Randy Lanier
| Randy Lanier | |
|---|---|
| Nationality | American |
| Born |
September 22, 1954 Lynchburg, Virginia |
| CART | |
| Years active | 1985–1986 |
| Teams | Arciero Racing |
| Starts | 18 |
| Best finish | 6th in 1986 |
| Previous series | |
| 1981–1986 | IMSA GT Championship |
| Championship titles | |
| 1984 | 1 |
| Awards | |
| 1986 | Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year |
| 24 Hours of Le Mans career | |
|---|---|
| Participating years | 1982 |
| Teams | NART/T-Bird Racing |
| Best finish | 49th |
| Class wins | 0 |
| Randy Lanier | |
|---|---|
| Occupation | race car driver |
| Criminal penalty | life without parole |
| Criminal status | In custody at MCFP Springfield |
| Children | 2 |
| Motive | criminal enterprise |
| Conviction(s) | engaging in a Continuing Criminal Enterprise and conspiring to distribute more than 1,000 pounds of marijuana |
Randy Thomas Lanier (born 22 September 1954) is a professional race car driver and convicted drug trafficker from the United States. He is notable for winning the 1984 IMSA Camel GT title as a wholly independent team, despite facing up to well funded and supported oppositions and the team's questionable source of income.
Lanier was born in Virginia to a father who was a draftsman and his mother was a caretaker at a psychiatric hospital. At age 13, he moved to Hollywood in South Florida where he attended Miramar High School. When he was caught with an ounce of cannabis, he dropped out of high school to avoid suspension but later earned his GED. Lanier worked in construction to make a living.
In 1976 he married his childhood sweetheart. They had a daughter, Brandie in 1980 and a son Glen in 1987, who was named after Lanier's younger brother who was killed in a motorcycle accident at the age of 16. He has other siblings as well.
In 1986, Lanier became romantically involved with Maria De La Luz Maggi.
Lanier began his motorsport career in 1978, following a meeting with the Sports Car Club of America at an auto show taking place in Miami Beach Convention Center on how to make a start in racing, he brought himself a 1957 Porsche 356 Speedster, where he used it to compete in E Production at the SCCA Southeast Regional Championship, eventually winning the class in 1980.
He made his IMSA Camel GT series debut at the 1981 Daytona Finale, partnering Dale Whittington, finishing 30th. The following season at the 24 Hours of Daytona, he was approached by a crew member for the North American Racing Team to fill in for Janet Guthrie, who was unable to race due to illness. Partnering with Bob Wollek and Edgar Dören, the trio ran in 3rd place for 18 hours until their run ended when Lanier took over at dawn on his first lap, considered by fellow driver Desiré Wilson to be unsuited to drive as he had been seen previously acting nervously in the pits, he drove the car off course destroying the suspension
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Wikipedia