An Account of Greg Moore's Enduring Racing Spirit 15 Years After His Death

Through the week leading up to the unpleasant anniversary, it has been my intention to create a tribute to Greg Moore. That lap 10 crash on October 31st of 1999 at the track now known as Auto Club Speedway remains as perhaps the most vicious accidents I have ever witnessed in motorsports. From what I saw to a racer I had so greatly admired, reacquainting me with the life of the Canadian presents a drastically greater feeling. I’ve retrieved my November 1st 1999 copies of the Toronto Sun, Toronto Star and the sports section of the Toronto Star newspapers I saved for 15 years to refresh myself to the great sense of loss no only to the motorsport community as well as to the nation of Canada. Crash images on the papers of those 15-year-old periodicals send me back. Reaction from teammate Patrick Carpentier, figures of the sport including CART president Andrew Craig and even insinuation whether he must have driven in the event following a Saturday scooter accident that injured his right hand was a sample of the content in text.

Following the time I spent reinforcing my memory, what I would write needed to relay a sense of sadness but also admiration. Too many of my recent articles have been a documentation of facts and the reference of statistics. Those who have followed Moore are quite famous with five great wins in the CART World Series and a domination of the 1995 Indy Lights series that built his legacy. In tribute to this great Canadian driver, I cannot liken Greg Moore to what could be found in a record book or on a digital webpage like Wikipedia.

For me, it is easier to identify with those more factual encounters than principles used in more emotional writing styles. I was born with Autism and though I can now operate at a fully functional level, it still hard for me to clearly and fully express my more emotionally guided words. That was one of many personality aspects I liked about Greg Moore. For a person who left the planet so prematurely, he conveyed happiness, humour and sometimes even displeasure so vividly to even distant observers. In his passing, his character in the paddock was well documented as a practical joker who was still an overall likeable competitor. Even 15 years later, many drivers who have raced against Moore remember him fondly.

To the best of my recollection, there was an interview with Greg Moore I watched on CBC during the 1995 Vancouver Indy where he was being questioned on assuming the Player's-sponsored ride with Forsythe Racing. Effectively taking over the spot left vacant by the Formula 1-bound Jacques Villeneuve, he was clearly thrilled but I also sense a slight bit of rookie discomfort. After-all, a Player's Racing race car found in victory lane in Indianapolis 500 and eventually running well enough to capture the 1995 CART championship would obviously felt like a one-ton weight for a 21-year-old Canadian expecting to face some of the world‘s best open wheel drivers. However, in the 1996 season, the steering wheel of the #99 car was handled by driver full of talent and near fearlessness. The opening lap multiple-car wreck at the 1996 U.S. 500 at Michigan International Speedway dodged by Moore demonstrated the reflexes of a winner. Through the infield grass, the #99 Reynard-Mercedes escaped a moving wall of open wheel race cars. Running on dirt and grass on slick tires and returning to the oval’s paved surface unscathed, that driver from Maple Ridge, British Columbia forged his place in open wheel racing.  

Winless in 1996 and falling short to locking-up rookie of the year honours in the series to a flamboyant Italian named Alex Zanardi, Moore pulled off two wins in 1997. The first coming at Milwaukee, I remembered the popular #6 machine piloted by Michael Andretti hounding the Canadian prepared to capitalize on even a minor slip. The veteran Newman/Haas Racing driver was never offered this window of opportunity. Becoming the youngest driver in CART series racing to win an event, Moore found victory lane again at Detroit. One of my two favourite Greg Moore wins, PacWest Racing team drivers Mark Blundell and Mauricio Gugelmin were gambling on fuel mileage in the closing laps of the race. Moore was positioned in third and immediately entered into full attack mode as the fuel cells of both PacWest drivers ran dry. The 1998 U.S. 500 final-lap battle between him and the Target Chip Ganassi Racing juggernaut where the Player's Racing #99 prevailed was a remarkable sight. Earlier that year, Moore stole victory away from Ganassi’s driver Alex Zanardi with five laps to go at the Rio 400 in Brazil.

The way he fought for each and every first-place trophy in CART has presented five memorable viewing experiences for which my eyes had the privilege to behold. Present at the Molson Indy Toronto event for 1998 and 1999, I was watched the #99 car in action on the long-running street course. Unfortunately, I never had the thrill to see him outside of a race car in person. Unlike the configuration used in the present Honda Indy events in Toronto where a stretch provides a reasonable chance for many spectators to see the major personalities of IndyCar racing, sight of drivers were more restricted in the late 1990s. Current IndyCar driver James Hinchcliffe has had fond memories of Greg Moore and it has been an enjoyment hearing his interaction with the Maple Ridge native. He talked about Moore in an interview I conducted back in 2010 in cooperation with his Indy Lights ride of the time Team Moore Racing. Earlier that year, I did have an experience with one of his race cars at the Canadian International AutoShow as part of a special display. Present for media day, I observed the Player's #99 Reynard-Mercedes was among several vehicles that included a Wolf Racing Formula 1 car and a Paul Tracy driven Can-Am car displayed by the Canadian Motorsports Hall of Fame.

Greg Moore’s passing affected everyone who knew him. Family and personal friends have probably been the most hurt following the tragedy in California. To a lesser degree, his discontinued physical presence on this planet resulted in him being unable to join Team Penske in 2000. Thanks to a wonderfully compiled book titled “Greg Moore- A Legacy of Spirit“, there was a wonderful account alleviating some of the sadness for the unfulfilled opportunity. While he never drove a Team Penske vehicle in competition, Moore tested Al Unser Jr.’s ride in 1994 at Nazareth Speedway one-mile track. Driving the envied Mercedes-Benz powered PC-23 chassis, he was only the second person to drive Penske machine not under contract with the “Captain“; the other driver was Formula 1 great Ayrton Senna (an idolized athlete of Moore‘s). For any Canadian auto racing fan, I have to recommend Greg Moore- A Legacy of Spirit as a deserving read for a full understanding of a driver and human being.

The most fundamental fact one person could admire about Greg Moore was his pursue to live his dream. Between his two dreams, Greg chose auto racing over his other dream of hockey. Two vocations with a slight chance for ultimate success, Greg Moore, supported by his father Ric, pressed into motorsports. Despite reaching the glorious realm of professional auto racing and flourishing, the construction of something like his dreams was not without its adversity. In the case of Moore’s family, mortgages on property paid for the younger Greg’s first season competing in Indy Lights. Despite limited finances, determination, skill and perhaps a good deal of luck resulted in Moore’s blue and white #99 car being an icon to Canada’s auto racing heritage as much as the #99 worn by Wayne Gretzky (a hero of Greg Moore) was to hockey.

With 15 years passing since the loss, we are all left wanting more time for Greg Moore on this Earth to evolve greater as a driver and person. Understanding he cannot truly achieve this wish, the young Canadian must be racing somewhere whether in the afterlife or in the spirits of those among the living.

Happy 37th Birthday to Late Canadian Auto Racer Greg Moore

Photo Credit: Chris Nagy

Born on this day, April 22nd, in 1975, was popular Canadian auto racing legend Greg Moore. A colourful, charismatic Canadian racing figure who represented the best of the Player's Driver Development program, Moore was a talent and personality open wheel racing was fortunate to harbour during 1990s.

Greg Moore initially rose to acclaim in karting before emerging into big time professional racing while still a teenager. Entered into the Indy Lights ladder series for the 1994 season. In 1995, Moore dominated the Indy Lights Series winning 10 of the 12 races of the season. Recognizing the achievement, Player's promoted Greg Moore to the CART World Series replacing the Formula 1-bound Jacques Villeneuve. Winning five races in the CART World Series for the Forsythe Racing team, his on-track triumphs included the 1998 US 500 at Michigan International Speedway.

By the end of the 1999 season, Moore was prepared to move forward as a driver for Penske Racing for the next season. Unfortunately, Greg Moore fatally succumbed to injuries at the series' final event held at California Speedway (now Auto Club Speedway) on October 31st, 1999.

The Maple Ridge, British Colombian born driver would have been 37 years old today. In honour of Greg Moore's memory, I am sharing some of the images I capture of his #99 car displayed at the 2010 Canadian International Auto Show in Toronto.

Photo Credit: Chris Nagy

Photo Credit: Chris Nagy

Photo Credit: Chris Nagy

XSL Speed Reporter's Lost 2008 Patrick Carpentier Interview

Photo Credit: Jason Smith/Getty Images for NASCAR

I remembered an interview with CART champion Alex Zanardi in the late 1990s where he was asked what he would want out of a race season. Instead of getting into specifics of how many races or where he foresees himself at the end of the race season, Zanardi responded he just wanted to leave the season with "no regrets". A man of terrific spirit and passion, Alex Zanardi's words have been a drive I am still envying. One thing I have a lot of in life and the early part of my writing career is regret. There have been opportunities I have missed, times I have been too slow and other occasions where I needed cooperation I never received.

Recently, my improving presence through this website as well as with other publications has given me a chance to begin to vanquish some regrets. I object which has truly sat as a lost opportunity in the early stage of my career came as a result of an interview with then-NASCAR Sprint Cup driver Patrick Carpentier. In 2008, it was my goal to obtain an interview with Carpentier as a prelude piece to the year's NASCAR Nationwide Series event in Montreal. Thanks to the gracious efforts of Gillett Evernham Motorsports representative and of the French-Canadian driver, I received some valued insight on the former Champ Car contender's migration to NASCAR. Having the material for an original article, I was unable to attract several established publications. Complicating matters was also the sudden departure of Carpentier from the #10 Valvoline Dodge near the end of the 2008 Sprint Cup season.

However, as the 1996 Toyota Atlantic Series champion Patrick Carpentier proceeds with retirement from professional motorsports following the 2011 NAPA Auto Parts 200 in Montreal, I felt this was the best chance to share my unique interaction with the French-Canadian driver. Though dated, it is my pleasure to grant XSL Speed Reporter readers with this question and answer collection.

XSL: Up until a few years ago, had you ever considered the prospect of driving a stock car?

PC: I think it was something I had always wanted to do, but it seemed like it would be quite a hill to climb to break into NASCAR. My manager and I really started getting the word out in 2005. That’s when it really hit me as to how much of a challenge it was going to be.

XSL: When did it become decisive to pursue a NASCAR career?

PC: I don’t know if it ever became decisive. I just knew that I didn’t want to be involved in CART or the IRL anymore. Sometimes you just know when it’s time to turn a corner in your career. So if I wanted to continue racing NASCAR just seemed like the next step.


XSL: Being a NASCAR Sprint Cup rookie, do you believe that you have earned the respect of your competitors?

PC: I’ve been doing my best. Some of the guys on the NASCAR circuit have been doing it for years and it’s hard to gain their respect, especially when you have a yellow rookie strip across your bumper. But there are things I’ve been doing. I have been trying to race clean, smart and show all the guys respect both on and off the track. Anytime the guys come and offer me advice I always listen and use as much info as they can give me. I think that helps. I may be a veteran racer but this year I’m still a rookie in NASCAR so sometimes it pays off when you listen and learn.

Photo Credit: Chris McGrath/Getty Images

XSL: Is there any major changes to your more established professional routine resulting from the race schedule that runs nearly twice as longer than open-wheel series?

PC: It’s been different. I mean here the schedule is so long. I think it’s like 36 races in 42 weeks or something like that. So it takes a lot out of you, whether you’re prepared for it or not. But what most people don’t realize is how many other commitments the drivers have. A lot of times we’re needed for sponsorship appearance and we may spend the next two days testing. Then it’s off to the next race. So it’s been a unique transition for me, since my family and I still live in Vegas.


XSL: With limited pre-season testing, what resources have you been able to use to adjust to lesser familiar race tracks? Have your experience racing ovals with Champ car and Indy car proved useful?

PC: I do a number of things. Dover is a good example. That’s a track that I had never seen before showing up to race. Gillett Evernham Motorsports is quite helpful and they’ve supplied me with a number of resources. I’ll start the week off by using a race simulator to help me get an accurate visual of the track from behind the wheel. I’ll also watch in car footage from the races at Dover last year. Kasey’s in-car footage from last year was in my DVD player in the week before Dover. I get some reports from the other drivers and data from last year about those tracks I’ve never visited.

Unfortunately there isn’t very much from my open-wheel experiences I can use because the cars differ so drastically. It’s a much different feeling getting around the tracks in Champ Car at 235 mph than in a stock car at 180 mph. In open wheel there is so much more downforce on the car. The cars are light and the tires are very wide. They’re built for speed. In these stock cars you need to have a lot more car control. It takes a little more finesse to muscle them around the track. The cars weigh more and they’re always slipping and sliding around. When you’re out there running with 42 other cars that are slipping and sliding equally, it makes things much more challenging. It’s pretty crazy to watch all the cars around you sliding through and off the corners.

XSL: On your website, you blogged after the Dover race about assistance that your teammate Elliot Sadler provided in adopting to the 1-mile oval. With both team cars piloted by veteran Sprint Cup drivers, have they been helpful in accelerating your adaptation to the series (On and/or off track)?

PC: Everyone at Gillett Evernham Motorsports has been extremely helpful to me this year. It’s a very unique situation that we have here. I mean here I am with years of racing experience under my belt. But in NASCAR I’m still just a rookie driving the Valvoline Dodge. And sometimes I feel like one. There so much to learn in the sport and that’s where Elliott and Kasey come in. Anytime I have a question or want to better understand something they’re who I go to first. Elliott’s been racing in the Cup Series for years and as over 300 starts. He was especially helpful this year at Daytona and Talladega. Those are both restrictor plate tracks and he took me under his wing to understand the draft a little bit better. It really helped me out.


XSL: What would you regard as your most positive experience so far this year on and off the track?

PC: I don’t think I could pick one. There’s been several. I think qualifying fourth at Richmond in the LifeLock Dodge was a big one. We ended up getting wrecked out of that race but I learned so much running up front with the leaders. Darlington was another. It’s a tough, old track and we managed to lead four laps there. We didn’t get the finish we deserved at Michigan but it still ended up being our second best of the year [24th]. We had a top-15 in our sights before getting caught up in another wreck. But we’re going to start heading back to these tracks for a second time and I think that’s when you’ll see this team start performing better.

Photo Credit: Jason Smith/Getty Images

XSL: Canadian have long supported NASCAR, even when the presence of our country's native drivers are limited to just a few races a season. With your full-time ride with Gilliet Evernham Motorsports, Alex Tagliani is running in the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series, and Paul Tracy has just recently tested a Craftsman truck, would you agree that this new focus on NASCAR may have been overdue?

PC: I don’t know if I’d say overdue. It’s all about timeliness. I mean a few years ago no one would consider taking a chance on an open-wheel driver in NASCAR. They’d look to pull someone from the sprint cars or midget cars. But trends change. That’s what happened here. Now it’s the thing to do. Try and open-wheel driver and see how they do. Either way it’s good to see Canadian’s involved in motorsports and getting recognition for it. It’s such a challenge to succeed at these levels.


XSL: Your road course prowess his been well-exhibited in a stock car, supported by your success outing at Mexico City this year. Are you looking forward to the Infineon Raceway and Waltkin's Glen?

PC: I like racing at any track but I prefer ovals. Road racing is fun, it’s just a different kind of animal. In the years I spent in open-wheel I learned a lot on the aspects of road racing. But driving a stock car on a road course is quite the chore. With all the weight that’s involved in slowing down a 3,400 pound stock car it can really wear your brakes out.

15 Years Later: The Event that Changed the Course of Indy Car Racing



Photo Credit: INDYCAR SERIES/ Unknown photographer


Optimism surrounds the INDYCAR Series heading into their 2011 season with 17 venues playing host to the sanctioning body's best open wheel racing drivers. Personalities such as Dario Franchitti, will Power, Tony Kanaan, Danica Patrick and Helio Castroneves are a few notable drivers to be competing in the upcoming 2011 IZOD INDYCAR Series. For the first-time in almost two decades, anticipation of auto racing fans await the start of North America's top open wheel racing series as a collected, just sport. A pleasant scene presented into this year, the current series is a reformulation from what was a world that almost completely engulfed the continent's open wheel racing spectacle.

15 years ago today, the war for change in North American open wheel racing commenced on the little-known Walt Disney World Speedway as the first battlefield. A new organization called the Indy Racing League (IRL) formulated by Indianapolis Motor Speed president Tony George rose against the than-singular Indy-style race sanctioning body CART(Championship Auto Racing Teams). Proposing an all-oval schedule, the IRL mandate was to provide a more American-style form of open wheel auto racing where more drivers from the United States would flourish. On January 27th of 1996, the green flag dropped at the 1-mile oval. sent 20 CART-style race cars loose for 200 laps leading the inaugural event to occur outside of the previous CART regime.

Leading the field to first green flag of the IRL, Buddy Lazier took the series' first pole as well as the initial 28 laps of the Indy 200 at Walt Disney World Speedway. While there were 6 lead changes through the first 75 laps, Indy Lights series graduate Buzz Calkins led comfortably for the final 125 laps. In a race where less than household names such as Lazier and Calkins were competing, the IRL would have a difficult name establishing notoriety against CART where names like Michael Andretti, Al Unser Jr and Paul Tracy prominently sparked open wheel racing fans. While some recognized names did populate the 1996 Indy 200 at Walt Disney World Speedway (Eddie Cheever, Lyn St James and Scott Sharp), the race largely consisted of lesser known drivers. At the early stages of the IRL, this was not a problem since it was complying with their series mandate of showcasing American racers. In fact, 16 of the 20 starters wore the United States Stars and Stripes flag.

Notable members comprised in that first IRL field were many drivers who found success outside of the open wheel series. Future American Le Mans Series Corvette Racing driver Johnny O'Connell finished 5 laps down in 7th place. Finishing 4th in the Indy 200 at the Walt Disney World Speedway was the late Italian driver Michele Alboreto who went on to become an early pilot of the legendary Audi R8 prototype sports car. However, perhaps the most significantly future name to arise from that first IRL competition was Tony Stewart. Having just set the USAC tour on fire in 1995 by taking a triple-crown championship, the young Stewart was promoted to the ranks by team owner John Menard. Tony Stewart and team finished 2nd in the Indy 200 in 1996. In 1997, Stewart became champion of the Indy Racing League just before he was lured to the more active, more fruitful fields of NASCAR. To date, Tony Stewart is a 2-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion and 39-time race winner in the top stock car series.

Photo Credit: INDYCAR SERIES/ Unknown photographer

Following the first race of the IRL, battles ignited between the new series and the CART tour where allegiances changed. Though there was a brief time that two open wheel racing series appeared to have hopes of successful operation, drivers, sponsors and eventually engine manufacturers slowly sided with the more financially-secured IRL which held North American auto racing's biggest crown jewel (the Indianapolis 500). As drivers and support began to be lost in CART, the sanctioning body would fold after the 2002 season.

A chance to reunite open wheel Indy-style car racing presented itself during the 2002-2003 off-season as the CART property went up for auction in liquidation. The IRL and Tony George made a bid to take over the CART series planning to defeat the organization they rebelled against almost 7 years before. However, a group consisting of three former CART team owners were granted victory forming the Champ Car series keeping the open wheel racing war alive between two. Though Champ Car struggled through much of its existence, the IRL(transitioning to the use of IndyCar Series in 2003 as the premier tour) did not greatly prosper despite their deeper pockets as well as more renowned drivers.

Some observers and even auto racing legend Mario Andretti voiced concern about the series ever sustaining the all-oval schedule. While oval races tracks such as Texas Motor Speedway brought favorable crowds, less than half-full grandstands were a typical sight at IRL races. The IRL would hold true to the all-oval race format until 2005 when 3 races were added to their open wheel schedule desiring to make a final stand against the Champ Car series. Last season, the IZOD INDYCAR Series ran the first schedule where oval races were in the minority (consisting 8 of the 17 races).

With American driver making up 80% of the IRL's first starting grid in 1996, that percentage dripped to 55% for the 2006 season opener at Homestead-Miami Speedway. For the 2010 IZOD INDYCAR Series, there were only 3 full-time drivers originating from the United States in a field of 24 competitors. While the number is expanding to at least 5 drivers in 2011 (Graham Rahal and Firestone Indy Lights front runner Charlie Kimball added through a new Chip Ganassi Racing team), some United States open wheel fans still suggest that there should be more native drivers for a series that competes all but 2 races inside North America.

By 2008, the fight had taken the biggest toll on the Champ Car series as the reunification talks officially rejoined open wheel racing in North America under the IRL's IndyCar banner. It the end, as both side were worn to exhaustion, Champ Car and the IRL IndyCar Series realize their was a reason why the open wheel war could never result in a one-way victory. Each entity contained the pieces to a stable and successful auto racing series which could only be replaced when hands were shaken to end the open wheel conflict.

Perhaps as a form of disarmament, the IRL name has been officially retired by CEO Randy Bernard early this year. Entering into the fourth season of reunification, the commitment of one series has now sparked substantiated optimism.

Heavy Rain Delays IZOD IndyCar Honda Grand Prix of St Petersburg to Monday Morning

Photo Credit: Steve Swope

The start of the IZOD IndyCar Series' Honda Grand Prix of St Petersburg has been rescheduled for 10AM Monday morning as a large storm blows through the Florida area mid-afternoon Sunday. Race organizers, St Petersburg city officials, broadcast partners as well as the series made the decision at 3:30 PM on Sunday afternoon as up to a inch of rain coated the surface of the Florida temporary street course. IRL President of Competition and Racing Operations Brian Barnhart elaborated that standing water, track drainage, and potential driver visibility were reasons for the postponement of the race. "While our cars are equipped to run in the rain, we take the safety of our teams, event workers and fans very seriously. And with those conditions, even with the Firestone Firehawk rain tires and rain lights that we have, visibility would still be an issue." Barnhart commented.

Unlike the NASCAR race at Martinsville Speedway, the IZOD IndyCar Series is faced with the fact they're running on a temporary street course incorporating roadways and part of an airport. For open wheel racing, past events with rain dampening temporary street circuits have resulted in some disgraceful black-eyes.

The most notorious American open wheel event to be broken by wet weather was the Surfers Paradise CART race in 2002. A monsoon-like rain resulting in a 9-car accident made it impossible for the field to safety compete after a mere 8 green flag laps were run on the Australian street course. Because of the need to convert the circuit back to public roads by the last day, CART elected to run the field under the yellow flag for 30 laps in order to push the race beyond the halfway mark. Making for a ridiculous parade, the Surfer's Paradise finish was also marred with additional controversy. With the race distance marked at 60 laps, it was suggested that CART waited until lap 40 to call the event because they didn't want than halfway leader Michael Andretti to claim a victory. Andretti had than announced plans to run the competing IRL Series, this defection might have provoked CART to hold off on declaring the race finished until Mario Dominguez took the lead.

In reaction to the postponement of the IZOD IndyCar event, Sao Paulo runner-up Ryan Hunter-Reay stated "This is probably the best turnout for the Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg we've ever had, so to have them all out here and have them go home and come back out tomorrow is a disappointment for us." Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing's Hideki Mutoh supported the IRL/IndyCar decision saying candidly "If we were to go out and try to race, maybe there would only be one car that would finish."

Predictions call for rain showers to continue into the morning hours of Monday but the IZOD IndyCar vehicles are equipped to run in light to moderate rain thanks to Firestone wet weather tires. ESPN 2 will air the race live in the United States. With the Honda Grand Prix of St Petersburg scheduled to be shown on ABC, the rescheduling to the cable sports network was an unexpected but unfortunate loss for the teams, drivers and sponsors in the 2010 IZOD IndyCar Series.

Weather permitting, Will Power in the #12 Penske Racing car will lead off the 24-car field.

10 Years Later: The Memory of Greg Moore

A somber anniversary is marked today on October 31st of 2009 as 10 years ago a great Canadian auto racing talent was lost to a terrible crash.

At only 24 years old, Greg Moore's life came to an end at California Speedway during the Marlboro 500 mile race as his #99 Players Reynard/Mercedes-Benz slid sideways out of turn 2, shouting into the infield retaining wall at a speed as fast as 217 miles per hour. The impact was horrifically violent as the race car was shredded to in two between the cockpit and the engine compartment. As Moore's cockpit continued to be thrown through high-speeds, hope that the young driver would walk away dimmed. Suffering fatal head injuries Greg Moore, son of Ric and Donna, was mourned by family, competitors, as well as fans on that day of October 31th 1999 as well as for many days following (In the case of the other drivers competing in this final CART series race of the 1999 season, they were delivered with the news after the full race distance was completed). Heads dropped in a press conference as podium finishers Christian Fittipaldi, Max Papis, and Adrian Fernandez sat having just received the tragic news.

The final decade of the 20th century was a glorious era for Canadian open wheel racing and Greg Moore was a bright young star. Like many pure Canadian boys, the young Greg Moore had originally conceived notions of playing goalie in the NHL (National Hockey League). Romanced to auto racing, Greg's father Ric Moore provided his son with the first step to professional greatness. At 10 years old in 1985, Greg Moore's racing career began in competitive karting with #99 (a number which was actually not a direct salute to Wayne Gretzky but merely given to Greg since he was the 99th member of the karting club). After several years of on-track lessons, a confident Moore took North American Enduro Kart Racing Championships in 1989 and 1990. Migrating into Formula Ford 1600 for one season, Greg Moore stepped into USAC Formula 2000 in 1992 winning rookie of the year as well as the West series championship. Talented in his climb by the professional motorsport ladder, Greg's father put together a Firestone Indy Lights team placing him just one step into the CART Indy Car World Series. Learning in the first year, Greg Moore came to life on ovals in 1994 winning three races and becoming the youngest driver to win in the series at 18 years old. Falling short of the series championship in third place, this triumph got the attention of Jerry Forsythe and Players tobacco sponsorship. Signing with the Forsythe Racing Indy Lights team, Moore won the 1995 Firestone Indy Lights championship.

Taking over the Players-sponsored ride that was vacated by 1995 CART World Series champion Jacques Villeneuve, Moore stepped into the ride modest to his new surroundings of North America's leading open wheel auto racing tour. Coming off his dominant run winning performance amounting in 10 of 12 races of the 1995 Firestone Indy Lights series, the 20 year old was under Canadian media pressure to repeat this performance in Indy car racing. Known as a charismatic individual amongst the Indy Car paddock, Moore quickly earned respect of his fellow competitors once hitting auto racing's big time. In his first race at Homestead in 1996, as he drove in seventh place he skillfully outran the eventual race winner Jimmy Vasser. Deeper into the season, Greg Moore followed up his brilliant season-opening performance scoring three podium finishes including a 2nd place at the one-mile Nazareth oval. Moore driving became spotlighted during a first lap wreck at the Michigan Speedway's US 500 race when he made an evasive move through the damp infield grass. Moore held affirmative control of his #99 Players machine as up to nine cars got swept up in the crash.

Contending for CART Indy Car rookie of the year in 1996 season, Greg Moore was beaten at an emerging open wheel legend Alex Zanardi for the rookie honours driving for Target Chip Ganassi Racing. Moore nonetheless gained not only experience but friendships. Through his time in the CART Indy Car World Series, two of his most valued friendships were with fellow series competitors Max Papis and Dario Franchitti. It was common to see the trio together away from the track including two most memorable occasions explained in the book Greg Moore: A Legacy of Spirit. In 1997 Greg Moore attended 90210 star Jason Priestley's wedding and brought Dario Franchitti to the party. That was the place where Dario met his now wife Ashley Judd. Another moment remembered by Max Papis is when Greg and Dario stayed with him at his family's home in Italy. Greg Moore became enamored by the Papis place as he laid eyes on a signed racing helmet of his racing hero Ayrton Senna. It turned out Max Papis knew the Brazilian F1 world championship because they shared a mechanic on the karting tour. When Papis explained the fact that Senna also slept over in the same twin-bed guest room he was staying, Moore insisted on sleeping in the bed Senna slept in years ago. Beyond the tight three-person clique, Tony Kannan also joined in the group creating the foursome known in the motorsport community as 'The Brat Pack'. Kannan describes the death of Moore “a hole in their hearts”.

Drivers and crew members enjoyed the fun-loving Greg Moore even as his exploits included practical jokes to respected competitors. Players teammate in 1998-1999 Patrick Carpentier could certainly provide a story or two about the cunning Maple Ridge driver. Moore made the most of his off-time from racing spending time amongst his long-time friends and family doing everythings from golfing to fishing. Greg Moore was also able to indulge on other forms of racing driving IROC (International Race of Champions) and in the FIA GT series through a brief visit to the United States. Racing Sebring and Laguna Seca, Moore got to drive the racing version of one of his dream cars, the Mercedes-Benz CLK-GTR.

In Moore's sophomore year on the Indy Car World Series tour, his off-track enjoyment would soon translate to some track side celebrations. Moore took the Players car to his first victory at the Milwaukee Mile in June 1997 holding off Michael Andretti. Greg Moore's luck repeated the next weekend as he was once again in position to win at the Detroit Grand Prix sitting third behind PacWest Racing cars Mark Bundell and Mauricio Gugelmin into the final laps. Aware that the PacWest pair only hope of winning relied on their marginal fuel capacity, Moore attacked each of them on a full rich fuel mixture. As both PacWest cars sputtered to under the pressure of Greg Moore, the Players car netted his second straight win. Gifted on oval tracks, the Detroit Grand Prix would be Moore's only victory on a road course on the series.

Moore's wins on the Indy Car World Series were never earned easily proven in depth the last year in 1998. Winning the Grand Prix of Brazil, Moore made a daring pass on rival Alex Zanardi. Though Zanardi often prevailed in their match up, Moore claimed one more victory against Zanardi and the Target Chip Ganassi Racing team as a whole. At the 1998 US 500 on Michigan Speedway, Moore rode behind the red car duo before using a drift to snake around for the checkered flag. In his final CART victory, Moore again held off Michael Andretti in the 1999 season opening race at Homestead-Miami Speedway. As the season progressed, Greg Moore was preparing to leave the Players Forsthye Racing effort for the juggernaut Penske Racing for 2000. With the accident at California, the possibilities for Moore's future victories were never revealed.

In the aftermath of California crash on October 31, 1999, Greg Moore's voice became a verse to a very sad song urging the best interests of race car drivers safety needed to be taken more seriously. Earlier that season in CART, a Penske driver Gonzalo Rodriguez had died in a horrific flip at the Luguna Seca road course the just races prior to the Moore crash. Safety equipment on the cars and tracks have been extensively reviewed. In reaction to Greg Moore's death, the HANS (Head and Neck Support) device was mandated in 2001 in order to increase survivability of impacts endangering the skull in a crash. As time went on, oval tracks too saw the need to advance in the name of safety. SAFER barriers are found on all major oval tracks in the United States (California/Auto Club Speedway installed the SAFER walls in 2004) Finally, As a Moore's Campaigning the #99 throughout his racing career, the number was retired from CART.

Statistically, Greg Moore was notedly the two-time Enduro kart season crown holder, the 1995 Firestone Indy Lights champion and a five-time winner in the CART Indy car racing series. However, the true measure of this extraordinary Canadian driver is can not be conveyed in such voiceless numbers. The Maple Ridge, British Columbia native's life fulfilled others inside and out of the motorsport world.