Ira Malcolm Gardner Vail (November 22, 1893 – April 21, 1979) was an Americanracing driver and auto racing promoter.

Vail was born inMontréal, Québec. When he was three months old, Vail's mother emigrated with him toSyracuse, New York, where he was raised.^[1]

Vail raced sprint and championship cars in theAAA-sanctioned racing series. He competed in fiveIndianapolis 500s, with a best finish of 7th in 1921, before retiring in 1925.

In a quote about his career for a book, Vail stated:

"The car I drove, I bought it fromHarry Miller for $10,000. That's what they all cost, a Miller or aDuesenberg, from $8,000-$10,000, which was a lot of money at a time when a good passenger car cost only $1,000. But you could win $30,000 or more at Indianapolis and as much as $5,000 at a cement track in Minneapolis or tracks in Hartford, Boston, everywhere. You'd be guaranteed (cash) even if you didn't win, depending on the deal you made with the promoter. It depended on how many people you could draw. I got guarantees at most tracks and I'd drive at 15 or 20 tracks a year."^[2]

After his retirement from driving, Vail promoted AAA and USAC sanctioned auto racing in theNortheastern United States. From 1925 until 1971 Vail promoted the New York State Fair Championship race at theSyracuse Mile.^[3] He nicknamed the race track "The Moody Mile" after driver Wes Moody turned a 100-mile per hour lap in 1970.^[4]

Vail died inDaytona Beach, Florida.

• Vail was inducted in theNational Sprint Car Hall of Fame in the United States in 1993.

• Indianapolis 500 drivers
• National Sprint Car Hall of Fame inductees
• Racing drivers from Montreal
• 1893 births
• 1979 deaths
• AAA Championship Car drivers
• 20th-century American sportsmen
• Canadian emigrants to the United States
• Racing drivers from New York (state)

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