Yesterday Sam Schmidt saw James Hinchcliffe claim his team’s second Indy 500 pole. But no less significant were Sam’s own four laps of IMS, resetting the speed record for semi-autonomous cars. David Malsher reports. Driving a Corvette Z/06 to a top speed of 152mph, and lapping IMS at an average of 108.642mph, Sam Schmidt yesterday completed his own four laps of Indianapolis Motor Speedway without touching the steering-wheel. Schmidt, who was rendered a quadriplegic after an Indy car shunt at Walt Disney World Speedway in 2000, two years ago set the semi-autonomous motorcar [SAM, appropriately] speed record in a 455hp Corvette Stingray, reaching a top speed of 107mph. Yesterday’s...
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