Blood and Smoke

A True Tale of Mystery, Mayhem, and the Birth of the Indy 500

By: Charles Leerhsen

Narrated by: Rob Shapiro

Hear the heart-pounding, engine-revving true story of the first Indy 500 - America’s most celebrated automobile race.

In 1911, thousands of spectators gathered at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway to watch 40 cars compete in the first annual Indianapolis 500-Mile Race. Better known as the Indy 500, the event was a celebration of the controversial new sport of automobile racing.

Dangerous and deadly, auto racing was drawing attention from across the country with its thrilling premise: No windshields, no helmets, no seatbelts - just speed. Fans would flock to race tracks to watch gutsy young men go up to 75 miles per hour in open cockpits.

But with fame came complications. Seven people were killed when the Indianapolis Motor Speedway first opened. Racers’ wives became widows in the blink of an eye. Drivers encountered exploding tires, bursts of smoke, oily surfaces and pieces of asphalt flying at their faces - not to mention the wrenches and bolts thrown by unruly opponents gunning for the lead. And, while Marmon Wasp driver Ray Harroun was officially declared the winner of the first Indy 500, the decision is disputed to this day by fans and officials of the sport.

Listen to Blood and Smoke and go back to when America was first falling in love with automobile racing. Take the driver’s seat on this audio-venture and experience the early days of the Indy 500, the controversies that shaped this iconic race, and the young drivers who risked everything for fame, fortune, and first place.

©2011 Charles Leerhsen. (P)2020 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

Critic reviews

"Leerhsen provides an entertaining history of the automobile's growth in the early twentieth century.... Along the way, readers are treated to sharply humorous social commentary bolstered by fascinating details of Indianapolis life and industry." (Booklist)

"With alternating tales of horrifying crashes and the schemes of Carl Fisher, who promoted the Indianapolis Speedway as a venue for airplane races, this is a ripping good yarn of America in the early 20th century. Leerhsen, a witty storyteller, draws from contemporary articles, histories, and interviews to pull readers into a behind-the-scenes glimpse of the building of the Speedway and the first race...this book has broad appeal, with laugh-out-loud stories and characters who would be unbelievable if they turned up in fiction. Highly recommended." (Library Journal, starred review)

Decent book about the first Indy 500

The author tells the story about the first Indianapolis 500 in 1911. He goes in depth behind the events that led to the 500 mile running as well as the race itself. It’s a decent book.

Very Enjoyable

I bought this book for a 10 hour road trip and it kept me engaged the entire time. The book is a wild journey of how the first Indy 500 was created along with stories of the young drivers that risked their lives and even died in the madness of the new sport of automobile racing.

Finely read and enjoyable listen.

I don't understand the hatred of the few mispronounced names. It was good. I mean, so what if he didn't pronounce "sneva" or "rahal" correctly. His reading pace and tone is top notch. And I put much more emphasis on that, than individual words.

I thought it’d be more about the race

This is a good listen, I thought it would be more about the race. About 25% of the book is about how’s cars came about, witch is interesting but I was hoping fore a little more about the track and details about the first race. Still a good book by all means.

Fine performance of questionable history

Charles Leerhsen is best known for "Ty Cobb: A Terrible Beauty" and this book fits into the same category of "Isn't it easy to imagine?" history of early 20th-century sports. His most common trick is to question a sportswriter's ethics in one chapter before citing him as impeccable source in the next. He tells a great story, but without convincing you of its truth.