Malcolm Smith was a racing driver known for his five wins at the Baja 1000 and four at the Baja 500, both notoriously grueling desert races.
- Died: November 26, 2024 (Who else died on November 26?)
- Details of death: Died at his home in Riverside, California of complications from Parkinson’s disease at the age of 83.
- We invite you to share condolences for Malcolm Smith in our Guest Book.
Malcolm Smith’s legacy
Though Smith raced cars as well as motorcycles, it was on two wheels that he became a star of the racing world. He began racing motorcycles in the 1950s, and by the 1960s, he was a formidable competitor. In 1967, he and J.N. Roberts raced the first organized Baja 1000 as a team and won the motorcycle division. It was the first of two motorcycle victories for Smith in the Baja 1000; he also won three while driving cars. In 1971, he and Roberts won the Baja 500, and he went on to win the 500-mile race three more times in cars. Smith was also known for his eight wins over a decade at the International Six Days Trial.
One key piece of Smith’s rise to legendary status as a motorcycle racer was his prominent role in the 1971 documentary “On Any Sunday.” Also starring Steve McQueen (1930–1980), the Academy Award-nominated film helped introduce motorcycle racing to a wide audience and popularized BMX riding. For Smith personally, the success of the movie opened the door for a new chapter as an entrepreneur.
In the years after his racing career, Smith founded Malcolm Smith Gold Medal Products and Malcolm Smith Racing. Later, he opened a motorsports dealership, running the business alongside his wife and children. He was a member of the Off-road Motorsports Hall of Fame, Motorsports Hall of Fame of America and Motorcycle Hall of Fame.
Notable quote
“I never had any plans. I just did one race and did as well as I could. As soon as that race was over I forgot about it, and instead focused on the next goal. Whether I would fall down in the race or get broken, I had the ability to forget about the bad and move on.” — from a 2020 interview for Motocross Action
Tributes to Malcolm Smith
Full obituary: Cycle World
