Carroll Smith
Encyclopedia
Carroll Smith was a successful professional race car driver, engineer, and author.
Carroll's books are highly-regarded among amateur race drivers and engineers. He was representative of the club racing spirit: learning a craft and bringing together several disciplines in order to participate in a dangerous and often misunderstood sport.
. Entering SCCA
events in Pensacola, Florida
at the time, he was enlisted in the US Navy
.
Carroll moved to Europe where he befriended John Cooper
. Driving a Formula Junior Cooper, he won his first race. After waning success in the Cooper cars, he returned to the United States and began working with Carroll Shelby
and the Ford Motor Company
on the GT40
MkIV program for the 1967 24 Hours of Le Mans
endurance race. Smith was hired as the Team Manager.
After winning Le Mans with the GT40 cars from 1966 to 1969 (inclusive), Ford lost interest in the GT40 program. Smith moved to work with Tony Adamowicz to work on his F5000
car in 1969. Smith led the team to the championship that year.
After that victory, he began working on 'Prepare to Win'. Smith later consulted for the Ferrari Formula One
team and in 1977 he was team manager for the Moffat Ford Dealers Team in Australia; the team winning both the Australian Touring Car Championship
and the Bathurst 1000
endurance race. In later life Smith exercised his interest in racing by running vintage cars. Carroll was an active and avid Society of Automotive Engineers member.
Smith succumbed to pancreatic cancer in 2003 at his home in Northern California, leaving his daughter Dana, his son Christopher, and his fiancée Ginger. Carroll's former wife, Jane, died on October 15, 1994 after a fall from a balcony in their home while she was gardening. Carroll himself notes: "She went doing what she liked best, enjoying the ocean view and gardening...secure in the love of her family and friends and in the respect of her co-workers and students."
Smith's books were well received by drivers and mechanics alike because of their affable, direct, and clear writing style. After writing a series of books about different aspects of racing car preparation, tuning and engineering practice, each with "... to Win" in the title, he wrote The Nuts, Bolts, Fasteners, and Plumbing Handbook about the fasteners and plumbing parts often used in cars. When Smith announced the forthcoming book, he proclaimed his intent to title it "Screw to Win," which (he claimed) the publisher then disallowed. His readers and fans, naturally, refer to the book by just that title.
Carroll's books are highly-regarded among amateur race drivers and engineers. He was representative of the club racing spirit: learning a craft and bringing together several disciplines in order to participate in a dangerous and often misunderstood sport.
Biography
Born and raised in the northeast United States, Carroll Smith began racing MGs while attending the University of RochesterUniversity of Rochester
The University of Rochester is a private, nonsectarian, research university in Rochester, New York, United States. The university grants undergraduate and graduate degrees, including doctoral and professional degrees. The university has six schools and various interdisciplinary programs.The...
. Entering SCCA
Sports Car Club of America
The Sports Car Club of America is a club and sanctioning body supporting road racing, rallying, and autocross in the United States. Formed in 1944, it runs many programs for both amateur and professional racers.-History:...
events in Pensacola, Florida
Pensacola, Florida
Pensacola is the westernmost city in the Florida Panhandle and the county seat of Escambia County, Florida, United States of America. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 56,255 and as of 2009, the estimated population was 53,752...
at the time, he was enlisted in the US Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
.
Carroll moved to Europe where he befriended John Cooper
John Cooper (car maker)
John Newton Cooper was a co-founder, with his father Charles Cooper, of the Cooper Car Company. Born in Surbiton, Surrey, England, UK he became an auto racing legend with his rear-engined chassis design that would eventually change the face of the sport at its highest levels, from Formula One to...
. Driving a Formula Junior Cooper, he won his first race. After waning success in the Cooper cars, he returned to the United States and began working with Carroll Shelby
Carroll Shelby
Carroll Hall Shelby is an American retired automotive designer and racing driver. He is most well known for making Mustangs for Ford Motor Company known as Mustang Cobras which he has done since 1965...
and the Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...
on the GT40
Ford GT40
The Ford GT40 was a high performance sports car and winner of the 24 hours of Le Mans four times in a row, from 1966 to 1969...
MkIV program for the 1967 24 Hours of Le Mans
24 Hours of Le Mans
The 24 Hours of Le Mans is the world's oldest sports car race in endurance racing, held annually since near the town of Le Mans, France. Commonly known as the Grand Prix of Endurance and Efficiency, race teams have to balance speed against the cars' ability to run for 24 hours without sustaining...
endurance race. Smith was hired as the Team Manager.
After winning Le Mans with the GT40 cars from 1966 to 1969 (inclusive), Ford lost interest in the GT40 program. Smith moved to work with Tony Adamowicz to work on his F5000
Formula 5000
Formula 5000 was an open wheel, single seater auto-racing formula that ran in different series in various regions around the world from 1968 to 1982. It was originally intended as a low-cost series aimed at open-wheel racing cars that no longer fit into any particular formula...
car in 1969. Smith led the team to the championship that year.
After that victory, he began working on 'Prepare to Win'. Smith later consulted for the Ferrari Formula One
Formula One
Formula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...
team and in 1977 he was team manager for the Moffat Ford Dealers Team in Australia; the team winning both the Australian Touring Car Championship
Australian Touring Car Championship
The Australian Touring Car Championship is a touring car racing award held in Australia since 1960. The series itself is no longer contested, but the title lives on, with the winner of the V8 Supercar Championship Series awarded the trophy and title of Australian Touring Car Champion.-History:The...
and the Bathurst 1000
Bathurst 1000
The Bathurst 1000 is a touring car race held annually at Mount Panorama Circuit in Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia...
endurance race. In later life Smith exercised his interest in racing by running vintage cars. Carroll was an active and avid Society of Automotive Engineers member.
Smith succumbed to pancreatic cancer in 2003 at his home in Northern California, leaving his daughter Dana, his son Christopher, and his fiancée Ginger. Carroll's former wife, Jane, died on October 15, 1994 after a fall from a balcony in their home while she was gardening. Carroll himself notes: "She went doing what she liked best, enjoying the ocean view and gardening...secure in the love of her family and friends and in the respect of her co-workers and students."
Smith's books were well received by drivers and mechanics alike because of their affable, direct, and clear writing style. After writing a series of books about different aspects of racing car preparation, tuning and engineering practice, each with "... to Win" in the title, he wrote The Nuts, Bolts, Fasteners, and Plumbing Handbook about the fasteners and plumbing parts often used in cars. When Smith announced the forthcoming book, he proclaimed his intent to title it "Screw to Win," which (he claimed) the publisher then disallowed. His readers and fans, naturally, refer to the book by just that title.