Memo Gidley

José Guillermo "Memo" Gidley, born on September 29, 1970, is a Mexican-American racing driver with a diverse career spanning open-wheel and sports car racing. Gidley's journey began after a visit to Laguna Seca in 1991, which ignited his passion for racing. He honed his skills at the Jim Russell Racing School and quickly progressed, winning the USAC Russell Championship Series in 1992. His early career was marked by financial struggles, including selling his apartment and living in his car while working as a mechanic to fund his racing ambitions.

Gidley made his mark in North American open-wheel racing, securing runner-up positions in the 1995 USF2000 National Championship and the 1997 Toyota Atlantic Championship. He entered the CART Championship Series in 1999 and participated in Champ Car/IndyCar until 2004, achieving three podium finishes. From 2005, he transitioned to sports car racing, competing in the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series and American Le Mans Series, achieving notable results, including a win in the Mexico City season finale in 2005.

A severe accident at the 2014 Daytona 24 Hours interrupted Gidley's career, sidelining him for three years due to back, leg, and arm injuries. However, he made a remarkable comeback in 2022, competing in the IMSA Prototype Challenge and winning a race at Mid-Ohio. In 2023, he clinched the GT America Series (SRO3) championship with eight wins. In 2025, Gidley joined SKI Autosports to race in the GT America Series, driving their Audi R8 LMS EVO II GT3.