Download or read book The Curse of the Indy 500 written by Stan Sutton and published by Indiana University Press. This book was released on 2018-03-19 with total page 199 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: On May 30, 1958, thousands of racing fans poured into the infield at dawn to claim the best seats of the Indianapolis 500, unaware that they were going to witness one of the most notorious wrecks in racing history. Seconds after the green flag, a game of chicken spiraled out of control into a fiery 16-car pile-up that claimed the life of 29-year-old Indiana native and rising star Pat O'Connor. The other drivers escaped death, but the tragic 1958 Indy 500 seemed to leave its mark on them: the surviving drivers were hounded by accidents and terrible crashes, and most would die at tracks around the country. But the tragedy also prompted new regulations and safety precautions like roll bars that would ultimately save hundreds of lives. In The Curse of Indy 500: 1958's Tragic Legacy, veteran sportswriter Stan Sutton profiles the ill-fated race and the careers of the drivers involved, highlighting their lives in the dangerous world of auto racing.

Download or read book The Curse of the Indy 500 written by Stan Sutton and published by Indiana University Press. This book was released on 2018-03-19 with total page 187 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “[A] rich history built around the 1958 tragedy that claimed one of the Indy 500’s most beloved drivers . . . evokes a unique and unforgettable era.” —Dan Carpenter, freelance writer, former Indianapolis Star columnist On May 30, 1958, thousands of racing fans poured into the infield at dawn to claim the best seats of the Indianapolis 500, unaware that they were going to witness one of the most notorious wrecks in racing history. Seconds after the green flag, a game of chicken spiraled out of control into a fiery 16-car pile-up that claimed the life of 29-year-old Indiana native and rising star Pat O’Connor. The other drivers escaped death, but the tragic 1958 Indy 500 seemed to leave its mark on them: the surviving drivers were hounded by accidents and terrible crashes, and most would die at tracks around the country. But the tragedy also prompted new regulations and safety precautions like roll bars that would ultimately save hundreds of lives. In The Curse of Indy 500: 1958’s Tragic Legacy, veteran sportswriter Stan Sutton profiles the ill-fated race and the careers of the drivers involved, highlighting their lives in the dangerous world of auto racing. “In all, the book offers an exciting story of the 1958 Indy 500 and a thought-provoking discussion of its aftermath.” —Daily Journal “A meticulous contextual account of events leading into what possibly triggered the starting tension, what follows in the wake of the fiery first-lap death of Pat O’Conner, and what other Indy 500 tragedies have failed to get the notice generated on and following May 30, 1958.” —NUVO

Download or read book Jack Arute s Tales from the Indy 500 written by Jack Arute and published by Sports Publishing LLC. This book was released on 2006 with total page 194 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: As a pit reporter for ABC Sports, Jack Arute has become one of the most recognizable faces of the Indianapolis 500. From his initial fear of approaching A.J. Foyt in the garage as a cu reporter to watching Danica Patrick rewrite the role of women in motorsports when she became the first woman to lead a lap in the 89th running of the race, ?Jackie? has seen it all. He now relates all of his greatest, funniest, and most meaningful stories in Jack Arute's Tales from the Indy 500.

Download or read book Blood and Smoke written by Charles Leerhsen and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2012-05-22 with total page 278 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: One hundred years ago, 40 cars lined up for the first Indianapolis 500. We are still waiting to find out who won. The Indy 500 was created to showcase the controversial new sport of automobile racing, which was sweeping the country. Daring young men were driving automobiles at the astonishing speed of 75 miles per hour, testing themselves and their vehicles. With no seat belts, hard helmets or roll bars, the dangers were enormous. When the Indianapolis Motor Speedway opened in 1909, seven people were killed, some of them spectators. Oil-slicked surfaces, clouds of smoke, exploding tires, and flying grit all made driving extremely hazardous, especially with the open-cockpit, windshield-less vehicles. Bookmakers offered bets not only on who might win but who might survive. But this book is about more than a race--it is the story of America at the dawn of the automobile age, a country in love with speed, danger, and spectacle.--From publisher description.

Download or read book Tales from the Indianapolis 500 written by Jack Arute and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2016-05-17 with total page 224 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: What’s it like to race across the blacktop of the nation’s most famous track? How does it feel to smash into a concrete wall while going over 200 miles per hour? This exciting, humorous, and poignant collection of tales takes readers inside the most thrilling race in America. Newly updated, Tales from the Indianapolis 500 captures horrific collisions and sweet victories from drivers past and present. With the 100th race approaching, the excitement and history of the Indy 500 will be on the mind of every racing fan. Author and renowned broadcaster Jack Arute exposes readers to a fast-paced world of high-speed thrills and unbelievable wipeouts. Beginning with his first encounter at the iconic race, along with stories from racing legends like Ray Harroun, and memorable races stretching up to the present day, Arute captures an entire culture of its own. NASCAR fans, whether young or old, will revel in the chance to experience the Indy 500 from within these pages. There’s no doubt readers will feel like they’re actually there! Skyhorse Publishing, as well as our Sports Publishing imprint, is proud to publish a broad range of books for readers interested in sports—books about baseball, pro football, college football, pro and college basketball, hockey, or soccer, we have a book about your sport or your team. In addition to books on popular team sports, we also publish books for a wide variety of athletes and sports enthusiasts, including books on running, cycling, horseback riding, swimming, tennis, martial arts, golf, camping, hiking, aviation, boating, and so much more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to publishing books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked by other publishers and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.

Download or read book Black Noon The Year They Stopped the Indy 500 written by Art Garner and published by Macmillan. This book was released on 2014-05-06 with total page 352 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Winner of the 2014 Dean Batchelor Award, Motor Press Guild "Book of the Year" Before noon on May 30th, 1964, the Indy 500 was stopped for the first time in history by an accident. Seven cars had crashed in a fiery wreck, killing two drivers, and threatening the very future of the 500. Black Noon chronicles one of the darkest and most important days in auto-racing history. As rookie Dave MacDonald came out of the fourth turn and onto the front stretch at the end of the second lap, he found his rear-engine car lifted by the turbulence kicked up from two cars he was attempting to pass. With limited steering input, MacDonald lost control of his car and careened off the inside wall of the track, exploding into a huge fireball and sliding back into oncoming traffic. Closing fast was affable fan favorite Eddie Sachs. "The Clown Prince of Racing" hit MacDonald's sliding car broadside, setting off a second explosion that killed Sachs instantly. MacDonald, pulled from the wreckage, died two hours later. After the track was cleared and the race restarted, it was legend A. J. Foyt who raced to a decisive, if hollow, victory. Torn between elation and horror, Foyt, along with others, championed stricter safety regulations, including mandatory pit stops, limiting the amount a fuel a car could carry, and minimum-weight standards. In this tight, fast-paced narrative, Art Garner brings to life the bygone era when drivers lived hard, raced hard, and at times died hard. Drawing from interviews, Garner expertly reconstructs the fateful events and decisions leading up to the sport's blackest day, and the incriminating aftermath that forever altered the sport. Black Noon remembers the race that changed everything and the men that paved the way for the Golden Age of Indy car racing.

Download or read book Most Notorious Curses of All Time written by Dave Campbell and published by ABDO. This book was released on 2015-12-15 with total page 51 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This title explores the legends and lore behind the billy goat, the Bambino, and other suspicious phenomena in the world of sports. The title also features informative sidebars, a glossary, and further resources. SportsZone is an imprint of Abdo Publishing Company.

Download or read book The Indianapolis 500 written by James Craig Reinhardt and published by Red Lightning Books. This book was released on 2019-04-01 with total page 222 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Known as the "Greatest Spectacle in Racing," the Indy 500 humbly began in 1911. Labeled as the first speedway, this two-and-a-half-mile oval is now home to many of today's top races, including the Brickyard 400, the Verizon IndyCar Series, the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, the SportsCar Vintage Racing Association, the Red Bull Air Race World Championship, and its most famous race, the Indianapolis 500. In The Indianapolis 500: Inside the Greatest Spectacle in Racing, speedway tour guide and racing afficionado James Craig Reinhardt shares what makes the legendary racetrack special. He reveals the speedway's unbelievable history, fast-flying action, notorious moments, and its secrets, including facts about the beginning of the brickyard, why the drivers kiss the finish line, how milk became the drink of choice, and much more. The perfect gift for the veteran or rookie, The Indianapolis 500 is a must-have for all race fans.

Download or read book This is Indy written by Ross R.Olney and published by Lulu.com. This book was released on 2015-09-30 with total page 262 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Indianapolis Speedway Race is the most exciting one of all, held on the largest track in America, with the most in-attendance fans, and the largest TV audience of any sporting event anywhere, anytime. It is a dangerous, challenging race that is the most important one of all to win for the drivers. If you win at Indy, your future is assured. You are famous. You will get sponsors and you will be paid to advertise products. An Indy winner is set for life in this sport. Fans know this, and cheer on their favorite drivers. But this race is dangerous, and many drivers have lost their lives attempting to win at Indy. They seem somehow to go "over the line" at Indy, as Rick Mears does in this book, in an effort to win. Real fans want them to try harder and harder to win, but real fans don't want any driver or spectator to be hurt, or worse. So real fans cheer when Mears goes high into dangerous territory on the track, rather than low where the risk is less. Every fan should see this race in person at least once.

Download or read book Indy written by Terry Reed and published by Potomac Books, Inc.. This book was released on 2005 with total page 271 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The classic history of America s greatest auto race, updated with twenty years of new material

Download or read book Black Noon The Year They Stopped the Indy 500 written by Art Garner and published by Macmillan. This book was released on 2014-05-06 with total page 353 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Just before high noon on May 30th, 1964, the Indy 500 stopped for the first time in history. Seven cars had crashed in a fiery accident, killing two drivers, and threatening the very future of the 500. In this tight, fast-paced narrative, Art Garner expertly reconstructs the events, circumstances, and fatal decisions leading up to the sport's blackest day. Recalling a bygone era when drivers lived hard, raced hard, and at times died hard, Black Noon takes readers back to the last race won by a front-engined roadster, to before the switch from gasoline to methanol, to tell one of the great untold stories in sports. Informed by his extensive interviews including six of the seven surviving drivers, Garner brings to life the greatest names in racing - A.J. Foyt, Dan Gurney, Parnelli Jones, Bobby Unser, and Johnny Rutherford - focusing on Eddie Sachs and Dave MacDonald, the two very different drivers whose lives accelerated toward the same catastrophic end that day. Publishing for the 50th anniversary of this iconic event, Black Noon remembers the race that changed everything and the men that heralded the Golden Age of Indy car racing"--

Download or read book Indy 500 Recaps written by Pat Kennedy and published by AuthorHouse. This book was released on 2020-03-23 with total page 482 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book started as a self-serving exercise to personally organize the major details and interesting facts of each Indianapolis 500 over the hundred-plus-year history of the greatest race in the world. For many of us passionate racing fans who have attended a multitude of 500s, there is a tendency for the details of the races to (somewhat) blend together. I hope this book will help to provide clarity in this regard as well as educate. During high school, many of us chose to use CliffsNotes to assist in the education process. This book is somewhat patterned after that concept. It falls somewhere between Donald Davidson and Rick Schaffer—the best and by far the most detailed book on the history of the Indianapolis 500—and a multitude of pictorial books with limited information. I hope it will prove to be an easy read with entertaining and educational information.

Download or read book The Indianapolis 500 written by Kate Mikoley and published by Gareth Stevens Publishing LLLP. This book was released on 2020-07-15 with total page 32 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: When it comes to car races, few events come close to being able to offer the excitement and notoriety of the Indianapolis 500. Since 1911, fans and drivers have flocked to Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indiana for this intense event. Written at a low level, this captivating narrative gives readers an accessible and in-depth look at this popular event. Attention-grabbing photographs, interesting fact boxes, and informative text will satisfy your young race car enthusiasts.

Download or read book The Indy Car Wars written by Sigur E. Whitaker and published by McFarland. This book was released on 2015-10-08 with total page 231 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The world of Champ Car auto racing was changing in the 1970s. As cars became more sophisticated, the cost of supporting a team had skyrocketed, making things difficult for team owners. In an effort to increase purses paid by racing promoters and win lucrative television contracts, a group of owners formed Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART) in 1978. Soon after, CART split from its sanctioning body, the United States Auto Club (USAC). Though Champ Cars ran on numerous tracks, the Indianapolis 500 was the payday that supported most teams through the season. From the beginning, CART had most of the successful teams and popular drivers, and they focused on driving a wedge between the track owners and the USAC. Over the next 30 years, the tension between CART and USAC ebbed and flowed until all parties realized that reunification was needed for the sake of the sport. This book details the fight over control of Champ Car racing before reunification in 2008.

Download or read book The Indianapolis 500 written by Ralph Kramer and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2010-11-04 with total page 256 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Greatest Spectacle in Racing Since the dawn of automotive racing, the world's best drivers have tested their skills, bravery and the limits of speed in the legendary Indianapolis 500. The winner claims the historic Borg-Warner Trophy, and racing immortality. Officially licensed in cooperation with the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Indianapolis 500: A Century of Excitement tells the compelling and entertaining story of the race that has become known as simply "The Greatest Spectacle in Racing." Overflowing with photographs hand-picked from the Speedway's mammoth photo archives, and filled with historic, behind-the-scene stories, you'll revel in the history that has shaped this amazing event.

Download or read book Indy 500 written by Nancy Roe Pimm and published by Darby Creek. This book was released on 2004 with total page 68 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Every year the world's greatest athletes compete in events that crown a champion. In baseball, it's the World Series. In football, it's the Super Bowl. In soccer, it's the World Cup. For auto-racing athletes, it's the Indianapolis 500. Every May, drivers from all over the world come to race in the Indy 500. They push themselves and their cars for 200 laps at more than 200 miles per hour. These men and women take sharp turns, fly down straightaways, make pit stops, and zigzag for position. At the end of the day, one car--one driver--will take the checkered flag. Only one can be the Indy 500 Champion! Take a spin in the fast lane--the inside track--to find out about the Indy 500!

Download or read book Tales from the Indianapolis 500 written by Jack Arute and published by Skyhorse Publishing Inc.. This book was released on 2012-04 with total page 209 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An updated edition of a treasury of top-selected, memorable stories that occurred at historic Indianapolis Motor Speedway documents the competition's most significant collisions and victories by famous drivers from the past and present.