Paul Goldsmith & Company

Knucklebuster posted a reprint from an old Popular Science magazine featuring a story on Paul Goldsmith. When I was vintage racing I used to drag my American Racer book around with me to get autographs from the great ones from the past. For a while BMW was sponsoring a "legends" race and these guys would show up plus they would have an autograph session at Daytona. I got my book signed by several world and AMA champions. Phil Read, Walter Villa, George Roeder, and Don Vesco, just to name a few. At the time I drove right by the Griffith airport just about everyday and it finally dawned on me that I should stop in there because it's run by Paul Goldsmith. Goldsmith is the only driver to win Daytona in a car and on a motorcycle. He was a USAC champion and had a couple of top five finishes at Indy.

So one day I stopped in and asked to see Mr. Goldsmith but unfortunately he wasn't in. I explained to the receptionist what I wanted and she said she would take my book, have him sign it and I could stop in the next day and pick it up. After she noticed the fear in my eyes of leaving my precious book in the hands of a total stranger, she told me not to worry, she'd lock it up in the safe. I stopped in the next day and he hadn't been in yet but just about the time I was going to head for the door, in he comes. I introduced myself and explained what I wanted. He signed the book for me but not before thumbing through it and telling me some stories about many of the racers and the what it was like to race on the beach at Daytona. The man couldn't have been nicer.

I was fortunate living where I did because Goldsmith was in partnership with Ray Nichels. Nichels is the man who was responsible for the great NASCAR Chryslers of the 70's. His wife and my wife used to bowl on the same team, so I was fortunate to have the opportunity to talk to him a few times. The man was an automotive genius. He was the only mechanic to have the pole sitter at Daytona and Indy in the same year.

Also in the area was Johnny Pawl, another racing legend. He was the last of the on board mechanics at Indy and was known not only for his work on the champ cars but also for his midget cars. In fact he was the owner of the rights to the Kurtis Kraft midgets. After he closed his shop in Merrillville, he had a little space he rented in Crown Point, just to keep his hand in. Cuzzin Ricky and I looked him up one morning so I could get him to sign my Offenhauser book. Crown Point was also the home of the #99 Belanger Special, winner of many champ car races in the 50's, including Indy.

I wish I had been more aware of all of this when I was growing up. I probably would have gone down a different career path. I talked to Johnny Pawl about a part time job one time. I didn't have the TIG skills at that time to do what he needed. I did shovel his driveway with a buddy of mine after a big snow one time back when I was in high school, though. So I've got that going for me.