Boris Robert Said Jr., better known as Bob Said, was an American racing driver, adventurer, and multi-sport competitor whose life rarely followed a straight line. A successful sports car racer, Formula One entrant, land-speed record holder, Olympian bobsledder, and later film producer, Said belonged to that rare breed of sportsmen who seemed drawn to any challenge involving speed or danger.
Driver Bio
| Nationality | American |
| Birthplace | New York City, New York, USA |
| Born | 5 May 1932 |
| Died | 24 March 2002 |
| First Grand Prix | 1959 United States Grand Prix |
| Last Grand Prix | 1959 United States Grand Prix |
| Years Active | 1959 |
| Current/Last Team | Connaught |
He was born in New York City to a Syrian father and Russian mother, and grew up in Greenwich. Educated at Deerfield Academy and later Princeton University, Said discovered sports car racing during his first year at Princeton. Academia soon lost out to horsepower.
Racing career
Early sports car success
In 1951, after impressing in local races and hill climbs, Said left Princeton to pursue racing full-time. His first competition cars were an MG TD and a Jaguar XK120—machines that gave many post-war drivers their first taste of high speed.
By March 1953, he had reached the 12 Hours of Sebring, finishing 14th in a Frazer Nash Mille Miglia.
That same year, Said achieved a landmark feat by becoming the first American to win a road race in Europe after the Second World War, taking victory at Rouen-Les-Essarts in an OSCA MT4. He later added another win in the Anerley Trophy at Crystal Palace Circuit.
For an American driver in the early 1950s, winning in Europe was rare and significant. Said helped prove that U.S. road racers could compete internationally.
Ferrari years
In 1954, Said switched to a Ferrari 500 Mondial Scaglietti and continued to collect strong results. He finished third at Circuito di Senigallia, second at Trullo d’Oro, and ninth at Syracuse.
Driving for or in Ferrari machinery during that era was both an honour and a challenge. The cars were fast, demanding, and expected to win. Said’s competitiveness in them underlined his quality.
Daytona speed record
On 21 February 1955, Said added another headline achievement by setting a new post-war speed record on the Daytona Beach and Road Course. Driving a 1954 Ferrari Formula One car, he recorded a two-way average speed of 170.538 mph.
Before Daytona became famous for stock car superspeedway racing, the beach-and-road course was America’s proving ground for outright speed. Said’s record placed him among the elite speed merchants of his generation.
Formula One career
Said’s sole Formula One World Championship appearance came in the inaugural United States Grand Prix at Sebring on 12 December 1959.
The event was historic as Formula One’s first championship race in the United States, and Said was one of the homegrown names on the entry list. Unfortunately, his race ended almost immediately when he spun off on the opening lap. He scored no championship points.
Though brief, his participation secured him a place in Formula One history as one of the early American entrants in the world championship era.
NASCAR appearance
Said also sampled stock car racing, making one start in the Daytona 500 in 1959. Driving a Chevrolet stock car, he retired on lap 42 with transmission failure and was classified 50th.
Like many versatile racers of the time, Said was willing to try almost anything with wheels.
Olympic bobsled career
Remarkably, motorsport was only one chapter of Said’s sporting life. He became an Olympic bobsledder and represented the United States at the 1968 Winter Olympics in Grenoble and again at the 1972 Winter Olympics in Sapporo. His best finish was tenth.
The 1968 Games notably saw him competing against fellow racer-turned-bobsledder Robin Widdows. Few athletes can claim to have raced Ferraris and Olympic sleds.
Later life
Later in life, Said became executive producer of the documentary The Mystery of the Sphinx, showing that curiosity and ambition extended well beyond sport.
His son, Boris Said, later enjoyed a successful career in NASCAR and road racing, continuing the family name in motorsport.
Death
Bob Said died on 24 March 2002 at the age of 69. His story remains one of the most eclectic and fascinating in American motorsport history.
Grand Prix Stats
| Race Entries | 1 |
| Race Starts | 1 |
| Did Not Start | 0 |
| Best Race Start | 13th |
| Best Race Finish | n/a |
| Retirements | 1 |
| First-Lap Retirements | 1 |
| Not Classified | 0 |
| Disqualified | 0 |
| Did Not Qualify | 0 |
Qualifying
| Qualifying Sessions | 1 |
| Reached Q3 | 0 |
| Q2 Eliminations | 0 |
| Q1 Eliminations | 0 |
| Did Not Qualify | 0 |
Stats by Season
| Year | Constructor | Entries | Starts | Wins | Podiums | Poles | Fastest Laps | Front Rows | DNF | Best Start | Best Result | Pts Finishes | Points | Championship |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1959 | Connaught | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 13 | – | 0 | 0 | NC |
