At the age of 98, NASCAR and Indy 500 legend Paul Goldsmith has passed away.

An iconic figure in American stock car racing, Paul Goldsmith, has passed away at the age of 98. The Indianapolis Motor Speedway confirmed his death on Friday.

Goldsmith was born in West Virginia and initially raced motorcycles before eventually switching to auto racing. Despite the change, he found success in both domains.

In 1953, Goldsmith won the Daytona 200 motorcycles race and was recognized for his five American Motorcyclist Association victories as a professional motorcycle racer.

In 1956, Goldsmith shifted his focus to auto racing and began competing in NASCAR races. He eventually earned nine wins and eight pole positions in the NASCAR Grand National Series, which is now known as the NASCAR Cup Series.

Smokey Yunick and Ray Nichels were the legendary car owners who helped Goldsmith win the NASCAR premier-series race on the Daytona Beach and road course in 1958, cementing his place in history as the final winner of that iconic event.

In six attempts at the Indianapolis 500, Goldsmith's best finish was a third-place ranking in 1960.

Goldsmith's contributions to American motorsports extended beyond his accomplishments on the track, as he was a pioneer in the use of technology.

Goldsmith contributed to the creation of water-circulating technology, which paved the way for the cool-suit technology used by modern drivers.

Goldsmith officially stepped away from competitive racing in 1970.

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