Greg Moore (racing driver) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Greg Moore
Moore in 1996
Nationality	Canadian
Born	(1975-04-22)April 22, 1975 New Westminster, British Columbia, Canada
Died	October 31, 1999(1999-10-31) (aged 24) Fontana, California, United States
Cause of death	Blunt force trauma due to racing accident
Height	5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Weight	160 lb (73 kg)
Achievements	1995 Indy Lights champion
Champ Car career
72 races run over 4 years
Years active	1996–1999
Team(s)	Forsythe Racing
Best finish	5th (1998)
First race	1996 Marlboro Grand Prix of Miami (Homestead)
Last race	1999 Marlboro 500 (California)
First win	1997 Milwaukee Miller Lite 200 (Milwaukee)
Last win	1999 Marlboro Grand Prix of Miami (Homestead)
Wins Podiums Poles 5 17 5
Signature

Gregory "Greg" William Moore (born April 22, 1975 – died October 31, 1999) was a Canadian professional race car driver. He competed in the Indy Lights and Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART) series. His career lasted from 1993 to 1999.

Greg started karting at age ten and quickly became successful. He then moved to open-wheel car racing in 1991. He won the 1992 USAC FF2000 Western Division Championship and the 1995 Indy Lights Championship.

He joined Forsythe Racing in the CART series in 1996. He finished ninth in the championship that year. In 1997, he won his first two races. He improved to fifth place overall in 1998 with two more wins. In 1999, he won another race but finished tenth.

Tragically, Greg was killed in a crash during the last race of the 1999 season. This was the Marlboro 500 at California Speedway. He was the second driver to die in CART that year. Greg was set to move to Team Penske in 2000.

Overall, Greg competed in 72 CART races. He won five races and finished on the podium 17 times. He was very popular and known for being great on oval tracks. As a sign of respect, his car number 99 was retired from CART racing. After his death, the Greg Moore Foundation was created to continue his good work. He was also added to the Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame and BC Sports Hall of Fame in 2000.

Early Life and Racing Start

Greg Moore was born in New Westminster, British Columbia, Canada. This was on April 22, 1975. His father, Ric, owned a car dealership. He also raced Can-Am cars as a hobby.

When Greg was five, his parents divorced. He lived with his mother. He had a brother and a sister. Greg went to Meadowridge School and later Pitt Meadows Secondary School. He graduated with honors in 1993.

Greg loved cars from a young age. He would pretend to race in his father's car. His father gave him a go-kart when he was six. Greg practiced driving it in the dealership parking lot. He learned to control the kart well, even on wet surfaces.

He started competitive go-kart racing at age ten. He joined the Westwood Karting Club. He was given car number 99 because he was the 99th member. He used this number for his entire career. His father helped manage his racing and taught him a lot.

Greg also played ice hockey as a goalie. He was named Maple Ridge Athlete of the Year twice. He won the British Columbia Hockey Provincial Championship. He even played with future pro player Paul Kariya. When he was 14, his father asked him to choose between hockey and racing. Greg chose racing. His heroes were hockey player Wayne Gretzky and Formula One driver Ayrton Senna.

Junior Racing Career

In 1989 and 1990, Greg won the North American Enduro Kart Racing Championship. To see how good he really was, his father sent him to a racing school in 1990. Greg won a race against 40 other drivers. He also won a special "Top Gun" series. He learned important racing skills there.

In 1991, Greg moved to car racing. He competed in the Canadian Formula Ford Championship. He was only 16. He won one race and finished in the top ten four other times. He was named the series' Rookie of the Year.

In 1992, he moved to the USAC FF2000 Western Division Championship. He won four races and four pole positions. He won the championship in the final race. He was also named Rookie of the Year for this series.

For 1993, Greg wanted to race in Formula Atlantic. But he was under 18, so he couldn't get a license. His father spoke to Roger Bailey, the head of Indy Lights. Greg was given a special racing license for the first two races. He was so young that he had to stay in his car in the pit lane until it was towed away. He finished ninth in points that year. He was very fast on oval tracks.

Before the 1994 season, Greg worked hard to get fitter. His team had a small budget. His family even mortgaged their home to help him race. He had to drive carefully to save tires and car parts. Even so, he won the first race of the season. He became the youngest driver ever to win a CART-sanctioned event. He won two more races that year and finished third in the championship.

In 1995, Forsythe Racing signed Greg for their Indy Lights team. This helped with his family's money problems. Greg completely dominated the championship. He won ten out of twelve races. He set new records for most wins in a season. He won the championship with a record 242 points.

CART Racing Career

1996: Rookie Season

Moore driving for Forsythe Racing during practice for the 1996 Miller 200 at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.

After his great Indy Lights season, Greg moved up to CART in 1996. He replaced Jacques Villeneuve at Forsythe Racing. He spent a lot of time testing his new car. The car had a powerful 750 horsepower engine.

His first race was the Grand Prix of Miami. He started sixth and finished seventh. He got his first podium (third place) at Surfers Paradise Street Circuit. He then finished second at Nazareth Speedway. Even with average equipment, he often challenged for wins. He finished his rookie season ninth in the standings. He was second for Rookie of the Year, behind Alex Zanardi.

1997: First Wins

In 1997, Greg started strong with three top-four finishes. At the Miller Genuine Draft 200 race in Milwaukee, he won his first CART race. He was only 22 years old. This made him the youngest driver to win a CART race.

A week later, he won again at the Detroit Grand Prix. Two other drivers ran out of fuel on the last lap, letting Greg take the win. He was seen as a championship contender. He finished seventh in the points standings that year.

1998: Fifth in Points

For the 1998 season, Greg had a new, lighter engine. He also trained hard to build his endurance. He started the first race of the season from pole position. This made him the youngest pole position starter in CART history. He finished that race in second place.

He continued to drive well. He took his third career win at the Rio 400. He passed Alex Zanardi with five laps left. Greg won his second race of 1998 at the U.S. 500 in Michigan. He battled with Alex Zanardi and Jimmy Vasser for the win. He finished second at the final race of the season. Greg ended the year fifth in the drivers' standings. This showed he was one of CART's top drivers.

1999: Final Season

Many fans and media thought Greg would win the championship in 1999. He focused on practicing on road and street courses. He wanted to win as many races as possible.

He won his fifth career race at the season-opening Grand Prix of Miami. He started from pole position and led 96 laps. He finished in the top ten four more times in the next six races. But his car was not as powerful or reliable later in the season. He finished tenth in the drivers' championship.

Greg's contract with Forsythe Racing was ending. He talked with other teams, including NASCAR teams. He signed a three-year contract with Penske's CART team for 2000. He was going to replace Al Unser Jr..

Other Racing Experiences

Greg was asked by the Williams Formula One team to be a test driver. But he was under contract with Forsythe Racing. He also drove for AMG-Mercedes in the FIA GT Championship in 1997. He finished seventh in both races he entered.

In 1999, Greg was one of twelve drivers invited to race in the International Race of Champions (IROC) series. This is a stock car racing series. He finished 12th in the points standings.

Death

Moore's memorial headstone at Robinson Memorial Park Cemetery

The Marlboro 500 on October 31 was the last race of the 1999 season. It was also Greg's final race with Forsythe Racing. The day before the race, Greg had an accident on his motor scooter. He hurt his right hand and hip. Doctors allowed him to race with a special hand brace. He had to start at the back of the grid because he missed qualifying.

On lap 10 of the race, Greg was in 15th place. He lost control of his car in turn two. His car spun and went off the track. It hit a concrete barrier at high speed. Greg Moore was pronounced dead at 1:21 PM Pacific Standard Time. He was the second driver to die in a CART race that season. Gonzalo Rodríguez had died three races earlier.

After Greg's death, all track flags were lowered. There were no celebrations after the race. The other drivers were told about his death after the race ended. At his father's request, the CART awards banquet still happened. It included a tribute to Greg and Gonzalo.

Many memorials were set up for Greg. The Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame had a book for fans to sign. Greg was cremated on November 2. A private memorial service was held in Vancouver. A public service was held in his hometown of Maple Ridge.

CART investigated the crash. On December 20, they said there was no single cause for the accident. They found no mechanical failure. The exact reason why he lost control and went airborne remains a mystery.

Driving Style and Gear

Greg Moore was known for his "fearless style" and strong determination. He was especially good on oval tracks. He knew how to find the best grip while driving very close to the edge. He learned to drive a "loose" car (a car that is easy to spin) from his father. He even raced on ice to improve this skill.

His Indy Lights helmet had lightning bolts and a checkered flag. When he moved to CART, his team's sponsor wanted a simpler design. Even though his team's colors were blue, Greg always wore red racing gloves. This showed his pride in being Canadian.

Personality and Legacy

People described Greg as tall, fair-haired, and having a friendly, innocent way about him. Race car driver Mario Andretti said Greg was very professional and mature for his age. Greg was friendly with the media and fans. He had a fun sense of humor, especially with children. He was serious when driving but loved playing jokes outside of racing. He was very dedicated to his family and fans.

From 1998 until his death, Greg was part of a group of drivers called "The Brat Pack." This group included Max Papis, Dario Franchitti, and Tony Kanaan. They loved having fun, going to parties, and staying in touch.

As a sign of respect, CART and other racing series retired Greg's car number 99. In 2000, CART created the Greg Moore Legacy Award. This award honors drivers who show great talent and a good personality with fans and media. Hélio Castroneves was the first to receive it. Other winners include Dario Franchitti and James Hinchcliffe. James Hinchcliffe even put Greg's red racing gloves in his race suit for a big race.

The Greg Moore Foundation was started by his father. It helps young people with scholarships. It also supports health charities and hospitals. Greg was given the Jack Diamond Award after his death. He was also inducted into the Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame and the BC Sports Hall of Fame in 2000.

A go-kart track, a youth center, and an emergency department at a hospital are all named after Greg. In 2000, the Molson Indy Vancouver race honored Greg. They wrote "Courage, Greg Moore No. 99" on the start/finish line. The pole position winner of that race received the Greg Moore Pole Award until 2004.

A book about Greg, Greg Moore: A Legacy of Spirit, was published in 2000. A documentary called Greg Moore – A Racer's Story was released in 2001. Dario Franchitti dedicated two of his wins to Greg. Another documentary, A Hero's Drive: The Greg Moore Tribute, was shown in 2013.

Racing Career Summary

Images for kids

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  Moore in 1996

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  Greg Moore signature

See also

In Spanish: Greg Moore para niños

• List of Canadians in Champ Car