Memo Gidley was born into a family that lived for excitement and adventure. An hour after his birth in La Paz, Mexico, Memo was taken out to the sailboat that would be his home until he was nearly eight years old. Raised by Cass, a hard working commercial fisherman from Canada, and Mary, a freelance writer from Wisconsin, Memo spent his early years on the Pacific Ocean between Mexico and Northern California, accompanied by his two sisters, Lupe and Sharon, and the family dog, Huckleberry. The family lived as "anchor outs" in the San Francisco Bay, maintaining a lifestyle straight out a Steinbeck novel. Eventually, they would move to dry land and the town of San Rafael, California. It was his time spent on the ocean that helped develop a work ethic that would take Memo from seeing his first car race to driving an Indy Car in a mere seven years, less than half the average time of most top-level drivers.
Memo learned to sail and began racing small sailboats at the age of seven. Between the ages of eight and eleven, he had successfully raced BMX bicycles and decided it was time to try racing with a motor. When he was 11, Memo purchased a motocross bike with money he had earned from painting boats around the harbors, and doing odd jobs after school. Memo and Sister Lupe would join Cass on his motorcycle (which would tow a small trailer with Memo's bike), head out to the races and sleep under the stars. Gidley went on to win multiple 125 and 250cc Championships and continued to travel this way until "the kids grew too large to fit on Dad's bike."
Shortly after high school, Memo decided to pursue his dream of racing cars - a dream that was born in 1991 after his uncle, Jon, had taken him to see a Champ Car race at the legendary Laguna Seca Raceway near Monterey, California. The first time he saw the sleek, gleaming cars race through the world famous "corkscrew" section of the track, he knew what he wanted to spend the rest of life pursuing. Without the money to start his career, he referred to a flyer he had found blowing around the infield of Laguna. Leaving his apartment and moving down to Monterey, Memo enrolled in the mechanics-training program at the Jim Russell Racing School. In exchange for working in the school's shop, Memo was able to begin driving and raced in the USAC Russell Championship Series. In his first race, Memo surprised the competition by qualifying on pole and leading the race from start to finish. Although it was his rookie season, Memo went on to win the 1992 series championship, winning nine of eleven races. After winning his first championship and graduating from the Mechanics Training Program, Memo moved to San Francisco to race for the Trackmagic Factory Kart team and to continue to pursue his dream of racing cars.
From 1993 to 1998, Gidley proceeded to win major races and championships throughout the junior "ladder" ranks making a name for himself in cars and karts. This includes driving for the factory Trackmagic Kart team and winning two US SuperNationals Shifter Kart Titles in 125cc shifter in 96’ and 99’. In 1995, Memo also won the US Formula Ford FF2000 Rookie of the Year and Oval Course Championships. Memo was selected as the 1995 Team USA Scholarship Winner. From 1997 to 1998, Memo won 5 races in the Kool Toyota Atlantic Championship including winning the Players Challenge Championship for amassing the most points in the Canadian Atlantic rounds.
All of Memo’s success led to a shoot-out test with the Walker Racing CART Indy Car team in the beginning of 1999 when the team’s regular driver, Naoki Hattori, suffered a broken leg. Memo’s first test in a CART Indy Car got the attention of Honda of Japan who picked Memo to fill in for three races while their Japanese driver healed.
From 1999 to 2003, Memo amassed an impressive record of 38 races with teams such as Walker Racing, Dale Coyne Racing, Players-Forsythe Racing, Della Penna Motorsports, Target Chip Ganassi Racing, and Rocketsports Racing. In this span in the CART ranks, Gidley had three podiums (two seconds & a third), four top five finishes and numerous top tens, all without the benefit of a full season ride or season testing. Gidley also had a total of 230 laps led in the CART series against some of the best drivers in the world. Because of this, Memo earned the respect of his competition by being fast and for his never gives up attitude.
Paul Page from ABC Sports stated at the end of 2001, "Gidley has done it right, he is a fan favorite and we received more comments and words of good will about him that just about any other driver in the sport." He went on to say, "I think the average fan sees a lot of them in Memo. The kid has a made a career out of overcoming his humble beginnings and every adversity that has ever come his way... he's the Horatio Alger of Motorsports."
In 2004, Memo raced in both the Speed World Challenge Series and the Champ Car World Series. Memo became the first driver in recent history to drive in a Speed World Challenge race and Champ Car race in the same weekend. Also, in only two races with Rocketsports Racing and with no testing, Memo gave the Rocketsports #12 car team its season best starting spot when he amazed the team and regular drivers by qualifying fifth in Vancouver. Memo also became the first Speed World Challenge driver ever to drive a Ford Focus to the podium when he raced to a third place finish at the season ending event at Laguna Seca Raceway.
In 2005, Memo was hired by Finlay Motorsports and signed to drive the Air Force Reserve Daytona Prototype in the Grand Am series. Memo helped this new team to earn 6th in the season ending points championship. This awesome season was highlighted with a victory in the season ending race in Mexico City. Because of his win, Memo became the first ever Mexican born driver to win a professional race in Mexico.
In 2006, Memo was promptly signed to continue with Finlay Motorsports this time driving the Playboy/Uniden sponsored prototype. Despite a major set-back early in the season when a brake failure resulted in a compression fracture of the talented Californian’s back, Memo responded like a true champion. Because of his work ethic, Memo amazed his doctors by being cleared to be back in the car in seven weeks, and then impressed his team by helping the Playboy/Uniden Team to finish 4th in year end team point standings. This was highlighted by an awesome 2nd place finish in the season ending 9 hour race at the Utah Motorsports Park. Memo then proceeded to cap of a great season by racing in the Petit Lemans race in Atlanta, Georgia for Highcroft Racing. Memo drove for nearly four hours setting some of the fastest laps in the process and helped the team to finish in third place in the grueling 10 hour race. This was the best result ever for the Highcroft Racing Team.
In 2007, Memo drove the #77 Doran Racing/Kodak Daytona Prototype and the SunTrust Racing Daytona Prototype in the Grand-Am Series. Memo’s season was highlighted by two podium finishes in the Grand-Am Series. Memo also drove for Team Cytosport at the 10 hour Petit LeMans Series race where he helped the team to finish in 3rd place in the P1 prototype class.
Memo’s road to the top has garnered more print and television media coverage than most drivers in the sport due to his results, diverse background and because he is a supreme athlete and spokesperson. In a day and age of selfish and arrogant celebrity sportsmen, Memo is a breath of fresh air. He spends his non-racing days working out; riding his mountain bike and helping kids learn to drive Go Karts. "I couldn't believe it, there was Memo Gidley at our local kart track giving half a dozen young karters his time and support, when most of his contemporaries were home by the pool. I wish other star athletes would take a page from his book... not a camera or PR person in sight, and these kids have 100% of his time and focus, when I'm sure he came to go karting himself. His seven year old pick up, shifter kart and two man tent, fifty feet away and this guy was giving these young drivers an experience they would tell their grandchildren about. He made seven fans for life that day," stated a father in a letter to the Indianapolis Star. Memo has built his following the old-fashioned way - one race and one fan at a time.
Robert Ulrich/CEO Target Stores: "Target has been involved with major Motorsports sponsorship for over twelve years. Memo Gidley is one of the most talented drivers and personalities we have ever worked with. He was never too busy for his fans, our employees and our management. He is an above and beyond the call of duty guy and never refused to step up whenever we needed him. Drivers who are this good on the track, at promotions & events and in the boardroom are of a very rare breed. A Memo Gidley is even rarer... he enjoys the process and it always shows. Memo is special and I am proud to have worked with him. He made every one of us look good. I wish we could continue to work with him. This kid deserves the very best."
