Early twentieth century road and track racing was intertwined with the development of the speedster. Each helped the other. A study of these races reveals the challenges that racers faced and would put up with from race promoters and local jurisdictions. The Legend of the First Super Speedway covers that and more: we do a book report.

Imagine a company that produced speedsters in the classic era—and is still around today doing that. For over 70 years—wow! This episode concludes our look at my upcoming book, Classic Speedsters, with a summary view of this company and two others that didn’t make it….

News of my book’s publication, Classic Speedsters, follows a look at our next set of chapters—three companies that also began their speedster journeys in the first part of the 20th century. All managed to produce fine automobiles up through the Great Depression. One even made it to the 1950s….

The early 20th century—it was the best of times, it was the worst of times… We’re read that line before, and it certainly applies to this era in automotive history. While the Classic Speedsters’ book interior is being mapped out and refined, let’s take a look at the next three chapters…

After ten years of digging up information on and writing about this topic, my book, Classic Speedsters , is going to the printer soon. This episode opens the book to look at the first few chapters.

It’s always good to reflect on one’s life while it’s passing, and also before it has passed. But how do you sum it all up in 250 words or less? And, how to write an abstract—a pitch—for a book ? This post attempts that…

My fascination with speedsters started oh so long ago, when I was a wee little camera boy for my father. I was just a kid, and so my recall of that day is all very vague. But I do remember that this is how it all started…

Who could imagine that an automobile board would not wisely direct the company over which it had control? This has happened before, and unfortunately, it happened again—this time at the Stutz Motor Car Company…

Stutz had its day in the sun of the early teens and had since been laid low by a stock manipulator who almost ruined the company after taking over in 1917. Then a war. Then a pandemic. Then a post-war depression. I mean, what else could happen to the Bearcat brand?

Well, read on, my friend…

I can just see it in my mind’s eye: Dorothy is nervously walking faster and faster as she scurries down the Yellow Brick Road in the Enchanted Forest, chanting “Bearcats, Blackhawks, and Speedsters—oh, my!”

Stutz as an automobile company produced a remarkable run of such cars—fast, expensive, and darn good-looking! All done in 25 short years. This is part one of its speedster involvement.