Bob Said

Boris Said Jr. (May 5, 1932 in New York City – March 24, 2002 in Seattle), better known as Bob Said, was an American racing driver from the United States. The son of a Syrian father and a Russian mother, he grew up in Greenwich, Connecticut, and attended Deerfield Academy and Princeton. He discovered sports car racing during his first year at Princeton.

Career
In 1951, after doing well in local races and hill climbs, he left Princeton to pursue a racing career. His first race cars were a MG TD and a Jaguar XK120. In March 1953, he made his debut at Sebring 12 Hours, driving a Frazer Nash Mille Miglia to 14th-place finish. Said was the first American to win a road race in Europe after World War II, when he won a sports car race at Rouen-Les-Essarts, driving an OSCA MT4. Later that season, he notched another win at the Anerley Trophy at Crystal Palace circuit.

In 1954, Said switched to a Ferrari 500 Mondial Scaglietti, placing 3rd at Circuito di Senigallia; 2nd at Trullo d’Oro; and 9th at Syracuse Circuit.

On February 21, 1955, Said set a new post-World War II speed record on the Daytona Beach and Road Course, driving a 1954 Ferrari Formula One Grand Prix car, with a two-way average speed of 170.538 mph. He also made one NASCAR start, the 1959 Daytona 500, driving a Chevrolet, where he was credited with 50th after dropping out on lap 42 due to transmission failure. He participated in the first Formula One United States Grand Prix at Sebring on December 12, 1959. He spun off on the first lap and scored no World Championship points.

Said was also a bobsled racer, competing in the Olympics twice, 1968 in Grenoble and in 1972 at Sapporo, Japan achieving a best result of tenth. The 1968 games were notable as he competed against another racing driver-come-bobsledder, Robin Widdows.

Later he was the executive producer of a documentary entitled The Mystery of the Sphinx.

His son, Boris Said III, is a retired NASCAR driver and road course ringer.

NASCAR
(key) ( Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led. )