Ken Smith
MBE
NationalityNew Zealander
Full nameKenneth James Smith
Born (1941-08-11) 11 August 1941

Kenneth James Smith MBE (born 11 August 1941) is a New Zealand motor racing driver, who won the New Zealand Grand Prix in 1976, 1990, and 2004.[1][2]

Smith first competed in motor racing in 1958, winning the New Zealand Hill Climb championship when he was 16. He progressed to single seater racing in 1962, first driving a Lola March T, Formula Junior car. Later he raced in Formula Ford, Formula 5000, Formula Pacific, Formula Mondial, and Toyota Racing Series among others[3][4]

Smith won the Gold Star Drivers Award in the 1975–1976, 1983–1984, 1984–1985, 1986–1987 and 1989–1990 seasons.[5] In 2011 Smith won the Formula 5000 Revival championship for the third time.[6] As well as his victories in New Zealand, Smith also won the Penang Grand Prix three times, the Selangor Grand Prix twice, and the Malaysian Grand Prix once.[7]

In 2021, Smith took part in his 50th New Zealand Grand Prix at age 79, during his 63rd consecutive season of racing.[8][9]

Honours and awards

Smith was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire in the 1987 Queen's Birthday Honours, for services to motorsport,[10] and in 1995 was inducted into the New Zealand Motorsport Hall of Fame.[11] In 2008 he received the Motorsport Personality of the Year award.[12] In 2010 he received a Motorsport New Zealand Special Award given in recognition of his pivotal role in motorsport.[13]

Racing Record

NZ F5000 Tasman Revival Series

Year Entrant Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 Position Points
2014/15 Ken Smith Motorsport Lola T332 Chevrolet SAN
R1
 SAN
R2
 SAN
R3
 SMSP
R1
 SMSP
R2
 SMSP
R3
 HAM
R1
1		 HAM
R2
1		 HAM
R3
1		 HAM2
R1
1		 HAM2
R2
1		 HAM2
R3
1		 RUA
R1
RUA
R2
RUA
R3
MAN
R1
1		 MAN
R2
1		 MAN
R3
1		 N/A 0**
2015/16 Ken Smith Motorsport Lola T332 Chevrolet MAN
R1
1		 MAN
R2
1		 MAN
R3
1		 HAM
R1
1		 HAM
R2
1		 HAM
R3
1		 RUA
R1
1		 RUA
R2
1		 RUA
R3
1		 MAN2
R1
1		 MAN2
R2
1		 MAN2
R3
1		 PHI
R1
2		 PHI
R2
2		 PHI
R3
3		 PHI
R4
3		 1st  ?
2016/17 Ken Smith Motorsport Lola T332 Chevrolet BAR
R1
 BAR
R2
 BAR
R3
 SAN
R1
 SAN
R2
 SAN
R3
 HAM
R1
1		 HAM
R2
1		 HAM
R3
1		 TAU
R1
1		 TAU
R2
3		 TAU
R3
1		 RUA
R1
1		 RUA
R2
1		 RUA
R3
2		 N/A 0**
2017/18 Ken Smith Motorsport Lola T332 Chevrolet PUK
R1
DNS		 PUK
R2
DNF		 PUK
R3
DNS		 MAN
R1
 MAN
R2
 MAN
R3
 TAU
R1
1		 TAU
R2
2		 TAU
R3
2		 HAM
R1
1		 HAM
R2
1		 HAM
R3
1		 RUA
R1
DNF		 RUA
R2
DNS		 RUA
R3
DNS		 PHI
R1
 PHI
R2
 PHI
R3
 12th 272
2018/19 Ken Smith Motorsport Lola T332 Chevrolet PUK
R1
1		 PUK
R2
1		 PUK
R3
1		 TAU
R1
1		 TAU
R2
1		 TAU
R3
1		 HAM
R1
 HAM
R2
 HAM
R3
 RUA
R1
 RUA
R2
 RUA
R3
 HAM
R1
 HAM
R2
 HAM
R3
 1st 208
  • * Season Still in progress
  • ** Needed to compete at all rounds to be classified for points

Complete Toyota Racing Series results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 DC Points
2007–08 Ken Smith Motorsport PUK
1
5		 PUK
2
10		 PUK
3
12		 RUA
1
13		 RUA
2
11		 RUA
3
13		 MAN
1
16		 MAN
2
12		 MAN
3
11		 TAU
1
16		 TAU
2
15		 TAU
3
15		 MAN
1
8		 MAN
2
8		 MAN
3
11		 TIM
1
8		 TIM
2
8		 TIM
3
12		 TER
1
10		 TER
2
10		 TER
3
9		 9th 652
2008–09 Ken Smith Motorsport RUA
1		 RUA
2		 RUA
3		 TIM
1		 TIM
2		 TIM
3		 TER
1		 TER
2		 TER
3		 TAU
1		 TAU
2		 TAU
3		 MAN
1
DNS		 MAN
2
6		 MAN
3
7		 PUK
1
Ret		 PUK
2
7		 PUK
3
Ret		 16th 129
2010 Ken Smith Motorsport TER
1		 TER
2		 TER
3		 TIM
1		 TIM
2		 TIM
3		 HMP
1
9		 HMP
2
7		 HMP
3
12		 MAN
1
9		 MAN
2
8		 MAN
3
10		 TAU
1		 TAU
2		 TAU
3		 13th 214
2011 M2 Competition TER
1		 TER
2		 TER
3		 TIM
1		 TIM
2		 TIM
3		 HMP
1		 HMP
2		 HMP
3		 MAN
1
15		 MAN
2
13		 MAN
3
11		 TAU
1		 TAU
2		 TAU
3		 17th 78
2012 ETEC Motorsport TER
1		 TER
2		 TER
3		 TIM
1		 TIM
2		 TIM
3		 TAU
1		 TAU
2		 TAU
3		 HMP
1		 HMP
2		 HMP
3		 MAN
1
17		 MAN
2
17		 MAN
3
13		 21st 62
2013 Giles Motorsport TER
1		 TER
2		 TER
3		 TIM
1		 TIM
2		 TIM
3		 TAU
1		 TAU
2		 TAU
3		 HMP
1		 HMP
2		 HMP
3		 MAN
1
19		 MAN
2
10		 MAN
3
16		 22nd 67
2018 Victory Motor Racing RUA
1		 RUA
2		 RUA
3		 TER
1		 TER
2		 TER
3		 HMP
1		 HMP
2		 HMP
3		 TAU
1		 TAU
2		 TAU
3		 MAN
1
13		 MAN
2
13		 MAN
3
12		 14th 80
2019 Giles Motorsport HIG
1		 HIG
2		 HIG
3		 TER
1		 TER
2		 TER
3		 HMP
1		 HMP
2		 HMP
3		 HMP
4		 TAU
1		 TAU
2		 TAU
3		 TAU
4		 MAN
1
13		 MAN
2
13		 MAN
3
8		 17th 27
2020 Giles Motorsport HIG
1		 HIG
2		 HIG
3		 TER
1		 TER
2		 TER
3		 HMP
1		 HMP
2		 HMP
3		 PUK
1		 PUK
2		 PUK
3		 MAN
1
17		 MAN
2
19		 MAN
3
15		 21st 10
2021 Giles Motorsport HD1
1
15		 HD1
2
Ret		 HD1
3
15		 HD2
1		 HD2
2		 MAN
1		 MAN
2		 MAN
3		 MAN
3		 16th 12

References

  1. ↑ "Ken Smith Still Has Winning Formula". Stuff.co.nz. 17 February 2009. Retrieved 8 January 2011.
  2. ↑ "New Zealand Grand Prix". Toyota Racing Series. Retrieved 8 January 2011.
  3. ↑ "Ken Smith". Speedcafe.com. Retrieved 8 January 2011.
  4. ↑ "Toyota Racing Series". Toyota Racing Series. Retrieved 8 January 2011.
  5. ↑ "Gold Star Race Champions - Single Seater". Motorsport New Zealand. Retrieved 8 January 2011.
  6. ↑ "Smith Secures Third Consecutive Formula 5000 Revival Crown". Motorsport New Zealand. 17 February 2009. Retrieved 8 January 2011.
  7. ↑ "Titles". Ken Smith. Retrieved 8 January 2011.
  8. ↑ "Tributes paid to Smith ahead of 50th NZGP start".
  9. ↑ Bartholomaeus, Stefan (14 January 2021). "KEN SMITH SET FOR 50TH NZ GP START". Retrieved 18 December 2023.
  10. ↑ "No. 50950". The London Gazette (4th supplement). 13 June 1987. p. 32.
  11. ↑ "'You' Night Attracts Scott Dixon". scoop.co.nz. Retrieved 8 January 2011.
  12. ↑ "Motorsport New Zealand Media Awards". Motorsport New Zealand. Retrieved 8 January 2011.
  13. ↑ "Motorsport New Zealand Special Award". Motorsport New Zealand. Retrieved 8 January 2011.
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