy Car series.

For 1994, Smith’s #15 Craftsman Tools car was painted half-black and half-red. Once again there were racing flags along the sides – a checkered flag, a green, a white, a yellow, a blue, and a red – with green on a car often associated with “bad luck” at the “500”.

Date	#	Lap 1 (mph)	Lap 2 (mph)	Lap 3 (mph)	Lap 4 (mph)	4-lap Average (mph)	Notes
Sat 5/21/1994	15	220.027	220.967	221.038	220.702	220.683	Bumped
Sun 5/22/1994	15T	Crash	—	—	—	—

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Guy Smith

Guy James Mutlow Smith (born September 12, 1974 in Beverley, Yorkshire, England) drove in the Indy Lights Series, the Champ Car World Series, the American Le Mans Series, and the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. He also drove very briefly in the Indy Racing League in 2000.

Smith won two races in Indy Lights, five races in ALMS (including the 2009 Petit Le Mans), and also won the 2003 24 Hours of Le Mans driving for Team Bentley.

In 2000, Smith entered the Indianapolis 500 with March Racing International/Sinden Racing Services. He participated in the Rookie Orientation Program (“ROP”) in April. Smith passed all four phases of his rookie test on Wednesday April 12. His fastest single lap of ROP was 211.183 mph. Come the month of May, however, Smith was unable to participate any further. His expected funding apparently fell through, and he did not turn a single practice lap. Smith never made a start in an IRL race, but did make seven starts in Champ Car World Series in 2004.

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Riding Mechanics

Six individuals with the last name “Smith” competed at the Indianapolis 500 as a riding mechanic. None, however, were actual drivers in the race.

• Mort Smith — Riding mechanic for Billy Pearce in 1911 (did not qualify)
• Harold Smith — Riding mechanic for Tom Alley in 1916 (finished 11th; 120 of 120  laps)
• Homer Smith — Riding mechanic for Jack Curtner in 1922 (finished 14th; 165 laps)
• Jim “J.C.” Smithson — Riding mechanic for Leslie Allen in 1930 (finished 9th; 200 laps)
• Wilbur Smith — Riding mechanic for Joe Huff in 1932 (finished 10th; 200 laps)
• Al Smith — Riding mechanic for Doc MacKenzie in 1932 (finished 28th, 65 laps)
• Floyd Smith — Riding mechanic for Wilbur Shaw in 1939 (finished 22nd; 54 laps)

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Others

Paul Goldsmith made six starts at the Indianapolis 500 (1958–1963). He also raced NASCAR and in the USAC Stock Car division, winning that championship in 1961 and 1962. Goldsmith was one of the participants in the Nichels Engineering Endurance Run at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in November 1961. Goldsmith’s best finish at Indy was 3rd place in 1960. He was inducted into the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame in 2016 and the USAC Hall of Fame in 2018. At the time of his death in 2024, Goldsmith was the oldest living Indy 500 participant (98 years old), and was the last of two surviving Indy 500 drivers from the 1950s – the other being A.J. Foyt.

The following drivers with the last name “Smith” participated in other Indy/Championship car races, but were never entered at the Indianapolis 500.

• Chick Smith — Drove in AAA races in 1946.
• Clarence Smith — Drove in three AAA races; one in 1909, one in 1911, and drove relief in another 1909 race.
• Dusty Smith — Entered but failed to qualify in three USAC races in 1967–1968.
• Earl Smith — Drove in one USAC race in 1969.
• Jack Smith — Drove in four NASCAR Speedway Division races in 1952.
• Johnnie Smith — Entered but failed to qualify for one AAA race in 1949.
• Larry Smith — Drove in twelve AAA events in 1946.
• Randy Smith — Drove in one USAC event in 1982.
• W.H. Smith — Drove in one AAA race in 1913.
• Walter Smith — Drove in one AAA race in 1915.

The following drivers with the last name “Smith” have competed in major races at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway other than the Indianapolis 500.

• Regan Smith — Smith drove in the both NASCAR Xfinity Series (formerly the Nationwide Series) and NASCAR Cup Series between the years 2002 and 2019. Smith made seven starts in the Brickyard 400, with a best finish of 3rd in 2011. In 2013, Smith drove in the inaugural Indiana 250 for the Nationwide Series. Smith made three total starts in that race, with a best finish of 8th in 2015. When Regan first competed in the 2008 Allstate 400 at the Brickyard 400, he was believed to be the first driver with the last name “Smith” to qualify for any race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. However, it should be noted that in 2008–2012, Smith was essentially locked-in to the starting grid based on the Top 35 Rule which was in effect in NASCAR at the time. He did qualify ‘straight-up’ in both 2016 and 2018.
• Bradley Smith — Smith is a British motorcycle racer who competed in the Red Bull Indianapolis Motorcycle Grand Prix. In 2009, he finished 2nd in the 125 c.c. division. In 2011, he finished 4th in the Moto2 division, and he also notched two 6th place finishes in MotoGP (2014, 2015).
• Garrett Smithley — Smithley has competed in both the NASCAR Cup Series and Xfinity Series. He finished 14th in the 2019 Pennzoil 250, finished 28th in the 2019 Brickyard, and finished 28th at 2021 Verizon 200 at the Brickyard.
• Sammy Smith — Smith finished 28th in the 2023 Pennzoil 150 (on the IMS road course) and finished 18th in the 2024 Pennzoil 250 (on the oval).
• Chandler Smith — Smith finished 34th in the 2023 Pennzoil 150 (on the IMS road course) and finished 33rd in the 2024 Pennzoil 250 (on the oval).
• Zane Smith — Smith finished 17th in the 2024 Brickyard 400.
• Tommy Smith — Competed in the Indy NXT Series. Raced on the IMS road course in 2025.

The following are various individuals with the last name “Smith” with ties to the Indianapolis 500 or the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, but who were not racing drivers:

• Frank Smith — Smith was an executive of Universal Motor Parts Company. He drove the pace car for the 1924 Indianapolis 500.
• Clay Smith — Clay Smith was considered one of the greatest mechanics of his time. Smith first arrived at Indianapolis in 1948. He became the chief mechanic for car owner J.C. Agajanian, and served as chief mechanic for the 1952 Indianapolis 500 winner Troy Ruttman.
• Jerry Steelsmith — Golfer who competed in the 500 Festival Open held at the Speedway Golf Course in 1964, 1967, and 1968
• George Smith — Golfer who competed in the 500 Festival Open held at the Speedway Golf Course in 1967 and 1968.
• Marilyn Smith — Golfer who competed in the Ladies 500 Festival Open held at the Speedway Golf Course in 1968.
• Tommy Smith — Smith was a crew chief at the Indianapolis 500 during the 1970s.
• Danny Smith — Won the 1979 Little 500 at Anderson Speedway (he was driving relief for the injured Wayne Reutimann).
• Dr. Richard Smith — From the Purdue Varsity Glee Club; performed “Back Home Again in Indiana” during the pre-race ceremonies in 1980.
• Greg Smith — Served on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Radio Network as a pit reporter in 1955–1960.
• Marty Smith — Served as a pit reporter for ABC Sports in 2016–2018.
• Canaan Smith — A country music singer who performed at the Legends Day concert in 2018.
• Sarah Jane Smith — An LPGA golfer who competed in the Indy Women in Tech Championship golf tournament in 2017–2018.

The following driver has a foreign language translation of the last name “Smith”:

• Sam Schmidt — The last name “Schmidt” is a German language translation of “Smith”. Schmidt made three starts at the Indianapolis 500 (1997, 1998, 1999). His best finish was 26th in 1998. Schmidt won one IRL race, the Vegas.com 500 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in 1999. A little over three months later, Schmidt suffered a crash during testing at Walt Disney World Speedway, which left him a quadriplegic. He later became a car owner, participating in Indy Lights, then in the IndyCar Series. Alex Tagliani won the pole position for the 2011 Indy 500 driving for Sam Schmidt, and Simon Pagenaud won the on the IMS road course for the team in 2014. Pato O’Ward has notched two second place finishes at the “500” for the team – the team by then was known as Arrow McLaren SP and later simply Arrow McLaren (after McLaren bought a significant percentage stake in the team).

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Additional Works Cited

• Where are they now? – The Indy 500 drivers at OldRacingCars.com
• 1993 Indianapolis 500 Daily Trackside Report
• 1994 Indianapolis 500 Daily Trackside Report
• Fox, Jack C., “The Illustrated History of the Indianapolis 500”, Fourth Edition, Carl Hungness Publishing, 1994.
• Blazier, John E, and Rollings, Tom, “Forgotten Heroes of the Speedways: The Riding Mechanics”, 1994.
• ChampCarStats.com – Champ Car Stats
• Racing-Reference.info – Racing Reference
• The Indianapolis Star via Newspapers.com
• The Indianapolis News via Newspapers.com