Athletes - Sam Schmidt

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	Athletes - Sam Schmidt

Sam Schmidt (born August 15, 1964 in Lincoln, Nebraska) is a former Indy Racing League driver and current Indycar and Infiniti Pro Series team owner.

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 competetive amateur level, supported by his business income, but dreamed of someday driving in the Indianapolis 500. His first drove professionally in 1995 in the USAR Hooters Pro Cup Series at the age of 31, an incredibly old age by racing standards to begin a professional career. Nonetheless, he won rookie of the year honors.

In 1997 he made his first IRL start and was a rising star in the league, netting 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, Sam Schmidt suffered a horrendous crash at Walt Disney World Speedway that rendered him a Quadriplegic, leaving him on a respirator for five weeks.

After leaving the hospital, he founded Sam Schmidt Motorsports, which has become one of the most successful teams in the short history of the Infiniti Pro Series winning the 2004 series championship with Thiago Medeiros. Sam Schmidt Motorsports also participated in the 2004 and 2005 Indianapolis 500's with driver Richie Hearn.

Sam now lives in the Las Vegas area and travels over 120 days per year despite his medical condition.

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